How to smoke pork butt on pellet grill

You won't believe how simple it is to make this juicy, tender, fall-apart smoked pork butt! Just three ingredients + your favorite barbecue sauce and a day on the smoker is all it takes!

Table of Contents Show

You Will Love This
Ingredients and Substitutions
Instructions
Are you new to smoking?
Best Wood to Use
Pulled Pork Temp
Make-Ahead and Storage
Easy Smoker Recipes
Reader Interactions

You Will Love This

It's just phenomenal. If you love getting pulled pork sandwiches when you go out to eat, you've GOT to try smoking your own pork shoulder at home! Nothing beats the flavor of smoked pulled pork and being able to add your own seasonings and adjust the cooking time ensures that you'll get the perfect pulled pork every single time!
If you loved this pork shoulder recipe, be sure to check out my easy side dishes like smoked meatloaf, smoked macaroni and cheese, and smoked white queso.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Pork Butt - Also known as pork shoulder or Boston butt, this makes for the perfect pulled pork! It's a cut of meat that tastes best when it's cooked low and slow so smoking it on a pellet grill is ideal. You can find a pork butt at most grocery stores or your local butchers.
Dijon Mustard - Feel free to use yellow mustard in its place. It's going to help the dry rub adhere to the pork.
Easy Dry Rub - This is my homemade recipe for the most delicious, flavorful spice rub. It takes just a few minutes to throw together and is made with brown sugar, Kosher salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, and mustard powder.

Instructions

Set pellet grill to smoke setting. Dry pork well with paper towels and coat it on all sides with mustard.

Season with my easy dry rub.

Place the pork butt on the grill, fat side up, and cook on the smoke setting for 20 minutes.

Turn heat to 250 degrees. Smoke for 10-11 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 195-205 degrees on the meat thermometer. The longer it cooks, the more tender and soft it will be. I usually let it get to 203 degrees.

Carefully transfer to an aluminum pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Let rest for 1-2 hours. Shred with 2 forks and serve with your favorite BBQ sauce!

Tips

There's no need to rub the dry rub into the pork butt. The mustard is going to help it adhere to the meat and then you'll just need to gently pat it into the pork. This will give you the bark you're looking for.
You also don't need to spend time spritzing the shoulder with apple juice or apple cider vinegar throughout the smoking process. Some recipes call for using a spray bottle to mist the meat throughout the smoke. I've found that this doesn't make much of a difference. Just add the mustard and the rub and let the smoker do its job!
When you take the pork shoulder off the pellet grill it will be super tender and you might have some trouble getting it off the grill because it will be falling apart already! The best way to successfully make the transfer is to use a metal spatula and use it to carefully separate the pork butt from the grill grates if it's a bit stuck. Then cover the roast in a sheet of foil and use oven-safe gloves to transfer it from the grill to a large aluminum pan or metal cake pan. It might take a couple tries and don't worry if it starts to fall apart. Just transfer it to the pan and then cover it tightly with a couple sheets of foil to rest.
The best place to let the pork rest is sealed inside foil inside a large cooler with clean bath towels on top and the lid of the cooler closed. This will ensure that the pork stays perfectly juicy and will shred beautifully after it's rested.
Depending on the size of your roast it might take anywhere from 8-12 hours. I typically use about a 7-pound roast and it takes about 10-11 hours to smoke.
I like to wait to insert the probe thermometer until the pork shoulder has been smoking for about 8 hours. Insert it so that it's close to the center of the roast but not touching the bone. This will ensure you get an accurate reading.
Don't forget to add more pellets as it smokes! This is a long smoke, so be sure to check the hopper every couple of hours. When you notice it getting low, add more pellets as needed.

Are you new to smoking?

Looking for an affordable smoker?
Not sure which wood pellet grill is best for your needs?

Click here to check out my full review of my favorite Z Grill wood pellet smoker! I'll share with you everything I love about this grill and why you'll want to add it to your backyard space right now!

FAQ

How long does it take to smoke a 8lb pork shoulder?

When smoking a pork butt at 250 degrees, you can plan to cook it for 90 minutes per pound. So an 8-pound pork shoulder is going to take about 12 hours so to smoke until its fall-apart tender reaches an internal temp of about 200 degrees.

Should I smoke a pork shoulder at 225 or 250?

I prefer to smoke my pork butt at 250 degrees. I find that this cooks the pork roast a bit quicker but still gives it a delicious texture. If you smoke at 225 degrees you can plan on 2 hours per pound of pork. If you smoke at 250 you can plan on about 90 minutes per pound. Either temperature is going to give you a very similar result, the lower temp just takes a bit longer.

Best Wood to Use

For smoked pork butt, I like to use hickory or mesquite. It gives the meat a delicious flavor and it's bold enough to penetrate this cut of meat.
I prefer to save the more mild types of wood - like apple, cherry, or oak - for something like smoked mac and cheese or smoked queso.
You could also use a mixture of bold wood like hickory or mesquite with milder wood like apple or cherry.
This article talks more in-depth about what types of wood to use and why if you're undecided.

Pulled Pork Temp

Depending on how soft you like your pork, you can cook it to an internal temp of anywhere from 195-205.
It does need to cook to at least 195 degrees though so that it will shred easily.
Our family likes to cook it to around 203 degrees so it's so super tender and falls right apart.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: This smoked pork shoulder is an ideal make-ahead meal! It stays great in the fridge and is super easy to reheat.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Reheating

Reheat shredded pork in an aluminum pan with the juices from smoking at 250 degrees until warmed through.
It also reheats well in a covered crockpot set to low or warm. If you're serving it with BBQ sauce, feel free to add some barbecue sauce and mix it in while you reheat it.
You can also reheat smaller portions in a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. This will let the pork crisp up a bit as well.
The idea is to reheat it with some type of liquid to keep it from drying out and keep it covered so that the moisture doesn't escape.

Easy Smoker Recipes

The Best Smoked Chicken Thighs
Easy 20 Minute Lemon Garlic Pasta
Super Easy Instant Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Peanut Butter Chicken Rice Bowl

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You won't believe how simple it is to make this juicy, tender, fall-apart smoked pork butt! Just three ingredients + your favorite barbecue sauce and a day on the smoker is all it takes!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Rest Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 10 hours
Total Time: 11 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 12-15 servings 1x
Category: Main Dish
Method: Pellet Grill
Cuisine: American

7 lb. bone-in pork butt
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup of my easy dry rub

Set pellet grill to smoke setting.
Dry meat well with paper towels and coat it on all sides with mustard.
Season on all sides with the dry rub.
Place the pork shoulder on the grill, fat side up, and cook on the smoke setting for 20 minutes.
Turn heat to 250 degrees and smoke for 10-11 hours or until the internal temp reaches 195-205 degrees. The longer it cooks, the more tender and soft it will be. I usually let it get to 203 degrees.
Carefully transfer pork to an aluminum pan and cover tightly with foil. If possible, place inside of a large cooler and cover with clean bath towels. Let rest for 1-2 hours.
Shred with 2 forks, discarding gristle or any chunks of fat, and serve with your favorite BBQ sauce and enjoy!

Notes

There's no need to rub the dry rub into the pork butt. The mustard is going to help it adhere to the meat and then you'll just need to gently pat it into the pork. This will give you the bark you're looking for.
You also don't need to spend time spritzing the shoulder with apple juice or apple cider vinegar throughout the smoking process. Some recipes call for using a spray bottle to mist the meat throughout the smoke. I've found that this doesn't make much of a difference. Just add the mustard and the rub and let the smoker do its job!
When you take the pork shoulder off the pellet grill it will be super tender and you might have some trouble getting it off the grill because it will be falling apart already! The best way to successfully make the transfer is to use a metal spatula and use it to carefully separate the pork butt from the grill grates if it's a bit stuck. Then cover the roast in a sheet of foil and use oven-safe gloves to transfer it from the grill to a large aluminum pan or metal cake pan. It might take a couple tries and don't worry if it starts to fall apart. Just transfer it to the pan and then cover it tightly with a couple sheets of foil to rest.
The best place to let the pork rest is sealed inside foil inside a large cooler with clean bath towels on top and the lid of the cooler closed. This will ensure that the pork stays perfectly juicy and will shred beautifully after it's rested.
Depending on the size of your roast it might take anywhere from 8-12 hours. I typically use about a 7-pound roast and it takes about 10-11 hours to smoke.
I like to wait to insert the probe thermometer until the pork shoulder has been smoking for about 8 hours. Insert it so that it's close to the center of the roast but not touching the bone. This will ensure you get an accurate reading.
Don't forget to add more pellets as it smokes! This is a long smoke, so be sure to check the hopper every couple of hours. When you notice it getting low, add more pellets as needed.