Smoked Pulled Pork

Pulled pork is the beating heart of American Southern barbecue culture — particularly in the Carolinas and Tennessee. A whole pork shoulder (Boston butt) is rubbed with spices and smoked over hardwood for the better part of a day until the connective tissue collapses and the meat can be pulled apart by hand. The bark — that dark, spice-crusted exterior — is as prized as the interior. Eaten on white bread with vinegar slaw, or simply straight from the board.

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 2.7 kg (6 lb) bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt)
• 30 g (2 tbsp) brown sugar
• 15 g (1 tbsp) smoked paprika
• 10 g (2 tsp) garlic powder
• 10 g (2 tsp) onion powder
• 10 g (2 tsp) black pepper
• 8 g (1.5 tsp) salt
• 5 g (1 tsp) cayenne pepper
• 2 chunks hickory or apple wood (for smoking)
• White bread, pickles, and apple cider vinegar slaw to serve

Instructions

1. Combine brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, salt, and cayenne. Rub all over pork shoulder, pressing into every surface. Refrigerate uncovered overnight if possible, or at least 1 hour.
2. Set up smoker (or kettle grill using indirect heat) to maintain 107–120°C (225–250°F). Add wood chunks over coals.
3. Place pork fat-side up on smoker rack. Smoke undisturbed for 6–8 hours, replenishing wood and charcoal as needed to maintain temperature and smoke.
4. When internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F) and bark is dark and set, wrap pork tightly in butcher paper or foil. Return to smoker.
5. Continue cooking 2–4 more hours until internal temperature reaches 95–99°C (203–210°F) and a probe slides in with zero resistance, like pushing through warm butter.
6. Rest wrapped pork in a cooler (no ice) for at least 1 hour, up to 3 hours. Pull meat apart by hand, discarding bone and excess fat. Mix bark pieces throughout.

Cook's Notes: The stall — when the internal temperature stops rising around 70–74°C (160–165°F) — is caused by evaporative cooling. Wrapping pushes through it. Do not rush by raising temperature; patience is the entire technique.