How To Smoke A Pork Shoulder

This recipe is low and slow!  Check out the Facebook Live video where Greg breaks down the process and also answers some fan questions!

HOW TO SMOKE A PORK SHOULDER

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Smoking Time: Approx. 6.5 hours

The Ingredients:

• 8 lb bone-out pork shoulder these may also be labeled as pork butt
• olive oil
• Water
• 3 Tablespoons each of All Ration & Fire For Effect Rubs

Spritz:

• ½ Cup apple juice
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

The Tools:

• Tongs
• Weber 22” Kettle Grill
• Kingsford Charcoal Briquettes
• Aluminum Foil
• Cowboy Apple Wood Chips
• Meater Wireless Meat Thermometer
• Plastic Spray Bottle
• Pampered Chef Quick Shred Shredders

The Process:

• Prepare the smoker. I used my Weber Kettle Grill to maintain a temperature of 225-250 degrees. 

One way to keep a  low and steady temperature is by using a process known as the Modified Minion Method. By adding lit coals on top of unlit coals. The lit coals will slowly heat up the unlit coals. 

Roughly put 36 unlit Charcoal Briquettes on both sides of your grill. Use a chimney to light approx. 16 Briquettes. 

 Heat the coals until they have ashed over (turned grey).

Place an aluminum foil pan in the bottom of the kettle in the location that will be directly below the meat.  Place a small amount of water or apple juice in the pan. The pan will catch any drippings from the meat and prevent them from burning.

 With the pan in place, add your lit coals to the unlit coals.

 Add a handful of apple wood chips to the lit coals. Place the grate on the kettle, close the lid, and wait for smoke.

 The temperature of the kettle needs to be around 250°F

• Rub the pork.  Rub pork with olive oil.  Mix 3 tablespoons each of All Ration & Fire For Effect rub seasonings and rub into pork on all sides.

• Fill spray bottle.  Fill with a 2:1 ratio of apple juice and apple cider vinegar and set aside.  You’ll be spritzing the pork every hour for the first 4 hours.

• Smoke pork.  Add pork shoulder to smoker grate and smoke at 250°F for 4 hours.  Each hour, open up the smoker and spritz pork. Replenish the apple wood chips every hour. 

• Wrap the pork.  Spritz pork one more time, then wrap with foil or peach paper.  Return to smoker and smoke at 225°F for approximately 4 more hours.

• Check temp.  Pork should have an internal temperature of between 195-205°F.  I pulled this one off at 203F

• Let pork rest.  Remove pork from smoker and keep pork wrapped while it rests for 20 minutes. 

• Shred it!

• Serve with your favorite BBQ sauce on a Brioche Bun!  Enjoy!