Cooking a Pork Shoulder/Boston Butt is one of the easiest things to cook on the smoker, if you know how to do it. We will help you smoke the perfect pork shoulder so you can wow all your friends at the next barbecue hang out!
BE PREPARED
Having these right tools and a plan is key to getting perfectly pulled pork. Here are some must have tools and things to consider before your journey.
- Blaze Thermometer (Instant read thermometer)
- Meat claws or 2x kitchen forks or hands
- Aluminium Trays
- Time - Don't be last minute (Give yourself enough time to achieve the ultimate pulled pork)
SHOPPING FOR PORK
Shopping for right pork is crucial. You want a shoulder that isn’t overly fatty on the top and bottom, but still a small layer on fat on top (we call this the cap)
Remember, picking a piece of meat that requires less trimming, is going to allow you to get this on the pit sooner!
Different types of Pork you can use for pulled pork:
- Pork Shoulder/Boston Butt – Usually around 3 to 4 kilos in weight and will feed 8-12 people.
- Pork Scotch/Neck, which is the same cut from the shoulder, just more of the neck muscle. Usually 1 to 2kgs in weight and will feed 4 to 8 people.
If you find you want leftovers for meals throughout the week, cook a larger Boston butt. You can vacuum seal it and store in the freezer for future meals.
TRIMMING THE PORK SHOULDER
Time to trim your pork. We like to start with carefully taking the shoulder out of the packaging and removing and large chunks of fat that stick out. Preferably you’d want to trim away any silver skin that is exposed. This is to get more rub into the final product. Flip the shoulder over and start trimming the hard fat cap on top. We like to leave about 6mm of fat on top.
SEASONING THE PORK
We are almost there! It’s time to season your newly trimmed pork shoulder. Optionally, you can put down a layer of oil or mustard on the pork to help the rub stick, but this is completely optional as pork out of the packaging has a lot of moisture.
Take your pork shoulder and season with your favourite Lane’s BBQ seasoning. Make sure you season from a height to allow even coating of rub.
Lane’s suggested rubs:
- Lane’s Brisket Rub – Beautifully coarse salt and pepper rub with a good amount of savoury thyme and garlic. Creates great bark.
- Lane’s Signature – Great savoury base flavour, allowing for the pork flavour to shine through.
- Lane’s Magic Dust – maybe the best thing for pulled pork. The balance of sweet, spice and savoury are just a perfect complement to your pulled pork.
COOK TIME
It's cooking time! all that hard work you’ve put in is about to pay off.
Place your pork, fat side up on the preheated pit.
We recommend:
- Set your smoker/oven to 275f or 135c degrees, cook for roughly 2 hours per kilo of meat.
- Once your pork hits 165f or 74c, it’s time to wrap your shoulder. Use a thick bit of foil and wrap up nice and tight with some butter, placing the wrapped meat back on the smoker.
- Take your pork out once the internal temperature is roughly 210f or 98c. If it is still not probing softly, leave it on the pit until it probes like soft warm butter.
- Rest pork for 2 hours, wrapped in an old towel, placed in a cooler (this helps keep the meat nice and hot)
TIME TO GET STUCK INTO IT
Once your pork has rested, it is time to pulled apart and serve. Once you have pulled your pork, add in a touch of Kinda Sweet bbq sauce and some more Magic dust on top.
Last tip – Whip up some sides that go great with pulled pork, or pick them up from the shops like we did!
Loved making this recipe? We would love to see! Upload your finished meal photos to Instagram and tag @lanesbbqau.
