This classic pulled pork recipe is a BBQ essential. Smoky, tender, and packed with deep pork flavor, it’s perfect for sandwiches, tacos, poutine, or just eating by the forkful. Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or meal prepping for the week, pulled pork is one of the most rewarding low-and-slow cooks out there.
Classic Pulled Pork
When someone says BBQ, pulled pork is one of the first dishes that comes to mind. This recipe uses a bone-in pork butt (don’t worry, it’s actually from the shoulder), which gives you optimal fat marbling, flavor, and a built-in doneness check—the bone should pull right out when it’s done! With a good rub, a long smoke, and a little patience, you’ll get competition-worthy results at home.
How to Make Classic Pulled Pork
Preparation
Trim excess fat from the surface of the pork butt. Coat all sides in oil, then apply a liberal amount of your favorite pork rub—make sure to cover every inch. Let the pork rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight for extra flavor penetration. Meanwhile, preheat your smoker to 225°F and load it with hickory, apple, or pecan wood.
Smoking the Pork
Place the pork butt directly on the smoker grates with the fat side toward the heat source. Plan for roughly 60 minutes per pound of cook time. Every hour, spritz or brush the pork with apple juice to keep it moist and help the bark develop. Once the internal temperature hits 160°F, the bark should be set and the pork ready to wrap.
Wrapping
Place the pork in a foil roasting pan, add about ¼ cup of apple juice, and wrap tightly with foil. Return it to the smoker and continue cooking until the internal temp reaches 190°F or higher. For ultra-tender pork, some go as high as 203°F.
Resting
Remove the wrapped pork from the smoker and let it rest for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours, in a cooler or cold oven. Resting lets the juices redistribute and the meat soften even further.
Shredding and Serving
Transfer the pork to a large dish, remove the bone (it should slide right out), and shred the meat with two forks. Add ½ jar of BBQ sauce and mix, using reserved juices if you want it saucier. Serve on buns with coleslaw, pickles, or extra sauce.
Best Beer To Pair With Classic Pulled Pork
Pale Ale
Crisp and hoppy enough to cut through the richness of the pork, pale ales bring just enough bite to balance the sweetness of BBQ sauce.
Amber Lager
A malt-forward amber lager pairs perfectly with the smoky and slightly sweet pork, offering a smooth and easygoing combo.
Wheat Beer
Light and refreshing, wheat beers complement pulled pork without overpowering it—especially great if you’re topping with coleslaw.
Classic Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 1 each Bone in Pork Butt 8-10lbs
- 1 l Apple Juice
- 300 grams Big Poppa Smoker’s Money Rub
- 1 bottle House of Q Competition 5 Star Sauce
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Instructions
- Trim and season a bone-in pork butt with oil and pork rub
- Let rest 30 minutes while preheating smoker to 225°F
- Smoke fat-side-toward-heat for ~60 minutes per pound
- Spritz with apple juice every hour
- At 160°F internal, place in foil pan with ¼ cup apple juice and wrap tightly
- Continue cooking until internal temp hits 190°F–203°F
- Rest wrapped for 30 minutes to 2 hours
- Shred, mix with sauce, and serve on buns with slaw or pickles