Easy Pulled Pork Recipe

A pulled pork sandwich made with easy smoked pulled pork

5 from 1 vote

Easy Pulled Pork Recipe

The easiest way to prepare pulled pork. Simply buy a pork shoulder, season it, and then smoke it until it's the right temperature and texture. Let it rest, then pull it and enjoy some delicious smoked pulled pork sandwiches.

Prep Time15

Cook Time7

Resting Time1

Total Time8 15

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American, barbecue

Servings: people

Author: Mary Cressler

Cost: $20.00

Ingredients

7 pound bone-in pork shoulder, (Trimmed of most fat and any glands)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup ultimate dry rub

Instructions

Preheat Smoker: Prepare the smoker and target 250 degrees Fahrenheit using your favorite wood. We like oak or fruit woods (apple or cherry).
Season Meat: Apply the mustard to the pork shoulder and then liberally apply the dry rub to all sides of the pork.
Smoke: Place the shoulder on the smoker and then insert a Bluetooth remote temperature probe. Close the lid and smoke for seven hours. Monitor the smoker's temperature by keeping the smoker at or around 250 degrees. Some minor temperature fluctuations are normal (+/- 10 degrees).
After 6 Hours: At or around hour six, begin probing the pork shoulder with an instant-read thermometer. You are probing in several places to check the internal temperature AND the texture. The probe should insert into the pork as if it's inserting into room-temperature butter. If it is not that tender, then continue smoking. The range at which the pork may be done will be between 190 and 210 degrees F.
Remove and Rest: Remove the pork shoulder and line the bottom of a cooler (with NO ice) in foil. Place the pork into the cooler, close the lid, and let rest for one hour. Then, remove the bone and pull the meat, discarding any cartilage and excess fat. Serve.

Notes

Boneless Pork Shoulder - If you only have access to a boneless pork shoulder, modify as follows:

After seasoning the shoulder, tie the shoulder together tightly so that it resembles a large rectangle with kitchen twine.
Adjust cooking time down as the boneless shoulder MAY cook faster by an hour. However, monitor the internal temperature and texture to be sure you remove when done.

Timing - The internal temperature of the pork will rise quickly in the beginning and then stall out and slowly go up between 165 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the stall period. Once it pushes through the stall at around 180 degrees, it will start to quickly rise in temperature until you hit the finishing temperature of 203 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pro Tip - Another reason we like bone-in shoulder is because we pull on the bone while cooking to test the tenderness. When it easily starts to slide out of the shoulder cleanly, we know the shoulder is done. We recommend temping however to avoid overcooking.

Nutrition