The most forgiving introduction to smoking. Pork shoulder is packed with fat and collagen that render down into succulent, shreddable perfection. Nearly impossible to mess up.
Equipment You'll Need
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in pork shoulder (3-4kg)
- 4 tbsp yellow mustard
- 6 tbsp pork rub (paprika, brown sugar, garlic, onion, cumin, salt, pepper)
- 250ml apple cider vinegar
- 250ml apple juice
- Your favourite BBQ sauce
Method
Trim any loose fat or skin from pork shoulder. Score fat cap in crosshatch pattern.
Coat with mustard, then apply rub generously, pressing into all crevices.
Set smoker to 110°C with apple or cherry wood.
Place pork fat-side up. Smoke for 4 hours, spritzing hourly with apple cider/juice mix.
When bark is set and internal temp is around 75°C, wrap in butcher paper or foil.
Continue smoking until internal temp reaches 96°C and probe slides in easily.
Rest wrapped for at least 1 hour (up to 4 hours in a cooler is fine).
Pull apart with forks or bear claws. Mix in any collected juices.
Season with extra rub if needed, add splash of vinegar for brightness. Serve on buns with slaw.
Pro Tips
- 💡Bone-in shoulder has more flavour and the bone slides out clean when done
- 💡The money muscle (the best bit) is the cylindrical muscle at the blade end
- 💡Pulled pork freezes brilliantly - make extra
- 💡Apple wood is traditional but hickory adds deeper smoke flavour
