How to Smoke a Pork Butt
Combine the marinade ingredients., Distribute the marinade throughout the pork., Marinate for at least 4 hours., Drain the marinade., Combine the dry rub ingredients., Brush the pork with the mustard., Work the rub into the pork., Soak the wood...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Combine the marinade ingredients.
Place the apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, salt, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper in a non-reactive bowl.
Whisk together until evenly combined.
If desired, you may substitute this marinade for your favorite barbecue pork marinade.
Both homemade and commercially made mixtures should work well. -
Step 2: Distribute the marinade throughout the pork.
Reserve 1 cup (250 ml) of marinade for later, then use the rest to marinate the pork.
Inject some of the marinade directly into the pork and pour the rest over the meat.
You'll use the reserved portion of marinade to baste the pork as it smokes.
Never reuse marinade that touches raw meat for basting purposes as the meat cooks.
Place the meat into a shallow baking dish before injecting it since some of the marinade may seep out.
You should inject marinade into the meat at four or five spots, spaced evenly around the pork butt.
At each injection site, insert the loaded needle and inject only one-third of the marinade.
Instead of completely removing the needle, turn it into the same spot at a different angle and inject another third of the marinade.
Repeat once more at the same injection site.After injecting the marinade into the pork, place the meat inside a large resealable plastic bag.
Pour the rest of the marinade and any injection drippings inside the bag, as well, then seal the bag and turn it as needed to coat all sides of the pork. , Place the pork in the refrigerator and allow it to absorb the marinade for 4 to 8 hours.The longer you allow the meat to marinate, the more tender and flavorful it will be. , Remove the pork from the refrigerator and from the bag of marinade.
Pat the surface dry with clean paper towels.
Allow the pork butt to sit out at room temperature for approximately 30 to 45 minutes.
By allowing the pork butt to sit out at room temperature, you also bring the internal temperature of the meat closer to room temperature.
Room temperature pork will cook quicker than cold pork.
If you get impatient, you can apply the dry rub as it sits, but you should not begin smoking the meat until after that amount of time passes. , Place the sugar, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, and sage in a jar.
Seal the jar and shake it well to combine the spices.
As with the marinade, you can use another dry rub for the pork instead of this one, and both homemade and commercially made types should work adequately well. , Use a basting brush to coat all sides of the pork butt with yellow mustard.
Keep the coating light and even.
The mustard will act like glue and should help the dry rub cling to the surface of the pork. , Sprinkle the dry rub evenly over all sides of the pork.
Use your hands to work the rub into the meat.
Once you finish seasoning the pork butt, set it aside in a safe room temperature location and prepare your smoker. , Place several handfuls of apple and hickory wood chips in a dish and cover them with water.
Allow the chips to soak for at least 30 minutes.
Damp wood chips produce more smoke and less fire.
Using wood chips also gives the smoke more flavor, and the type of wood chip used will alter that flavor further.
After the wood chips have finished soaking, remove them from water but do not attempt to wring out any of the excess moisture. , Spread the drenched and drained wood chips over the lit charcoal.
The exact procedure you'll need to follow when setting up the smoker will vary on the exact model, so check the instruction manual to determine the proper steps.
While you're waiting for the smoker to heat up, insert a meat thermometer into the pork.
While standard meat thermometers will work, the easiest to use will be a digital thermometer with an internal probe and remote display. , Place the pork on the smoker and close the lid.
Allow it to smoke, undisturbed, for approximately 2 hours.
Place the pork butt on the pit with the bone-side facing down.
The upper layer of fat should eventually render and drip downward, keeping the meat moist as it does.
Until you start basting the meat, you should avoid opening the smoker.
Opening the door will case the temperature inside the smoker to drop, which can dramatically increase the overall cooking time. , After the first 2 hours, baste the pork with some of the reserved marinade.
Return it to the smoker and continue cooking it for another hour.
Regular basting is important.
Without it, the outside of the pork butt may dry out before the inside finishes cooking.
Basting also makes the meat more tender and flavorful.
To avoid contaminating the mixture with bacteria from undercooked pork, transfer it to a sterile spray bottle and spray it over the surface of the pork rather than brushing it on.If you forgot to set aside some of the marinade for basting or if you run out of it during the smoking process, quickly whisk together a new half batch using 1 cup (250 ml) apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil, 2 Tbsp (30 ml) salt, 1 Tbsp (15 ml) paprika, 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce, and 1 Tbsp (15 ml) ground black pepper. , Baste the pork again, then let it smoke for another hour.
Baste the pork once more after that hour passes, then smoke it for yet another hour.
In this recipe, the pork butt cooks uncovered for a total of 4 hours.
Larger portions will need longer cooking times.
When the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius), you can move onto the next step.
Continue basting hourly until the meat reaches that temperature. , Remove the pork from the smoker and wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Place the wrapped pork on the smoker.
If you have leftover basting marinade, apply it to all sides of the pork butt before wrapping the foil around it.
The foil envelops the pork in a humid environment.
You can technically skip the foil step and finish cooking the meat without wrapping it, but doing so will produce a drier, firmer crust.
The inner meat should be fine either way, though. , Allow the pork to remain on the smoker until it reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 degrees Celsius).
For a 4 to 5 lb (1.8 to
2.3 kg) pork butt, this may take an additional hour.
Larger portions will need even longer cooking times.
If desired, you can also finish cooking the wrapped pork in an oven preheated to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius).
You'll still need to check the internal temperature of the pork for doneness, and the process should take roughly the same amount of time. , Remove the pork from the smoker and allow it to rest, away from the heat and in its foil wrappings, for 15 to 20 minutes.
As the pork rests, the juices previously concentrated in the center of the meat should distribute themselves more thoroughly, resulting in juicier, more tender cuts. , The pork butt should be fully cooked and ready to enjoy.
You can cut it into slices or shred it for use as pulled pork. -
Step 3: Marinate for at least 4 hours.
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Step 4: Drain the marinade.
-
Step 5: Combine the dry rub ingredients.
-
Step 6: Brush the pork with the mustard.
-
Step 7: Work the rub into the pork.
-
Step 8: Soak the wood chips.
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Step 9: Preheat the smoker between 225 and 250 degrees Fahrenheit (105 and 120 degrees Celsius).
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Step 10: Smoke the pork for 2 hours.
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Step 11: Baste and continue cooking.
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Step 12: Baste hourly.
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Step 13: Wrap the pork in foil.
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Step 14: Smoke the pork butt until it cooks through.
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Step 15: Let it stand.
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Step 16: Serve the pork.
Detailed Guide
Place the apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, salt, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper in a non-reactive bowl.
Whisk together until evenly combined.
If desired, you may substitute this marinade for your favorite barbecue pork marinade.
Both homemade and commercially made mixtures should work well.
Reserve 1 cup (250 ml) of marinade for later, then use the rest to marinate the pork.
Inject some of the marinade directly into the pork and pour the rest over the meat.
You'll use the reserved portion of marinade to baste the pork as it smokes.
Never reuse marinade that touches raw meat for basting purposes as the meat cooks.
Place the meat into a shallow baking dish before injecting it since some of the marinade may seep out.
You should inject marinade into the meat at four or five spots, spaced evenly around the pork butt.
At each injection site, insert the loaded needle and inject only one-third of the marinade.
Instead of completely removing the needle, turn it into the same spot at a different angle and inject another third of the marinade.
Repeat once more at the same injection site.After injecting the marinade into the pork, place the meat inside a large resealable plastic bag.
Pour the rest of the marinade and any injection drippings inside the bag, as well, then seal the bag and turn it as needed to coat all sides of the pork. , Place the pork in the refrigerator and allow it to absorb the marinade for 4 to 8 hours.The longer you allow the meat to marinate, the more tender and flavorful it will be. , Remove the pork from the refrigerator and from the bag of marinade.
Pat the surface dry with clean paper towels.
Allow the pork butt to sit out at room temperature for approximately 30 to 45 minutes.
By allowing the pork butt to sit out at room temperature, you also bring the internal temperature of the meat closer to room temperature.
Room temperature pork will cook quicker than cold pork.
If you get impatient, you can apply the dry rub as it sits, but you should not begin smoking the meat until after that amount of time passes. , Place the sugar, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, and sage in a jar.
Seal the jar and shake it well to combine the spices.
As with the marinade, you can use another dry rub for the pork instead of this one, and both homemade and commercially made types should work adequately well. , Use a basting brush to coat all sides of the pork butt with yellow mustard.
Keep the coating light and even.
The mustard will act like glue and should help the dry rub cling to the surface of the pork. , Sprinkle the dry rub evenly over all sides of the pork.
Use your hands to work the rub into the meat.
Once you finish seasoning the pork butt, set it aside in a safe room temperature location and prepare your smoker. , Place several handfuls of apple and hickory wood chips in a dish and cover them with water.
Allow the chips to soak for at least 30 minutes.
Damp wood chips produce more smoke and less fire.
Using wood chips also gives the smoke more flavor, and the type of wood chip used will alter that flavor further.
After the wood chips have finished soaking, remove them from water but do not attempt to wring out any of the excess moisture. , Spread the drenched and drained wood chips over the lit charcoal.
The exact procedure you'll need to follow when setting up the smoker will vary on the exact model, so check the instruction manual to determine the proper steps.
While you're waiting for the smoker to heat up, insert a meat thermometer into the pork.
While standard meat thermometers will work, the easiest to use will be a digital thermometer with an internal probe and remote display. , Place the pork on the smoker and close the lid.
Allow it to smoke, undisturbed, for approximately 2 hours.
Place the pork butt on the pit with the bone-side facing down.
The upper layer of fat should eventually render and drip downward, keeping the meat moist as it does.
Until you start basting the meat, you should avoid opening the smoker.
Opening the door will case the temperature inside the smoker to drop, which can dramatically increase the overall cooking time. , After the first 2 hours, baste the pork with some of the reserved marinade.
Return it to the smoker and continue cooking it for another hour.
Regular basting is important.
Without it, the outside of the pork butt may dry out before the inside finishes cooking.
Basting also makes the meat more tender and flavorful.
To avoid contaminating the mixture with bacteria from undercooked pork, transfer it to a sterile spray bottle and spray it over the surface of the pork rather than brushing it on.If you forgot to set aside some of the marinade for basting or if you run out of it during the smoking process, quickly whisk together a new half batch using 1 cup (250 ml) apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil, 2 Tbsp (30 ml) salt, 1 Tbsp (15 ml) paprika, 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce, and 1 Tbsp (15 ml) ground black pepper. , Baste the pork again, then let it smoke for another hour.
Baste the pork once more after that hour passes, then smoke it for yet another hour.
In this recipe, the pork butt cooks uncovered for a total of 4 hours.
Larger portions will need longer cooking times.
When the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius), you can move onto the next step.
Continue basting hourly until the meat reaches that temperature. , Remove the pork from the smoker and wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Place the wrapped pork on the smoker.
If you have leftover basting marinade, apply it to all sides of the pork butt before wrapping the foil around it.
The foil envelops the pork in a humid environment.
You can technically skip the foil step and finish cooking the meat without wrapping it, but doing so will produce a drier, firmer crust.
The inner meat should be fine either way, though. , Allow the pork to remain on the smoker until it reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 degrees Celsius).
For a 4 to 5 lb (1.8 to
2.3 kg) pork butt, this may take an additional hour.
Larger portions will need even longer cooking times.
If desired, you can also finish cooking the wrapped pork in an oven preheated to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius).
You'll still need to check the internal temperature of the pork for doneness, and the process should take roughly the same amount of time. , Remove the pork from the smoker and allow it to rest, away from the heat and in its foil wrappings, for 15 to 20 minutes.
As the pork rests, the juices previously concentrated in the center of the meat should distribute themselves more thoroughly, resulting in juicier, more tender cuts. , The pork butt should be fully cooked and ready to enjoy.
You can cut it into slices or shred it for use as pulled pork.
About the Author
Frances Parker
Enthusiastic about teaching hobbies techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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