Pork shoulder butt is seasoned with a homemade rub, then smoked for many hours. The resulting meat is flavorful and tender.

This cut of pork comes from the upper part of the shoulder of the front leg. It may or may not contain the blade bone, depending on your butcher. However it is purchased the cooking method is the same, some times and temperatures may change slightly.

Try shredding/pulling the meat and tossing it with your favorite barbecue sauce. Pile it high on dinner rolls and serve it with coleslaw. Serve with your favorite BBQ sides to make a complete meal.

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Smoked pork butt is piled on a hamburger bun which rests on a blue plate.

This smoked pork shoulder butt is great when shredded and piled on a hamburger bun.

A whole pork butt is covered in rub and resting a white cutting board.

Generously season the pork butt with the homemade rub and let rest before smoking.

Small piles of the different herbs and spices used in the homemade rub sit on a wooden cutting board.

The homemade rub is the key to flavor for this smoked pork shoulder butt.

Looking down on a whole pork shoulder butt sitting on a white cutting board, covered in rub.

Season all sides of the pork shoulder butt and let rest before smoking.

A smoked pork shoulder butt resting in foil.

Wrap the pork shoulder butt in foil so that it does not dry out at the end of smoking.

Smoked Pork Shoulder Butt Recipe

Moe Cason

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Pork Shoulder Butt is seasoned with a homemade rub, then smoked for many hours. The resulting meat is flavorful and tender.

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Preparation 25

Cook 9

Resting 45

Ready in 10 10

Servings Servings

CourseDinner

InfluenceNorth American

DifficultyExperienced

MethodSmoke

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Ingredients

Rub

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup coarse sea salt
1/4 cup paprika
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup black pepper
2 tablespoons ground mustard
2 teaspoons cayenne powder
1 teaspoon celery salt

Pork

8 pound pork butt

Equipment

smoker

Directions

Rub

Combine the brown sugar, salt, paprika, chili powder, black pepper, mustard, cayenne, and celery salt in a bowl.

Pork

Season the pork with the rub for 45 minutes before placing it on the smoker.
Prepare a smoker to 250 degrees F (121 degrees C).
Place the shoulder on the pit and smoke to an internal temperature of 170 degrees F (77 degrees C),. This takes about 4 hours.
Remove the shoulder and dust with rub once more. Wrap tightly in foil and put back on the pit. Cook until an internal temperature of 200 degrees F (94 degrees C). This takes about 5 hours.
Let rest in a preheated dry cooler for a couple of hours before serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 323kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 35gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 3117mgPotassium: 748mgFiber: 2gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 1035IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 3mg