Pork butt is the most forgiving big cut in barbecue, thanks to plenty of fat and connective tissue. Here is how to turn it into tender, juicy pulled pork with a dark bark.
Despite the name, a pork butt, also sold as a Boston butt, comes from the upper part of the shoulder, not the rear. It is marbled with fat and threaded with connective tissue, which is exactly what makes it ideal for long cooks. As the heat does its work, that tissue softens into gelatin and the meat becomes shreddable.
You will see bone-in and boneless versions. Bone-in is a little easier to judge, because the blade bone slides out cleanly when the meat is ready. Boneless is simpler to season and portion. Either works, and the cooking method is the same.
Size matters for planning. A larger butt gives a longer cook and a bigger window for error, but it also feeds a crowd with leftovers to spare. Many cooks smoke two at once, since the extra meat costs little additional effort and freezes well once shredded and portioned.
Leave most of the fat cap on, trimming only thick, hard areas. Pat the surface dry, then apply a generous coat of rub on all sides, working it into any folds. A pork-focused blend such as Thick Pig Pork Rub adds sweetness that helps the surface color up. You can see how we think about this in our dry rubs overview.
Some cooks add a thin binder such as yellow mustard to help the rub stick. It is optional, and the mustard flavor is not noticeable after hours of smoke.
If you have time, season the butt the night before and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator on a tray. The surface dries slightly, which helps the rub grab smoke. Keep raw pork on the lowest shelf, away from ready-to-eat foods.
Run the cooker at a low, steady temperature and put the butt on with the fat cap in whatever orientation suits your cooker. Pork takes smoke well in the first phase of the cook, then stops absorbing much as the surface dries and darkens. Fruit woods and hickory are classic choices, and our wood guide compares them.
Like brisket, a butt will hit a stall, where the temperature stalls for a long stretch. The explanation and your choices are in the stall guide. A spritz of apple juice or cider vinegar and water now and then keeps the surface from drying out while the bark builds.
Wrapping in foil or butcher paper pushes the meat through the stall and shortens the cook, at the price of a softer bark. Many cooks wrap once the bark is a rich mahogany and the surface is dry to the touch. If bark is your priority, skip the wrap and give the cook extra time. The tradeoffs are explored in our bark guide.
After wrapping, add a splash of liquid only if you like a braised feel. Too much liquid creates a pot-roast texture rather than a smoky one.
A middle path is the partial wrap: wrap loosely in butcher paper so some steam escapes, or wrap for only part of the cook and unwrap to firm the surface again. Try a few variations over several weekends and keep notes about the result you prefer.
Safety first: USDA lists 145 degrees Fahrenheit with a three-minute rest for fresh pork roasts, and ground pork and pork sausage at 160. A pork butt is cooked much higher for tenderness, so it will clear the safety mark long before it is ready to pull. See safe internal temperatures for the full picture.
For pulling, most cooks look for the low 200s in degrees Fahrenheit and then test by feel. The probe should enter with almost no resistance, and the bone, if present, should wiggle free. If it still feels tight, give it more time, because pork butt rarely suffers from running a little long.
If the butt has not softened by the time you planned to eat, do not raise the heat dramatically. Wrap it, hold the cooker steady and give it more time, then adjust dinner. Serving late is easier to forgive than serving tough pork.
Rest the butt wrapped in a towel inside a dry cooler, or in a warm oven set at hot-holding temperature. Hold it at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, as USDA advises for hot food, and keep it out of the 40 to 140 degree danger zone for no more than two hours. More on this in the holding guide.
Shred with forks, gloved hands or bear claws, discarding large pockets of fat and any connective tissue that remains firm. Toss the meat with some of the cooking juices, then add sauce lightly. Our barbecue sauces are written for this job, and extra goes on the side.
Save the juices that collect in the wrap or pan. Skim off the excess fat, then stir a few spoonfuls back through the shredded meat to add moisture and flavor. Pulled pork that tastes plain usually needs seasoning at this stage, so taste and add a pinch of rub or salt if needed.
Pulled pork is flexible. Pile it on soft buns with slaw, stuff tacos, top nachos or fold it into baked beans. Because it is moist and shredded, it cools slowly, so divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours. Reheat leftovers to 165 degrees Fahrenheit as USDA recommends.
A butt is the upper part of the shoulder. Sellers often call either cut a shoulder, and both can be smoked the same way.
No. Wrapping speeds the cook and softens the bark. Many cooks leave it unwrapped for a darker crust.
It will be safe well before that, but it will probably be tough to shred. Tenderness, not safety, sets the finish.
USDA says perishable food should not be left out more than two hours, or one hour when it is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep it hot at 140 degrees or above if serving over time.
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