Pork Recipes

Smoking a Pork Butt (Boston Butt) – Step-by-Step

Classic low-and-slow smoked pork butt that results in tender, juicy pulled pork perfect for sandwiches. This method produces fall-apart meat with a flavorful bark.

Ingredients

• 1 bone-in or boneless pork butt (2½ - 6 lbs) with good marbling and ¼-½ inch fat cap
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (per 4 lb butt)
• ½ cup Texas BBQ Rub - Original (roughly 2 Tbsp per pound)
• Wood chunks or chips: apple, pecan, or oak (≈1 lb of wood per hour for 4 lb butt)
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil or butcher paper (for Texas Crutch wrap)

Instructions

1. Select and trim the meat: Choose pork butt with good marbling and thin fat cap (¼-½ inch). Optional: Trim excess hard fat or silver skin, but leave soft fat cap intact. The fat and connective tissue give melt-away texture.
2. Season the 1-2-3 method: Spray or brush entire surface with Worcestershire sauce (about 2 Tbsp for 4 lb butt) - this adds moisture and helps rub stick. Apply Texas BBQ Rub (½ cup for 4 lb butt, roughly 2 Tbsp per pound) for classic sweet-spicy crust. Let rub sit covered in refrigerator for 30 minutes to 2 hours (or overnight).
3. Prepare the smoker: Pre-heat to steady 225°F using indirect-heat setup. Add clean, dry hardwood: apple, pecan, or oak are favorites for pork. Place water pan beneath grate (optional but helps keep environment humid).
4. Smoke: Put butt fat-side up on grill grate. Insert probe thermometer into thickest part (avoiding bone). Maintain 225°F, adding wood chips or chunks as needed (≈1 lb wood per hour for 4 lb butt). Fat-side-up lets rendered fat baste the meat.
5. Monitor and handle the stall: Around 150-160°F the butt may stop rising (the "stall"). Option A: Let it sit - will pass in 30-60 minutes. Option B (Texas Crutch): Wrap tightly in heavy-duty foil or butcher paper once it hits ~150°F. Wrapping speeds the rise and locks in moisture.
6. Reach target temperature: Continue smoking to 195-205°F internal temp. USDA safe minimum for pork is 145°F, but for pulled pork you want the higher range so meat is fall-apart tender. Higher temp breaks down collagen and connective tissue.
7. Rest: When internal temp hits 195-205°F, remove from smoker, keep wrap on, and rest 30-45 minutes. Resting lets juices redistribute and temperature even out, making shredding easier.
8. Shred and serve: Unwrap and pull meat with two forks or bear claws. Toss with a little pan drippings for extra moisture. Serve on buns with coleslaw, pickles, or your favorite BBQ sauce. The pork will be juicy, tender, and full of wood-kissed flavor.