Smoked Pork Butt Recipes: The Best of The Best

I’ve learned that, albeit the slow way, a good cook should be patient. This smoked pork butt recipe, or smoked Boston butt, can be very rewarding. Spending 7-8 hours in front of a smoker may seem a long time, but it will be worth it. Tender, juicy, and possibly the most flavorful meat you’ll ever taste, our smoked pork butt recipe will surely be the star of your summer.

Jump to:

• Pork butt and pork shoulder — what’s the difference?
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutes
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Tips
• Smoked Pork Butt Recipes
• Comments

Pork butt and pork shoulder — what’s the difference?

You might be thinking that both pork butt and pork shoulder are the same, since many use these two interchangeably. Pork butt is one of the cheapest cuts you can get, if not the cheapest, but it’s also heavy on fat. Maybe because of this, pork butt has a more deeply flavored taste than, say, pork chops. Pork shoulder, on the other hand, is considerably leaner, and heavy on muscle tissues.

Ingredients

1. The meat

• Pork butt — 8 pounds, 1 pc.
• BBQ sauce.
• Apple cider vinegar.

2. The dry rub

• Garlic powder — 1 tbsp.
• Onion powder — 1 tbsp.
• Paprika — ⅓ cup.
• Salt and pepper — to taste.
• White sugar — ½ tbsp.
• Olive oil — ⅓ cup.

Instructions

1. Preheat your smoker to 220 degrees.

2. Combine garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, white sugar, salt, pepper and olive oil in a bowl.

3. Mix well until smooth.

4. Using your hand, season the pork butt with the above dry rub.

5. Let it sit for 30-60 minutes.

6. Place the pork butt into your smoker, using your preferred type of wood.

7. Smoke for 5-6 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

8. Optional — while cooking, don’t forget to spritz the pork butt every once in a while with apple cider vinegar.

9. Once the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, remove it from the smoker.

10. Wrap the pork butt in butcher's paper, and smoke for another two hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees.

11. Rest for 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Substitutes

• Mustard — Although olive oil makes a great binder for the dry rub, you can also opt for Dijon mustard to help the rub stick.

Variations

• Low-carb — For those trying to go low-carb, brown sugar might be a great substitute for granulated sugar.

• Vinegar — Though your favorite BBQ sauce is probably the go-to choice, you can also opt for regular or apple cider vinegar to spice things up.

Equipment

• Smoker.

• Meat thermometer.

• Medium-sized mixing bowl.

• Measuring cups and spoons.

Storage

• In the unlikely case that you have any leftovers, you can simply store them in an airtight container, or better yet, freeze your smoked pork butts.

Tips

• Choosing the right wood — Though butt and shoulder have their differences, when it comes to pork, the most ideal wood you’d want to use is fruit. Apple, cherry, oak, and maple all do well in this smoked pork butt recipe.

• Keep an eye on the heat — Make the most of your meat thermometer by constantly checking the internal temperature of your pork butt. Remember, in the end, it's the heat that matters, not the hours you put in.