BBQ Pulled Pork: How to Smoke a Boston Butt

Perfectly tender smoked Boston butt that is packed with flavor! This is the must-have recipe you need for all your summer events! 

We live in a little neighborhood where people just keep to themselves. That is the polite way of saying we avoid each other. We avoid each other like the plague actually. It is the kind of neighborhood where you peek outside and make sure nobody else is out before you make a beeline to your car.

I am totally guilty of pretending to be talking on my phone on more than one occasion when I pull up and someone is outside. It is just not a neighborly neighborhood.

But there is one exception to the awkward avoided glances and silence. And that is when Mr. Maebell breaks out the smoker. When that smoker is full of juicy ribs or a perfect smoked Boston butt, suddenly our neighbors get a bit more friendly. The smell of BBQ wafting through the air puts them in a trance-like state and they forget we are supposed to be strangers.

I can’t say I blame our neighbors. There is nothing like the smell of a grill going in the summertime! Today, I’m sharing how to smoke a Boston butt. I am sure there are some grilling enthusiast who do lots of other little things to really amp up the flavor, but I am giving you the easy version. The beginners guide to BBQ, if you will.

For this smoked pulled pork on the grill, we prepped it the night before by smearing a generous dose of yellow mustard all over the meat. Don’t freak out if you hate mustard, you don’t taste it at all. It is simply your “glue” it is what helps your rub really grip onto the meat and form that beautiful, flavorful crust when it is done.

Now that rub I mentioned, I combine a few basic pantry staples to make a sweet and smokey rub that is to die for. Then we wrapped it up with aluminum foil and sat it in the fridge overnight.

We smoked it low and slow for about 9 hours. The only hard part during this time is resisting the urge to take it off early. But you really want to leave it on until the temp reaches 195F so you have fall off the bone BBQ! Then grab two forks and get to work!

I served this with slaw (of course) a little extra BBQ sauce on toasted Canyon Bakehouse buns. It was absolutely perfect, super juicy and full of smokey flavor! These Air Fryer Potato Wedges or Southern Fried Green Tomatoes are great sides to go along with pulled pork!

Ingredients for a Smoked Boston Butt

For this smoked pulled pork recipe, you’ll need the following basic ingredients:

• Boston butt
• Yellow mustard
• Brown sugar (or a brown sugar alternative like Swerve or Golden Monk Fruit)
• Spices: Chili powder, Garlic powder, Onion powder, Black pepper, Paprika

How to Smoke a Boston Butt

1. Combine the pulled pork rub ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Spread the mustard all over the Boston butt.
3. Rub the spice mix into the meat, make sure to cover it completely.
4. Wrap the meat with aluminum foil and refrigerate until ready to smoke.
5. When ready to cook, heat your smoker to 250 degrees F and place the boston butt in the center of the grill.
6. Remove from grill when the internal temp reaches 195 degrees F.
7. Before pulling apart, let meat sit for 10 minutes.

How Long to Smoke a Boston Butt?

In total, you’ll need to smoke the Boston butt for 9 to 10 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 195 degrees F. Make sure the temperature of the smoker never goes above 300 degrees F.

Tips for Cooking a Boston Butt

• The easiest way to distribute the pulled pork rub over the meat is for one person to sprinkle the seasoning on the meat while the other rubs it in. You want to be very generous here — really rub it in and completely cover the meat. You want the whole thing to be packed with flavor in every single bite.
• When you take it off the grill, be sure to let the smoked Boston butt sit for 10 minutes so all the juices settle and you get the best flavor.
• We used the smoked pulled pork to make bbq pulled pork sandwiches, but you can also add the meat to salads, wraps, quesadillas, and so much more! I love to use this pulled pork on my Keto BBQ Stacks!

More Easy Smoker Recipes:

• Smoked Whole Turkey 
• Smoked Buffalo Drumsticks 
• Smoked Pork Tenderloin 

Get the Recipe: Smoked Boston Butt

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 9 hours hrs

Rest Time: 10 minutes mins

Total: 9 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Yield: 12

Author: Annie Holmes

Perfectly tender smoked Boston butt that is packed with flavor! This is the must-have recipe you need for all your summer events! 

4.60 from 5 ratings

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Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 6-7 pound Boston Butt
• ▢ 1/4 cup yellow mustard, enough to cover
• ▢ 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon brown sugar OR brown sugar Monkfruit if keto
• ▢ 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 tablespoon onion powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons black pepper
• ▢ 2 teaspoons paprika

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Instructions

 

• Combine the brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and paprika in a small bowl, set aside.
• Spread the mustard all over the boston butt covering it completely.
• Rub the spice mix into the meat, make sure to cover it completely.
• Wrap the meat with aluminum foil and refrigerate until ready to smoke.
• When ready to cook, heat your smoker to 250 degrees F and place the boston butt in the center of the grill.
• Smoke for 9-10 hours, making sure the heat never increases above 300 degrees.
• Remove from grill when the internal temp reaches 195 degrees F. Before pulling apart, let meat sit for 10 minutes.

Serving: 8ounces (calculated with monkfruit), Calories: 437kcal, Carbohydrates: 2.2g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 28g, Cholesterol: 140mg, Sodium: 308mg, Fiber: 0.9g, Sugar: 0.2g

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