Smoked Pulled Pork Shoulder.
Rub salt and Whole Hog spice into the shoulder, then smoke it low and slow until the bark cracks and meat pulls clean from bone
Rub salt and Whole Hog spice into the shoulder, then smoke it low and slow until the bark cracks and meat pulls clean from bone
Ingredients
FOR THE MEAT
- Salt
- Casa M Spice Co™ Whole Hog™ or Uncontrolled Whole Hog™
- Pork Shoulder
- A Good Instant Read Meat Thermometer like a Thermapen®
Method
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01
Trim the shoulder
10 minMost shoulders come trimmed already, but clean up any rough spots and leave about 1/4" of fat cap on the meat. That fat renders down during the smoke and keeps everything moist.
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02
Salt the pork
2 minUse about 1/4 teaspoon of table salt per pound of meat, sprinkled evenly across the entire shoulder. Salt draws out moisture and helps the rub stick and penetrate.
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03
Apply the rub
5 minGenerously coat all sides with Casa M Spice Co™ Whole Hog™ or Uncontrolled Whole Hog™, rubbing it in as you go. If boneless, lift up where the bone was and work the rub deep into those crevices — that's where the magic happens. You've got enough rub on when it stops clinging to the meat.
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04
Dry brine overnight
480 minCover the rubbed shoulder in a plastic bin or with food film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. This lets the salt and spices work into the meat and dry out the surface so it'll bark up nicely on the smoker.
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05
Heat the smoker
30 minLoad your smoker with a mix of hickory, mesquite, and apple wood, then bring it to a steady 225°F. Give it time to stabilize — you want a clean, even heat before the meat goes on.
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06
Smoke the shoulder
780 minPlace the shoulder on the grate and let it ride at 225°F for 12–15 hours depending on size and your smoker's personality. You're hunting for an internal temp of 200°F, where the connective tissues finally break down and the meat pulls clean. Every smoker burns different, so trust your thermometer.
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07
Rest the meat
60 minPull the shoulder off the smoker and wrap it in foil or a towel, then let it coast down to around 160°F. This resting period lets the juices redistribute through the meat so it stays moist when you pull it.
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08
Pull and serve
10 minOnce rested and cool enough to handle, use forks or bear-claws to shred the pork into a serving bowl. Finish with extra Whole Hog™ rub, a hit of Detonation™ or Quenched™ sauce, and any garnish you like — then eat it while it's still warm.
From Mike's Notebook
Pull the shoulder off the smoker at 203°F, not 205°F—those two degrees mean tough instead of tender.
Let it rest wrapped for at least an hour; the carryover heat finishes the cook while fibers relax.
If the bark isn't dark enough by hour four, crank heat to 275°F for the final push.