If I am looking to feed a hungry crowd without too much fuss, my Traditional Smoked Pulled Pork is the recipe I turn to. With only a few ingredients, you’re looking at some good, classic BBQ with plenty of flavor.
Whenever I have a large group of friends or family over, I almost always use my Traegar smoker to prepare the food. I use my smoker to enjoy my favorite barbecue restaurant style food at home. I regularly make smoked hickory BBQ chicken, smoked carnitas and this flavorful traditional smoked pulled pork.
It's hard to beat a tender pulled pork sandwich, and in my opinion, smoking your pork at low temperatures is the best way to achieve this. The smoked pulled pork recipe is actually quite simple to make, only has a handful of ingredients and it's perfect for feeding a crowd. If feedback from my friends is any indication, this traditional pulled pork recipe will be a hit!
The reason I call this traditional pulled pork butt simple is because of how little effort it takes. You don't need fancy injections, tools, or spritzing to have this recipe turn out perfectly every time. The only steps for this traditional pulled pork are making the dry rub, applying that dry rub, and putting the pulled pork in your smoker. There is an optional step of wrapping the traditional pulled pork, but that is only to help accelerate the final cooking stage.
How do you make the traditional pulled pork?
This recipe starts with a BBQ spice rub, which gets spread all over your pork roast. Then I cover the pork butt in a yellow mustard and apply the dry rub. The pork goes into the smoker for 4-5 hours until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. At that point, wrap the pork butt in a heavy duty foil and cook for another 2 to 3 hours until it reaches 205 degrees F. And the last step, which is the most important, is to allow the meat to rest for 30 to 60 minutes. Resting allows everything to relax and redistribute the juices, which creates a more tender and juicy meal.
What is the best cut of meat for this recipe?
In most pulled pork recipes, it will call for a bone-in pork shoulder, sometimes also labeled a Boston butt roast or a pork butt. All of these labels are for the exact same cut of pork. They all come from the upper part of the shoulder, not from the butt end of the pig, which can lead to some confusion.
When is smoked pulled pork done?
When you take pulled pork off the smoker, it should reach a minimum internal temperature of 195 degrees F. I have found that if you cook the pulled pork until it reaches 205 degrees F, then it will be softer and juicier. It’s a matter of personal preference.
Is the traditional pulled pork recipe gluten free?
It certainly is! Please make sure that your bread is gluten-free if you plan to use this recipe as a sandwich. Or if you prefer, make it into a bowl! I love taking traditional foods and throwing them into a bowl over some veggies, rice or potatoes.
What can I do with the leftovers?
Nothing beats having leftover pulled pork. My favorite things to make with leftovers would be tacos, a pulled pork grilled cheese or a pulled pork omelette! All of these have their own unique flavors and are delicious!
How should I reheat my leftover traditional pulled pork?
In a cast iron skillet, add some cooking fat, like avocado oil or bacon grease (my favorite). Cook the pulled pork pieces for 2-3 minutes, flipping them every 2-3 minutes.
What BBQ sauce should I use for the pulled pork sandwiches?
If you want to add a BBQ sauce to this recipe, I personally recommend G.Hughes Original or Hickory. But I don't think you need one for this recipe. I like G.Hughes because they do not have any sugar and are extremely low in calories. This makes it perfect to reducing calories on things that won't make me full. I make this recommendation without being affiliated with G.Hughes. One can hope though, lol.
So instead of belaboring this, let's smoke this thing!
Traditional Pulled Pork Reipe:
8-10 lbs of Boston Butt
2 Yellow Mustard
½ tbsp ancho chile powder
½ tbsp smoked paprika
½ tbsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp sugar free brown sugar
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Smoker Directions: Take out the Boston Butt. Liberally salt the pork butt and let it sit for 30 minutes. This will also be a good time to start preparing your smoker. I have a Traeger Pellet Smoker, so I add pellets (their signature pellets) to the hopper, and set the smoker to 225°. Pat down the pork butt and apply mustard (this will allow the dry rub to adhere and add some additional color). Cover in the dry rub and place it on the smoker. Cook the pork butt until it reaches 165° (~4 hrs) . With a heavy duty aluminum file, wrap the pork butt. Place it back on the smoker for another 2-3 hours until it reaches 205°. Pull it off the smoker and let it rest for 30 minutes to an hour.
Nutrition (12 Servings)
Calories: 567
Protein: 53.5g
Fats: 37.5g
Carbs: 1.6g
Fiber: .3g
Net Carb: 1.3g
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