How to Smoke a Pork Butt (Pulled Pork in an Electric Smoker)
A pork roast tastes best when it has been smoked low and slow until the meat is fall-apart tender and delicious.
Servings: 10 to 12 Servings
Calories: 246kcal
Ingredients
- 6 to 10 lb pork shoulder or boston butt
- olive oil
- your favorite dry rub
Instructions
- Trim and remove any fat that is thicker than ¼ inch. If the fat is too thick the smokey flavor won't be able to penetrate into the meat.
- Score the roast by slicing the top fat layer diagonally. Scoring the fat helps the heat pass through the fat layer and allows the fat to render down into the meat keeping it moist.
- Pat the surface of the roast dry with paper towels. Drying the surface of the roast will help to create a crisp outer crust.
- Season the pork roast. Rub the outside of the roast with olive oil and season with your favorite bbq rub.
- Load wood pellets into the hopper of the smoker. See my suggestions above when selecting the best wood pellets for smoking a pork roast.
- Preheat the smoker. On a Traeger grill, open the lid and select the SMOKE setting and let it preheat and smoke for 5-10 minutes. If you have a different smoker, consult your manual for specific directions.
- Increase the heat to 225°F (107°C).
- Place the pork roast on the smoker with the fat side up. As it smokes the fat will melt basting the meat below.
- Smoke the pork roast for 3 hours. Try to limit how often you open the lid of the smoker. Opening the lid too often will increase the smoke time.
- Increase the heat to 350°F (180°C) and move the pork roast to a large aluminum foil pan. Cook until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 190°F (88°C). Approximately 3 to 4 hours depending on the size of your roast.
- Remove the pork roast from the smoker and let it rest on the counter loosely tented with aluminum foil for 10 to 20 minutes.
- For the most tender slices of pork slice against the grain of the meat.
Notes
Trimming excess fat from a pork roast is easiest when it is still cold from the refrigerator. A cold pork roast is firmer.
Cooking the pork roast with the fat cap side up helps create a juicy flavorful roast. As the meat cooks the fat melts and bastes the roast keeping it moist.
If you are in a hurry, you can increase the temperature of the smoker to 275°F (135°C) to decrease the cooking time.
To reduce the cooking time even further, remove the pork roast from the refrigerator up to an hour before you plan to cook it. This will allow the temperature of the roast to rise closer to room temperature. Allowing the roast to cook quicker and more evenly.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container or freezer zip-top bag. Label with the contents and date.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days or in the freezer for up to four months.
To Reheat: Place the pork roast, pork juices, and any sauce in a roasting pan and cover with foil. Bake in an oven preheated to 250 degrees Fahrenheit until it is heated through. The length of time will vary depending on the size of your leftovers.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 246kcal | Protein: 32g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 126mg | Potassium: 566mg | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2mg