Though it takes a lot of time to make a smoked pork butt in a pellet smoker, it’s worth the effort for delicious shredded pork.
Jump to RecipeYep, I said “butt”! My immature side always laughs when my father-in-law says we are “going to smoke a butt this weekend”. Although, in reality, we get excited because it’s delicious! Not to mention you aren’t really eating the butt of the pig. Pork butt is the cut of meat that includes the shoulder of the pig, the neck, and the upper arm area.
Pork butt is a flavorful meat that can be used in many different ways. It’s perfect for a pork roast or shredded pork as well as being cut into steaks to use on a charcoal grill.
A few years ago, Justin and his brother got their dad a stand-up pellet smoker for Father’s Day. While I’m not always a fan of the “smokey” taste, this is the best way to make shredded pork. It can be eaten just as meat with your favorite bbq sauce, placed on a bun for a shredded pork sandwich, put cold leftovers in a salad, in a tortilla shell, or however you like shredded meat.
Using a smoker is similar to a slow cooker, you have to trust the cooking process and the amount of time it will take. When we have smoked pork butt, I know my father-in-law often gets up pretty early in the morning to get the smoker started.
Because the meat cooks over a low temperature, it takes hours of cook time. But trust me, it’s worth the wait. The good thing is, once you have it started, the smoker does most of the work. For best results, make sure the wood pellets don’t dry out. We use a watering can but you can also use a spray bottle to add water as needed.
There are a variety of recipes you can use to make the smoked pork butt, and most will vary with the seasonings. We love the great flavor of McCormick’s Grill Mates BBQ Seasoning which you can find in the seasoning aisle in the grocery store. That, along with some salt and pepper means we are keeping it to very simple ingredients. But, you can also add other flavors by changing your dry rub. Other seasonings to try include garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, or any premixed spice rub. I’ve also heard of people using yellow mustard instead of olive oil to hold the seasonings on and adding apple cider vinegar to the pellets for a slightly more bitter flavor.
The type of wood you use for the pellets will also change the flavor of the meat. Our favorite wood is apple wood to go along with the apple juice. When trying to find the right wood, you want to look for grilling pellets. Some grocery stores may carry them, but you’ll have better luck checking somewhere such as home depot or lowes. Look for them near the pellet grill and charcoal grill area.
Working with the pellet grill can take some getting used to. I suggest giving yourself extra time the first time you use it. Or start with a smaller cut of pork to the smoking process doesn’t take as long.

Smoked Pork Butt Step by Step
Ingredients
- 6-8 lb bone-in pork butt, raw
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup bbq dry rub

Preparation
Remove most of the fat and connective tissue from the raw pork. You’ll want to leave some of the far on there for flavor, but most of it should be removed.
Cover the pork butt with olive oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use your hands to cover the pork with the pork rub thoroughly.

Seal the meat with plastic wrap and let the meat rest in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. Ideally, leave it to marinade overnight.

In the morning, prepare the smoker by adding the wood pellets and either water or apple juice into the base. Heat it up to 225F-250F.

Place the pork, fat side up, on the rack in the smoker. Stick a meat thermometer into the meat and set the base on the smoker. This will help you to know when the pork is cooked through.

Cook for about 90 minutes per pound of pork. The pork should reach an internal temperature of 165F.
Once the pork is cooked through, carefully remove it from the smoker and wrap it with aluminum foil. Then wrap it in a towel and place it in a cooler or similar airtight container. Let the meat rest for another 30-60 minutes. This allows the juices to draw back into the pork and keep it tender.

Carefully remove the pork from its covering and pull the meat from the bones to shred.
Serve warm.

Smoked Pork Butt Leftovers
Storage: Allow the pork to come to room temperature. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Our preferred method of reheating is in a small saucepan on the stovetop over low heat. You can add a bit of bbq sauce or apple juice if it needs a little more moisture.
Freezing: If you want to freeze some of the leftover pulled pork, you want to make sure it’s cooled off before placing it in a freezer bag or container. It should last in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Favorite Sides for Smoked Pork Butt

Recipe
Originally Published On: February 27, 2023

Smoked Pork Butt
Ingredients
- 6-8 lb bone-in pork butt (raw)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup bbq dry rub
Instructions
- Remove most of the fat and connective tissue from the raw pork. You’ll want to leave some of the far on there for flavor, but most of it should be removed.
- Cover the pork butt with olive oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use your hands to cover the pork with the pork rub thoroughly.
- Seal the meat with plastic wrap and let the meat rest in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. Ideally, leave it to marinade overnight.
- In the morning, prepare the smoker by adding the wood pellets and either water or apple juice into the base. Heat it up to 225F-250F.
- Place the pork, fat side up, on the rack in the smoker. Stick a meat thermometer into the meat and set the base on the smoker. This will help you to know when the pork is cooked through.
- Cook for about 90 minutes per pound of pork. The pork should reach an internal temperature of 165F.
- Once the pork is cooked through, carefully remove it from the smoker and wrap it with aluminum foil. Then wrap it in a towel and place it in a cooler or similar airtight container. Let the meat rest for another 30-60 minutes. This allows the juices to draw back into the pork and keep it tender.
- Carefully remove the pork from its covering and pull the meat from the bones to shred.
- Serve warm.
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
More Pork Recipes
- Sheet Pan Ranch Pork and Potatoes
- Brown Sugar Glazed Pork
- Un-Stuffed Pork Chops
- Smoked Pork Butt Recipe
- Skillet Pork Chops with Pan Gravy
- Creole Pork with Cheesy Polenta
- Grilled Pineapple Pork Chops
- Potato-Crusted Pork Chops
- Super Easy Marinated Baked Pork
- Pork and Noodles with Bok Choy
- Honey-Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Radish Salad
- Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
- Pan-Fried Pork Chops with Easy Brown Gravy
- Dumbledore’s Apple and Sage Pork Chops
- Beef and Pork Chili in the Slow Cooker
- BBQ Pork Potatoes in the Slow Cooker
- Tomato Caper Pork
- Asian Pork Salad
- Italian-Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin
Wonderful recipe. This is by far the easiest way to serve a large group.
Great recipe. I love BBQ!
Yum! This Smoked Pork Butt recipe looks amazing! Your pictures are really making my mouth water! Can’t wait to try it.
Excellent recipe. I had no idea how to cook a pork butt and had never smoked a dish before. We loved this and will most certainly make again!
This looks so flavorful and delicious! And I love the briny pickles with the smoked meat that you added when you turned it into a sandwich for the photo! I’ll def be doing that! yum!
This is ultra-flavorful and tender smoked pork. It’s perfect for any cookout or bbq event. I cannot wait to make it.
Whew! This smoked pork turned out just perfect to my eyes. Can I make of your recipe, to make my own?
I am feeling this. Girl, I am feeling this. Perfect for BBQ. I can’t wait to try this.
OMG, you had me at “Butt”, I was giggling too!!! Glad it’s not really butt. I love the sound of this smoking the meat adds so much flavour. Using it to make pulled pork burgers is a great idea.
This sounds like a very flavorful way to cook pork. It would be nice to make this in the summer on our grill.
That smoked pork butt is looking delicious and would love to give this dish a try for sure
I haven’t tried the pork butt but seems easy to cook and looks yummy. Thank you for sharing this and we might give it a try.