Description
Micheal Symon’s smoked pork shoulder delivers rich, smoky flavors from low and slow cooking in a traditional barbecue method. Succulent meat falls apart easily and promises a delicious meal for meat enthusiasts gathered around the table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 lb (3.6 kg) bone-in pork shoulder
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- 2 tbsps (36 g) kosher salt
- 2 tbsps (14 g) black pepper
- 1 tbsp (7 g) paprika
- 1 tbsp (8 g) garlic powder
- 1 tbsp (7 g) dried minced onions
- 1 tsp (2 g) cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup (60 ml) apple juice
- ¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
- olive oil
- water
Instructions
- Pellet Preparation: Load applewood, pecan, or cherry pellets into the smoker’s hopper, activating smoke mode for 5-10 minutes before setting the temperature to 250°F.
- Moisture Management: Fill a baking dish with water and position on the smoker’s grate to maintain humidity during cooking.
- Seasoning Development: Combine brown sugar, black pepper, kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, dried minced onion, and cayenne pepper into a robust spice blend.
- Meat Preparation: Massage pork shoulder with olive oil, then thoroughly coat with the prepared spice mixture, ensuring complete coverage using disposable gloves.
- Smoking Process: Place seasoned pork on the grate, maintaining 250-275°F. Create a vinegar-apple juice spray mixture and spritz the meat hourly to enhance moisture and flavor development.
- Temperature Monitoring: After 4 hours, confirm internal temperature reaches 145°F. Wrap the shoulder in aluminum foil or peach paper, reducing smoker temperature to 225°F.
- Final Cooking Stage: Continue smoking for an additional 4 hours, targeting an internal temperature of 195-205°F for optimal pulled pork consistency.
- Resting Period: Remove from smoker and allow the pork to rest 20-120 minutes in a sealed, warm environment like an unused oven or empty refrigerator to preserve juiciness and tenderness.
Notes
- Choose the Right Wood: Applewood provides a mild, sweet flavor, but pecan or cherry work excellently for a nuanced smoky taste.
- Prep Like a Pro: Coat pork shoulder thoroughly with olive oil before seasoning to help spices adhere and create a delicious crust.
- Moisture is Key: Consistently spray meat with apple cider vinegar and apple juice mixture to prevent drying and enhance tenderness.
- Perfect Doneness Matters: Target internal temperature between 195-205°F for melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork that shreds beautifully.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Smoking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg