Smoked Pork Shoulder Slow Cooked until Juicy and Tender.

Pork shoulder also known as Boston Butt, is cut from the shoulder of a full grown hog.

It is laced with fat and tends to be tough unless cooked low and slow.

There are many conflicting ideas on how to cook a shoulder roast to perfection.

With that in mind, we will give you our method and hope that you will have as much success as we have.

Whenever I come up against a tough cut of meat, I like to brine it. A brine helps to break down muscle and add moisture. If you add flavoring such as juice, wine and spices to the brine, it will be absorbed deeper into the meat than a typical rub.

It is best to soak the pork shoulder in the brine for twenty four to forty eight hours while refrigerated. I like to use my meat thermometer to puncture the roast in several places prior to soaking. This will allow the brine an easier path to the deepest part of the roast.

The meat should be completely covered in the brine solution. After the allotted time is complete, remove the meat and rinse with cold water and let it rest until it reaches room temperature.

At this time a good pork rub is recommended. With so many choices out there you should easily come up with one that fits just right. I like to match my rub to my side dishes. If I am doing a Southern BBQ, I might use a cajun rub or if I have a Mexican theme a hotter, spicier rub will do. With a Western theme, common seasoning salts might to the trick. So, just use your imagination and you will come up with one that is just right for the occasion.

Now it is time to heat that smoker up if you haven’t already done so. A consistent temperature of 225 degrees should be perfect. Place some hardwood chips in the smoker and you are ready for the meat.

Slow cook the pork shoulder for about 1 to 1½ hours per pound. When the internal temperature reaches 190 to 195 degrees, it should be a done deal. Just to make sure grab the bone and pull. If it easily separates from the meat its cooked long enough. Remove the roast and let it rest at least a half hour.

What next? If you want you can take two forks and start pulling the meat apart. This will give you the legendary pulled pork that so many people enjoy. Now pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself for a job well done.

Start low and slow and lets get smoky!

Smoked Pork Ribs are the favorite for the backyard bbq.

Smoking Pork Tenderloin is a great choice for the barbecue enthusiast.

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