My Self Recipes

This Traeger Pulled Pork recipe uses the classic low-and-slow smoking method to break down a tough pork shoulder into tender, shreddable perfection with amazing smoky flavor.

Yields – Approx. 10-15 servings (depending on size)
Prep time – 20 minutes (+ optional overnight dry brine)
Cook time – 8-14 hours (highly variable depending on stall, temp, and pork butt size)
Rest time –  1-2 hours (minimum)

Ingredients:

• 1 Pork Shoulder (Boston Butt): 7-10 lbs (bone-in preferred for flavour and moisture, but boneless works too)
• Binder (Optional but Recommended): 2-3 tablespoons Yellow Mustard, Olive Oil, or even Hot Sauce (helps rub adhere, mustard flavour cooks off)

For the Rub: (Feel free to use your favourite store-bought pork rub too!)

• ½ cup Packed Brown Sugar (Light or Dark)
• ¼ cup Paprika (Sweet or Smoked)
• 2 tablespoons Kosher Salt (adjust if using fine table salt)
• 2 tablespoons Coarse Black Pepper
• 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
• 1 tablespoon Onion Powder
• 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (optional, for a little heat)
• 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard Powder (optional)

Equipment:

• Traeger Pellet Grill
• Wood Pellets (Apple, Cherry, Hickory, Pecan, or a Competition Blend work great for pork)
• Meat Thermometer (Instant-read AND a leave-in probe if your Traeger has one)
• Large Pan or Baking Sheet (for transport and catching drips)
• Spray Bottle (if spritzing)
• Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil or Pink Butcher Paper (if wrapping)
• Insulated Cooler (for resting)
• Tongs or Heatproof Gloves
• Forks or Meat Claws (for pulling)

Instructions:

1. Prep the Pork (Optional Overnight):
   • Trim excess hard fat cap off the pork shoulder, leaving about ¼ inch thick layer. Some prefer to score the fat cap in a diamond pattern (helps render fat and allows rub penetration), but it’s optional.
   • Pat the pork shoulder completely dry with paper towels.
   • (Optional Dry Brine): If time allows, apply just the salt portion of your rub evenly over the entire surface the night before. Place on a rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered. This helps enhance flavour and moisture retention. Skip this if short on time.
2. Apply Binder and Rub:
   • If you didn’t dry brine, pat the pork dry again.
   • Apply your chosen binder (mustard, oil) thinly over the entire surface of the pork shoulder.
   • In a bowl, combine all the rub ingredients and mix well.
   • Generously sprinkle the rub evenly over all sides of the pork butt. Press the rub gently into the meat. Don’t be shy with the rub!
   • Let the rubbed pork sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes while you preheat the Traeger. This helps the rub adhere (“sweat”).
3. Preheat Your Traeger:
   • Fill the hopper with your chosen pellets.
   • Set your Traeger temperature to 225°F (107°C) or 250°F (121°C). 250°F will cook slightly faster. Lower temps generally yield more smoke flavor. If your Traeger has a “Super Smoke” setting, you can use it for the first few hours.
   • Let the grill preheat fully (usually 10-15 minutes).
4. Start Smoking:
   • Place the pork shoulder directly on the grill grate. Many prefer fat-cap up, believing it bastes the meat as it renders. Others prefer fat-cap down to protect the meat from direct heat (especially if your grill has hot spots). Either works!
   • Insert your leave-in meat probe into the thickest part of the shoulder, avoiding the bone.
   • Close the lid and let it smoke!
5. The First Phase (Bark Development):
   • Smoke the pork shoulder undisturbed for the first 3-4 hours. This allows the crust (bark) to start forming properly.
   • (Optional Spritzing): After 3-4 hours, you can start spritzing the pork every 45-60 minutes if it looks dry. This helps keep the surface moist and can attract more smoke. Don’t overdo it – you don’t want to wash the rub off.
6. The Stall & The Wrap (Optional but Recommended):
   • Continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches around 150°F – 165°F (65°C – 74°C). At this point, the pork often hits “the stall,” where the temperature plateaus for potentially several hours due to evaporative cooling.
   • To Wrap (Texas Crutch): If you want to speed through the stall and ensure maximum moisture (at the potential cost of slightly softer bark), now is the time to wrap.
     • Lay out two large sheets of heavy-duty foil or a large sheet of butcher paper.
     • Carefully place the pork shoulder in the center.
     • Add your optional wrapping liquid (apple juice, broth) and butter around the base, if using.
     • Wrap the pork tightly in the foil or butcher paper, ensuring a good seal. Butcher paper allows for slightly better bark retention than foil.
     • Re-insert the meat probe through the wrapping into the thickest part of the meat.
     • Place the wrapped pork back on the Traeger.
   • To Go Unwrapped: If you prioritize a very firm, crusty bark, simply leave the pork unwrapped and power through the stall. It will take longer. Continue spritzing occasionally if desired.
7. Finish Cooking (Tenderness is Key!):
   • Continue cooking (wrapped or unwrapped) until the internal temperature reaches 203°F – 205°F (95°C – 96°C).
   • Crucially: Don’t rely only on temperature. Start checking for probe tenderness around 195°F. The probe should slide into the meat with very little resistance, like going into room-temperature butter. This is the true indicator of doneness.
8. The Rest (DO NOT SKIP!):
   • Carefully remove the pork shoulder from the Traeger (keep it wrapped if you wrapped it; if unwrapped, you can now wrap it loosely in foil).
   • Place the pork in a dry, empty cooler. You can place old towels around it to help insulate further.
   • Let it rest for a minimum of 1 hour, but 2 hours or more is even better. This allows the muscle fibers to relax and the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a much juicier final product.
9. Pull the Pork:
   • After resting, transfer the pork to a large pan or baking sheet (to catch juices).
   • Unwrap the pork (reserve the juices/drippings in the foil/paper!).
   • If bone-in, the shoulder bone should wiggle out cleanly with tongs. If not, it likely needed more cooking time or rest.
   • Using meat claws, forks, or gloved hands, shred the pork. Discard any large chunks of unrendered fat you find.
   • (Flavor Boost): Skim any excess fat from the reserved drippings and pour some of the flavourful juice back over the pulled pork. Mix gently.

Enjoy your incredible Traeger pulled pork!