Grilled Pork Butt – How to BBQ Pork Butt 

Step 1: Prepare The Pork Butt

Preheat the grill to 230°F. First, trim the pork butt. Leave at least 1/4 of an inch of fat; trimming the meat will protect the meat from drying out while cooking.  Score the fat on the pork, then slather it in yellow mustard for the binder. Season the pork evenly on all sides with the BBQ rub.

Step 2: Grilling The Pork

Place the pork directly on the grill’s grates with the fat cap down. After 90 minutes, begin basting the pork butt with the BBQ sauce every 10-15 minutes. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 145-155°F.

Step 3: Wrap The Pork

When the pork butt’s internal temperature reaches 145-155°F, remove it from the grill and wrap it in aluminum foil.

See how to wrap your pork butt below.

1. Lay out two layers of aluminum foil or butcher paper.
2. Using protective gloves to avoid burns, take the pork out of the smoker and place it on top of the paper.
3. Wrap it tightly with the temperature probe in, and set it back on the smoker.

Step 4: Continue Cooking

Cook for about 2.5 hours, when you reach a temperature of 195°‒203°, take the pork off the grill and let the meat rest for 30 minutes in an aluminum pan, you can unwrap it or leave it wrapped.

You need to let it rest for at least half an hour to get a juicy pork butt. One way to test if the butt is perfectly cooked is; by pulling out the shoulder bone and seeing if it’s clean. Or try twisting a fork through the meat; if it twists easily, the meat is perfect.

Step 5: Shred The Pork (Optional) or Slice It

You can either shred your pork butt and make pulled pork or slice it. To make the cooked pork butt into tender pulled pork, use two forks, your hands (with protective gloves), or meat claws to shred the meat. Break it down into your desired consistency.

Once shredded, it’s time to taste test and determine if any additional seasoning is needed. We love to add some barbecue sauce.

Our go-to is Lillies Q Carolina Sauce, which perfectly balances tangy vinegar, spice, and sweetness. A little goes a long way, as the pork is already bursting with flavor.

What is the Stall?

Don’t be alarmed if you see your pork butt stall around 145°F. This is a common phenomenon pitmasters call “the stall.” It’s essentially the meat sweating! Muscles contract, releasing moisture that evaporates and cools both the meat and smoker.

There are two ways to navigate this slowdown:

Option 1: Power Through with Higher Heat

For the impatient, you can crank up the temperature around 170°F to 310°F. This counteracts the evaporative cooling, but be sure to lower the temperature again once the stall breaks.

Option 2: Embrace the Texas Crutch

Many pitmasters swear by wrapping the pork butt in this stage. This technique, also known as the “Texas crutch,” helps the meat retain moisture and cook faster.

How to Wrap Your Pork Butt:

1. Prepare a “life raft” of flavor by laying down two sheets of aluminum foil or butcher paper.
2. With protective gloves, carefully remove the pork butt from the smoker and place it on the paper.
3. Wrap the meat tightly, ensuring the temperature probe stays inside.
4. Return the wrapped pork butt to its throne in the smoker and continue cooking.

See the next section for detailed instructions on wrapping your pork butt!