How to Smoke a Boston Butt in an Electric Smoker
Always wanted to learn how to smoke a pork butt in your electric smoker? This super simple recipe will help you master it!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 443kcal
Cost: 12
Ingredients
- 8 lb Boston Butt
- 4½ tablespoons yellow mustard
- BBQ sauce of your choice
Dry Spice Rub
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 ½ tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons ground fennel
- 2 ½ tablespoons coriander
- 2 ½ tablespoons cayenne pepper
Spritz
- 2- parts apple juice
- 1- part ACV
Instructions
- You could also ask the butcher to trim off any excess fat but leave just enough, about 1/4 an inch, to aid with rendering, moisture retention, and flavor.
- Drain off any excess liquid and pat dry. Next, score your meat making shallow perpendicular cuts to help with flavor absorption.
- Coat meat with yellow mustard; this ensures the spicy rub sticks on the pork. Then combine all the ingredients for your dry spice rub and apply generously on the pork meat; cover and keep in the refrigerator overnight or for a few hours before smoking.
- Your smoker should be clean before use. Ensure you don’t have grease or fat stains from your last cook-out to avoid fires.
- Preheat your smoker at 225°F. You could go up to between 250°F to 275°F to cut down on some time. Next, add your pre-soaked wood chips to the compartment provided for them. Remember, we aren’t using them for fuel but a smoky aroma and taste.
- Also, note that if your smoker has a water tray, you may not need to spritz your meat. Instead, regularly top up water in the tray to keep your meat from drying out.
- Place the meat in your smoker and allow it to smoke for 8 to 10 hours at 225°F.
- Spritz your meat every 60 to 90 minutes to keep the meat moist.
- Most times, your meat will stop rising in temperature at about 150°F to 165°F. This is known as a stall, and you don’t want this.
- To remedy a stall, take your pork out of the heat and wrap in two or three layers of Aluminum foil. Then pop it back into the smoker to continue cooking.
- The pork is done cooking when your meat thermometer reads an internal temperature of around 195°F to 205°F.
- Rest your cooked Boston pork for 45 minutes to 90 minutes. This allows for carryover cooking, further rendering fat and breaking down connective tissue.
- Now it’s time to make your pulled pork. Get your forks or bear claws to pull apart your meat, giving you a nicely shredded Boston butt.
- Drizzle some of your favorite hot sauce or BBQ sauce, and you’re good to go. My other favorite ways to eat the Boston butt are as a pork sandwich with coleslaw or potatoes, baked beans or rice; with omelets, tacos, and wraps. Serve up and enjoy!