Smoked Pulled Pork Recipe
Enjoy the smoky, tender goodness of this Smoked Pulled Pork Recipe. Slow-cooked to perfection, this mouthwatering dish is packed with rich flavors that melt in your mouth!
Looking for an easy way to feed a crowd?! This Traeger pulled pork is not only delicious but also super simple to make. It’s a family favortie that everyone is sure to love!
Too busy to make this right away? Pin it for later! Pin this post to your favorite board on Pinterest and it will be there when you’re ready!
This is the best pulled pork to make on your Traeger pellet grill because it is so easy. It’s a great first time Traeger recipe for the home chef because it’s pretty straight forward and you don’t have to “babysit” your smoker to get great results!
Traditionally we’ve always made pulled pork sandwiches using our slow cooker but we’ve found that the Traeger ads a tantelizing smoky flavor that we love.
Which cut of pork is best?
Sometimes called “the other white meat”, pork provides us with many different cuts of meat.
Pork butt is most commonly used for pulled pork because it is one of the fattiest cuts of meat taken from the rear of the pig. Fat adds tenderness and flavor to this recipe.
Pork tenderloin is a piece of pork that is taken from the back of the pig. Boneless pork shoulder is from the shoulder of the pig and is not quite as lean as the loin.
It really comes down to personal preference as slow cooking your pork roast and slathering it in your favorite BBQ sauce is pretty much a no fail way to make delicious pulled pork.
We often use pork loin because it always seems to be on sale at Costco. It just requires a bit more sauce and basting to give it that juicy flavour.
The cooking process of this Traeger smoked pulled pork is really key because it lends itself to the most tender and juicy pork, every time! Fire up your Traeger smoker and lets get cooking!
Make this a full meal with some of our favorite side salads!
What to serve with pulled pork?
- Kale caesar salad
- Dill pickle pasta salad
- Fully loaded potato salad
- Classic caesar salad
- Greek pasta salad
- Easy potato salad
This post contains affiliate links.
Supplies
- Traeger 780 Pro Smoker Grill – this is our Traeger grill, it’s the perfect size for families who like to entertain! Be sure to check out all of our must have Traeger products.
- Meater Thermometer – we love this wireless meat thermometer. It connects to an app that tells you exactly when your meat is done!
- BBQ tongs – for grasping meat on the grill.
- Basting brush – for coating with the BBQ sauce.
- Paper towels – making clean a breeze.
- Foil pan – for shredding the pork in. A large baking sheet would work too.
- Sharp knife – this one is our favorite for slicing and dicing in the kitchen.
- Forks – use to shred the pork.
Traeger Pulled Pork Recipe
Ingredients:
- Pork butt
- Apple cider vinegar
- Barbecue sauce **
- Dry rub of choice *
*We love to use our own rub, so be sure to check out this homemade dry rub recipe. It’s made with brown sugar and a combination of savoury spices.
**For this pulled pork, we used our delicious homemade barbecue sauce recipe but you may use your favourite BBQ sauce of choice.
Instructions
1. Trim excess fat from the pork roast.
2. Pat dry with a paper towel.
3. Cover the front and back of the pork in a solid layer of rub.
4. Place the pork in a baking dish and add enough apple cider to cover.
5. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, for at least 8 hours.
6. Preheat the Traeger to 165 degrees F.
7. Drain the cider from the pork, pat dry and cover in dry rub again.
8. Place the pork butt on the bottom grill grate, fat side down.
9. Smoke for at least eight hours or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F and meat is very tender.
10. During the cook baste the whole pork with BBQ sauce twice.
11. Remove from the grill to a disposable aluminum pan and let the meat rest for 15 minutes.
12. Shred with forks and then add 1 cup BBQ sauce to the shredded pork.
13. Serve with your favorite coleslaw on hoagie buns.
Tips & tricks
- The best way to measure internal temperature is by using a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
- Don’t swap out the apple cider vinegar for apple juice, you need the vinegar to help break down the connective tissues. Red wine vinegar or white vinegar would also work for this.
- Use whatever bun you’d like to serve this pulled pork on. We like to use leftover hamburger buns, fresh cheese buns or hoagies.
This recipe is always a huge hit with friends and family and the ideal thing to make for a back yard barbecue. I love how easy it is, I just have fresh buns and a bag of coleslaw from the grocery store all ready and voila! Enough delicious pulled pork sandwiches to feed a crowd!!
Check out a few more of our pork recipes! Use leftovers to make these delicious pulled pork sliders or easy pulled pork pizza!
More pork recipes
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- The Best Burnt Ends
- Pulled Pork Sliders
- Smoked Pulled Pork
- Grilled Pork Loin
If you love this smoked pulled pork recipe, please give it a five star review and share it on Facebook or Pinterest so that others can enjoy it too!
Smoked Pulled Pork Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 pound pork butt
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup dry rub of choice
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from the pork roast.
- Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Cover the front and back of the pork in a solid layer of rub.
- Place the pork in a baking dish and add enough apple cider to cover.
- Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, for at least 8 hours.
- Preheat the Traeger to 165 degrees F.
- Drain the cider from the pork, pat dry and cover in dry rub again.
- Place the pork butt on the bottom grill grate, fat side down.
- Smoke for at least eight hours or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F and meat is very tender.
- During the cook baste the whole pork roast with BBQ sauce twice.
- Remove from the grill to a disposable aluminum pan and let the meat rest for 15 minutes.
- Shred with forks and then add 1 cup BBQ sauce to the shredded pork.
- Serve with your favorite coleslaw on hoagie buns.
Notes
Nutrition
