When it comes to smoking pork shoulder, the old adage, “slow and low” never had more truth to it. We often get asked the question, “how long to smoke pork shoulder at 250°F?” The slow and low process allows for a few major process that make the pork shoulder taste so good. The first process is generating the exterior bark. One of the most coveted pieces as it as has the crisp bit, and bursts of flavor from the exterior rub. The second piece is rendering the fat down. As the fat renders some of it will drip off into your drip pan, while the remainder will slowly break down and be easy to shred when the time comes. Lastly, the slow and low process allows for the meat to tenderize and become what we all know and love to be pulled pork.
The key to any successful pulled pork is twofold: keeping a consistent temperature, and knowing when to pull the pork for the smoker. If you’re using a Traeger grill the work is done for you. If you are using a Big Green Egg – it make take a little more attention. However once your vents are set, you should be good to for the duration of your smoke.
The key to knowing when to pull it is using a great thermometer. There are many instant read thermometers that are affordable and will do the trick. The challenge with that is you’re constantly opening the lid to check the temperature. We found that the Meater+ solves this problem for us. It is a Bluetooth thermometer that will give you a real time readout of the internal temperature. It goes as far as sending you an alert when it’s time to pull it, and even gives you the amount of time required for resting.
Pork Shoulder vs. Boston Butt
Before we get in to the pork shoulder cooking times, lets take a look at the different cuts of pork. Pork Shoulder and Boston Butt are often routinely used interchangeably.
Pork shoulder is a cut of pork that is cut from the upper part of the pig’s back. It works well for slow-cooking because it holds a lot of flavor and can be used in many different dishes. Whether you’re making pulled pork, pork tacos, or pork nachos – slow and low is the way to go. One of our favorite leftover recipes is making pulled pork fried rice.
The slow and low process allows for a few major process that make the pork shoulder taste so good. The first process is generating the exterior bark. One of the most coveted pieces as it as has the crisp bit, and bursts of flavor from the exterior rub. The second piece is rendering the fat down. As the fat renders some of it will drip off into your drip pan, while the remainder will slowly break down and be easy to shred when the time comes. Lastly, the slow and low process allows for the meat to tenderize and become what we all know and love to be pulled pork.
How long to smoke pork shoulder at 250?
Whether you are using a Brinkman smoker, or a Big Green Egg, the cook time for a pork shoulder remains constant. The general rule of thumb is 1.5 hours per pound of meat. If you have a 5lb pork shoulder, you’re looking at an approximate cook time of 7.5 hours.
Pork Shoulder 225 vs 250?
One of the great things about pork shoulder is that whether you smoke it at 225, 250 or 275, the cut is very forgiving and will almost always come out great. While cooking, you want to make sure that you have a constant temperature, and make sure that the smoker doesn’t drift on you and creep into the 300s. If it does, its not the end of the world, adjust your vents and get the temperature back down into the cooking range.
Note, that cook times may vary – even within the same weight class. On occasion you’ll get that stubborn butt that stalls and won’t budge! When cooking pork shoulder be sure to leave ample time for your cook to finish before your guests arrive. The last thing you want is a hungry mob waiting for something that cannot be rushed. The good news is that, if you happen to finish the cook early, the pork shoulder needs to rest. By using the cooler method, not only will the shoulder rest, but it will also stay hot and be ready to be pulled when it’s time to serve your meal.
When to pull a pork shoulder from the smoker
Everyone has a different preferred method. You’ll read recipes where people swear by pulling the butt at 196 degrees, others will claim 203 is the sweet spot. The good news is that pork shoulder is a very forgiving cut of meat. Not only is it forgiving, but it’s cheap, and always a crowd pleaser. The general temp to pull your meat off the smoker is anywhere between 196-203 degrees. We love experimenting when smoking – and given the price (often can be found at $1.99/lb), it’s a great meat to test out different methods to find the sweet spot that is just right for you.
Resting your pork shoulder
As with any meat, or steak, you always want to make sure that you leave ample time for the meat to rest. During this process the meat comes to temperature and gives time for the juices to be distributed amongst the cut of meat. We wrote a guide specifically on resting your pork shoulder. So to sum it up, how long to smoke a pork shoulder? It’s typically about 90 minutes per pound. Each pork shoulder is different – with some cooking slower or faster, so keep any eye on it!
We also have a guide to cook the perfect steak.