Apple Cider Brined Smoked Pulled Pork
Elevate your next barbecue with Apple Cider Brined Smoked Pulled Pork. A bone-in pork shoulder is soaked overnight in a sweet and salty apple cider brine, coated in a savory dry rub, and smoked to tender perfection.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
Required Ingredients
- 1 6-10 pound pork shoulder or pork butt roast bone-in recommended, size of roast may impact cooking time
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard amount is approximate
- 1/4 cup dry rub amount is approximate, my recipe is recommended but store bought will work
Optional Pork Butt Brine
- 4 cups apple cider Trader Joe's unfiltered Honey Crisp Apple Cider recommended, but any kind of apple juice will work
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
Instructions
If using the brine:
- Rinse pork roast under cold running water. In a large oven bag or airtight container, combine 4 cups apple cider, 2 cups water, 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, and 1/4 cup kosher salt. Mix until sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the 1 6-10 pound pork shoulder or pork butt roast, cover or seal, and refrigerate (overnight is best).
Cooking directions:
- Heat smoker grill: When you're ready to cook your pork, preheat smoker grill to 225°F. If you have a meat injector, take some of the brine and inject it into the roast (this step is optional).
- Slather with mustard: Remove the roast from the brine mixture (if using) and blot dry with paper towels. Discard the remaining brine. Cover all sides of roast with 1/4 cup yellow mustard (use gloves or a brush).
- Coat in dry rub: Generously cover all sides of the mustard-covered pork roast with 1/4 cup dry rub.
- Slow Smoke Method: Put the roast on the grill with the fat side up and smoke for 10-20 hours or until the temperature of the roast reaches 195°F (continue cooking up to an internal temperature of 200°F for a softer and easier-to-pull-apart pork). Quick Smoke Method: Put the roast on the grill with the fat side up and smoke for 3 hours. Use an aluminum foil pan or make a boat out of heavy-duty aluminum foil and place the roast on top and place them back to the center of the smoker grill. Increase the temperature to 250°F and roast until the internal temperature reaches at least 195°F (continue cooking up to an internal temperature of 200°F for a softer and easier-to-pull-apart pork). The total cooking time for a roast this size can vary anywhere from 4-6 hours.
- Rest: Wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for at least 20 minutes (minimum) up to a full hour (recommended). This will ensure the meat will easily shred.
- Shred: After the rest period, transfer the roast to a cutting board and pour any of the residual cooking juices that accumulated in the foil to a measuring cup. When the meat is cool enough to handle, separate the tender meat from the bone and fat (discard the bone and fat).
- Moisten meat: If any fat rose to the top of the cooking liquid, spoon it off and discard the fat. Alternatively, use a fat separator. Moisten the shredded meat with the remaining cooking liquid.
- Serve: Keep the shredded meat warm in a slow cooker on the warm setting or in a covered saucepan over low heat. Serve with soft brioche buns and your favorite BBQ sauce along with your favorite sides for a complete meal!
Notes
I recommend using a large bag when you brine because you can squeeze out all the air to ensure your roast is completely covered.
Cooking tips:
- A bone-in roast with some fat on the outside is recommended as it will give you the most tender moist shredded pork. You will need pork shoulder or pork butt in order to make pulled pork. A tenderloin or loin roast will not work.
- Using a large oven bag like the kind you would use to roast a turkey is great for the brine. If you are able to squeeze out all of the air, the entire roast will be covered in the brine.
- Unfiltered apple cider is fantastic in this recipe and adds a ton of flavor.
- I did not use apple cider vinegar in this recipe, however you could add a small amount to the brine and it will tenderize the meat even more!
- Although 145 degrees Fahrenheit is the standard for most pork roasts, when roasting a pork shoulder or pork butt to make pulled pork, it’s recommended to roast/smoke until it reaches a minimum internal temperature of approximately 195° Fahrenheit, which can be more optimal for pulling.
Nutrition
Calories: 648kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 56g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 178mg | Sodium: 3772mg | Potassium: 1206mg | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 3.9mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2.9mg