Wondering how long to smoke pork shoulder at 225 °F for fall-apart pulled pork and the perfect bark? In this post, we break down everything you need to know, from exact smoking times and temperatures to the best seasonings and foolproof techniques we’ve tested ourselves.
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Recipe Highlights
- ⏱️ Cook Time: 1.5 - 2 hours per pound at 225°F
- 🍽️ Serves: About 12 (from one whole shoulder)
- 👩🏽🍳 Difficulty: Moderate (Patience Required)
- 🎯 Goal Internal Temp: 205°F for juicy, pull-apart tenderness
Smoking a pork shoulder, also known as pork butt or Boston butt, requires time, patience, and love for barbecue! The slow and low cooking method transforms this affordable cut of meat into tender, flavorful perfection making it a favorite among pitmasters and backyard barbecue enthusiasts.
If this is your first time, you might be wondering how long to smoke a pork shoulder at 225°F. Let's break it down!
Note: To smoke pork shoulder at a higher temperature for a faster cooking time, check out our Best Smoked BBQ Pulled Pork recipe.
Featured Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This recipe is a mainstay on my summer list. Always comes out great and everyone loves it!" - Matt C.
How Long to Smoke Boston Butt at 225
For the best results, plan for approximately 1.5 to 2 hours of smoking time per pound of pork shoulder at 225°F. For example, if you have a 10-pound pork shoulder, you can estimate the cook time to be around 15 to 20 hours. However, it's important to remember that these are just estimates, and the actual cooking time of a smoked pork butt may vary based on factors such as the smoker's temperature stability and outdoor conditions.
The internal temperature of the meat should be around 205°F (96°C). The smoked pork butt should be tender and ready to be enjoyed. To test for doneness, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the pork shoulder, avoiding contact with the bone or fat.
Ingredients
- Pork Butt: A bone-in pork butt typically yields juicier, more flavorful pulled pork, but boneless works too if that’s what you have. For a crowd, aim for about ½ pound of cooked meat per person.
- Mop Sauce: This thin basting liquid is made with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and hot sauce. It's "mopped" onto the pork shoulder during smoking to helps retain moisture and build flavor throughout the smoke.
- Spritz: A 50/50 mix of water and apple cider vinegar is spritzed on the pork every hour to keep it moist and promote bark formation. The acidity also helps tenderize the surface and regulate cooking temperature.
See the recipe card below for full information on the ingredients and quantities.
How to Smoke Pork Shoulder (Step-by-Step)
- Start by prepping a well-marbled pork shoulder and allowing it to rest at room temperature.
- Apply a binder and coat the meat generously with your favorite dry rub.
- Preheat your smoker to a steady 225°F and add your preferred wood for flavor.
- Once the smoker is ready, place the pork on the grate and let the low-and-slow magic begin—optionally using a mop sauce or spritz for added moisture.
Expert Tip: Once the pork shoulder is in the smoker, resist the temptation to constantly open the smoker lid. Each time you open the lid, you risk losing heat and smoke, which can prolong the cooking time and affect the final result. Instead, trust in the process and maintain a consistent temperature of 225°F (107°C) throughout the smoking session.
Resting and Serving
- Once the pork shoulder reaches the desired internal temperature, carefully remove it from the smoker and transfer it to a clean cutting board or serving platter.
- Tent the pork shoulder loosely with aluminum foil and let the meat rest for about 20-30 minutes.
- Resting allows the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat, ensuring a moist and flavorful final product.
Temperature Conversion Chart
Boston Butt Pork Shoulder FAQs
A pork shoulder, also known as pork butt or Boston butt, is a cut of meat from the upper part of the front leg of a pig. It's is a flavorful and versatile cut, typically used for slow cooking methods such as roasting, braising, or smoking.
The Boston butt is often marbled with fat, which helps keep it moist and tender during the cooking process, resulting in succulent and delicious dishes such as pulled pork, carnitas, or braised pork shoulder.
It's important to note, that this is different from a Picnic Shoulder(Picnic Ham), which comes from the lower part of the shoulder and includes a portion of the upper foreleg. Picnic shoulder is often cured and smoked to make picnic ham. It's slightly less tender than pork butt but still very flavorful.
Smoking is the best way to cook a pork shoulder because it delivers unmatched flavor, tenderness, and moisture with a beautiful mahogany bark. The low and slow process breaks down tough connective tissue while infusing the meat with rich, smoky flavor. Plus, it’s a mostly hands-off, which means you don't have to do much to it.
The smoking time for a pork shoulder at 225°F (107°C) can vary depending on several factors, including the size of the pork shoulder, the smoker's temperature stability, outdoor conditions, and the desired level of tenderness. As a general rule of thumb, we plan for approximately 1.5 to 2 hours of smoking time per pound of meat.
To calculate the estimated smoking time, multiply the weight of the pork shoulder (in pounds) by the average smoking time per pound (in hours). For example, if you're smoking an 8-pound Boston butt, the estimated smoking time would be 12 to 16 hours.
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📖 Recipe
How Long to Smoke Pork Shoulder at 225 F
Ingredients
- 7 to 10 pound pork butt
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Yellow mustard to use as a binder
- ¼ cup Soul Dust soul food seasoning or your favorite BBQ dry rub
- Wood for smoking
Instructions
- Place the pork butt in a foil pan and allow it to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes to ensure even cooking.
- Next, apply yellow mustard as a binder, then season generously with your favorite dry rub or seasoning blend. Be sure to coat the entire surface of the meat.
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C). Whether you're using an electric smoker, pellet grill, or offset smoker, aim to achieve a stable smoker temperature range throughout the cooking process.
- Once the smoker is preheated, add your preferred wood to the firebox or smoker box (hickory, apple, cherry, oak, etc.
- Place the pork shoulder on the smoker grate, fat cap side up, to allow the rendered fat to baste the meat as it cooks.
- Once pork shoulder reaches the desired internal temperature (around 205°F (96°C)), carefully remove it from the smoker and transfer it to a clean cutting board or serving platter.
- Tent loosely with aluminum foil and let the meat rest for about 20-30 minutes.
Mat Cook says
This recipe is a mainstay on my summer list. Always comes out great and everyone loves it!
Jamie says
Made this pork butt over the weekend to serve at a party and it was delicious! My friends devoured it and I got many compliments!
Julie says
I was smoking a pork shoulder for the first time for the 4th of July and made this one and it came out great. Such great tips for finishing it!
Jacqueline Debono says
Definitely the best way to cook and make pulled pork. So much flavour and not that difficult to make, especially with your excellent instructions!
DK says
This recipe was such a hit with my friends at my BBQ get together! All of the guests went for seconds and thirds. The temperature tips were super useful. Thank you!
Kathryn says
Thanks for the info! I finally can cook a pork shoulder perfectly now. It was so delicious and made a great dinner!
Vicky says
This is probably the most informative post I've ever read on smoking a pork shoulder. I'm gonna try this out for our family reunion this year, well my husband will! Can't wait!
Alexandra says
This is such a thorough, detailed guide and full of useful information on achieving the best smoked pork shoulder. Thank you for including the handy conversion guide also! I am looking forward to trying this and have saved your guide to refer to 🙂
Mikayla says
Thanks for the comprehensive guide to smoking the cut of meat. We really enjoyed our smoked pork shoulder and will use your guide again!
Leslie says
You broke this down so perfectly! Following step by and step and it comes out amazing! Thanks for the detailed instructions!