Competition-Style Pork Butt
The contest-winning approach: injected, double-rubbed and smoked until the 'money muscle' slices like butter. Built for Memphis in May.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg pork shoulder (Boston butt), bone-in
- 120 ml apple juice
- 2 tbsp salt (for injection)
- 1 tbsp sugar (for injection)
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard, for binder
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp onion granules
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp honey
- Apple and cherry wood
Method
- 1
Whisk the apple juice with the injection salt and sugar until dissolved. Inject the shoulder all over in a grid, an inch apart.
- 2
Coat with mustard, then apply the combined brown sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic and onion. Rest until tacky.
- 3
Smoke at 110°C (225°F) over apple and cherry until the bark is set and deep mahogany — about , around 74°C (165°F) internal.
- 4
Lay out a double sheet of foil, dot with butter and honey, set the butt on top and wrap tightly.
- 5
Return to the smoker until probe-tender at 96°C (205°F) — a further 3–.
- 6
Rest, wrapped, in a cool box for at least .
- 7
Locate the 'money muscle' (the round tube of meat opposite the bone), slice it into coins, and pull the rest into strands. Toss everything in the rendered foil juices.
Notes
- Injecting keeps a lean butt juicy and seasons it from within — the competition edge.
- The money muscle is presented sliced; the rest is pulled.