Pork shoulder is the most forgiving cut in barbecue, which makes it perfect for your first long cook. The vinegar sauce cuts through the richness and keeps the pork moist on the bun.
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in pork shoulder / Boston butt (8–9 lb / 3.6–4 kg)
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1/2 cup of your favorite pork rub
- Sauce: 1.5 cups (360 ml) apple cider vinegar
- Sauce: 1 tbsp brown sugar
- Sauce: 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
- Sauce: 1 tsp kosher salt
- Sauce: 1 tsp black pepper
- Sauce: 1 tbsp hot sauce
- Buns and coleslaw, to serve
Method
- 1
Mix all sauce ingredients and refrigerate for at least a few hours. It gets better overnight.
- 2
Coat the shoulder with mustard and season heavily with rub.
- 3
Smoke at 250°F (121°C) until the bark is set and the internal temperature is around 165°F (74°C), about 6 hours. Spritz occasionally after the first 3 hours.
- 4
Optionally wrap in foil or butcher paper, then cook until the meat reaches 195–203°F (90–95°C) and the bone wiggles freely.
- 5
Rest for at least 45 minutes, then pull the meat, discarding the bone and any large fat pockets.
- 6
Toss with a few splashes of the vinegar sauce, then serve on buns with slaw and extra sauce on the side.
