We are a little obsessed with smoked pork butt recipes here at BBQ Smoker Grill Blog.

We’ve tried an awful lot of them over the years, tweaking, improving and learning.

Here are our tried, tested and tasty best smoked pork butt recipes, with further ideas and tips for you to try at home.

There’s no denying that pork butt is a long smoke just like pork belly smoked, or smoking pork loin. These are large cuts of meat which take a long time to smoke to make sure the fatty connective tissues break down properly.

Pork butt is a good recipe for beginners, and hard to get wrong, but if you are looking easy and quick recipes for the smoker you could try chicken wings, chicken breast, turkey legs and thighs, or venison loin.

How Long to Smoke Pork Butt at 225?

At 225°F (or 107°C) it will take between 10-12 hours to smoke for a 4.5kg or 10 pound pork butt.

When smoking the most important thing is not timing but temperature. The pork butt is ready when the internal temperature has reached between 91-96°C or 195-205°F.

Smoked Pork Butt Recipes 1 – Classic Texas BBQ Style

This recipe calls for a smoky, sweet slightly spicy rub and it’s cooked using the Texas Crutch Method – the pork butt is wrapped in foil/butcher’s paper for the second part of the smoke.

You simply have to try this classic way to smoke pork butt.

Enough said.

Pork Butt Rub

• 1/2 Teaspoon of Chilli Powder
• 1 Teaspoon of Garlic Powder
• 2 Tablespoons of Smoked Paprika
• 3 Tablespoons of Brown Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of Salt 
• 2 Teaspoons of Black Pepper
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon of Onion Powder 

Smoked Pork Butt Recipes 2 – Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu)

Chinese BBQ pork is absolutely delicious in the smoker.

You marinade the pork overnight and then smoke it slow and low at 225°F for around 4 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 170°F.

It’s a much shorter smoke time than pulled pork because you are going to thinly slice it rather than pull it apart with a fork.

The red colour you see in many Chinese restaurants comes from food colouring and is tasteless; it’s really only for presentation. Leave it out if you wish.

Char Siu Pork Marinade 

• 2 teaspoons honey 
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese Rice Wine
• 4 cloves finely chopped fresh garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5 Spice powder
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 3 tablespoons white sugar 
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 3cm piece of peeled and chopped fresh ginger

Smoked Pork Butt Recipes 3- Mexican Pulled Pork Carnitas

This Mexican style pork butt recipe is insanely delicious. You really need to give it a go.

You leave the pork overnight in a delicious citrus marinade.

The pork is covered with a Chipotle flavoured dry rub and cooking oil, and then smoked at 225°F with pecan or oak wood for around 6 hours until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Then you braise the pork in oil and bay leaves at a higher temperature for another 4 hours or so until it reaches 203°F.

After you shred the pork you crisp it up in a hot skillet for best results.

Served with tacos, burritos or nachos. Yes please!

Mexican Style Marinade

• 1 Tablespoon of coarse salt
• sliced in half and juiced 2 limes
• sliced in half and juiced  1 orange
• 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil

Dry Rub

• ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• ½ teaspoon chipotle chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon granulated onion

Smoked Pork Butt Recipes 4 – Argentinian Style Chimichurri

This is a recipe for Chimichurri sauce to be served with pulled pork.

Follow the instructions for smoked pork butt in the other recipes, and then serve it with this delicious Chimichurri South American sauce.

Great with tacos and burritos!

Chimichurri Sauce

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup packed parsley leaves 
• 1/2 cup packed cilantro/coriander leaves 
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 peeled garlic clove 
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon of chilli flakes

Smoked Pork Butt Recipes 5 – Memphis Style BBQ

As many of you may know there are 4 main regional BBQ styles in the United States; Kansas, Memphis, Carolina and Texas.

Memphis BBQ is known for predominantly smoking pulled pork and pork ribs, as well as using a distinctive rub containing lots of different spices and flavours.

Compared to Texas rubs which are often made with mostly salt and pepper, a Memphis rub has many more ingredients – sometimes up to 40!

Don’t worry this recipe doesn’t have anywhere near that many.

The pork butt is marinated in a wet rub with oil overnight, and then smoked for around 8 hours, basting regularly with leftover marinade.

The multiple ingredients in the rub are honestly worth it.

Super tasty!

Ingredients For Memphis Style Pulled Pork

• 3 tablespoons each of coarse salt, cumin, black pepper, coriander and chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon of allspice
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of ground ginger 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons celery seed 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dry mustard
  
• 2 teaspoons each of dried oregano and dried thyme
  
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons ketchup or tomato paste
  
• 1/2 cup water

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  
• 5-6 pounds pork butt or half pork shoulder
  
• 1/2 cup of cider vinegar
  
• A splash or two of hot sauce

Smoked Pork Butt Recipes 6 – Kansas Style 

Kansas City BBQ is renowned for charred, crisp ends of pork (or brisket), and for their signature sweet, thick BBQ sauces made from a base of molasses, tomatoes and brown sugar. 

This recipe recommends you don’t baste the pork so that you get a flavourful bark, and it also suggests you smoke the pork at a higher temperature of 250°F to shave time off the cook.

If you like a good bark with Kansas City flavours then this could be the one for you.

Dry Rub

• 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle chilli powder
• 1/2 tablespoon of chilli powder
• 1/2 tablespoon of paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

Smoked Pork Butt Recipes 7 – Carolina BBQ Style

Carolina BBQ pork is usually served with a tangy, vinegar and mustard based sauce. 

This tasty and tangy recipe requires marinating the pork in a dry rub overnight, the day before smoking.

You’ll be smoking the pork slow and low over hickory wood for up to 10 hours (internal temp will be 190-200°F), wrapping the meat in foil around halfway through the smoke.

You will need to baste the pork butt every half an hour or so with an apple cider vinegar mop sauce as well.

Dry Rub

• ¼ teaspoon of Cayenne
• 1 teaspoon of Paprika
• 1 tablespoon of Salt
• ½ tbsp of Ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon of Black pepper

Smoked Pork Butt Recipes 8 Portuguese Pulled Pork

You may have heard of the Portuguese version of pulled pork; Cacoila.

This recipe suggests using a slow cooker, but we recommend you do it in the smoker, like the other recipes in this post.

You will need to marinate the pork overnight in a mixture of garlic, red wine and seasonings.

A really interesting and different way to enjoy pork butt.

Cacoila Ingredients

• 4 pounds pork shoulder butt boneless
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups dry red wine or chicken stock/broth
• 4 finely chopped garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of paprika
• 2 to 3 teaspoons of crushed chilli flakes
• 1/2 cup water
• 12 bolillos or buns
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Smoked Pork Butt Recipes 9 Cuban Mojo Pork

Another fantastic and different take on pork butt – Cuban style.

This recipe calls for you to smoke the pork butt at 325°F as well as marinade it overnight in half the Mojo marinade.

The pork is again wrapped for the second half of the smoke.

There is a really tasty finishing sauce to add at the end too, made out of the Mojo marinade, sautéed onion and meat juices from the foil.

The fruity flavours and spices in the smoked pork are next level knockout.

CUBAN MOJO MARINADE

• 20 Cloves of peeled Garlic
• 2 Cups Sour Orange juice
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1 teaspoon of Cumin
• 1 teaspoon of Salt
• 1 teaspoon of Black Pepper

Smoked Pork Butt Recipes 10 Cherry Cola Pork 

Yes you read it right. Pork takes on a sweet cherry flavour really well, and smoking with cherry wood takes this to the next level of flavour.

You inject the pork butt with cherry cola so that the flavour gets into the inside of the meat.

You rub it all over with a sweet, savoury and slightly spicy rub, and smoke the butt at 225°F until it reaches 165°F internal temperature.

Then you wrap the pork and place it in a pan with more cherry cola, and put it back in the smoker until it comes up to around 200°F internal temperature.

There is the option of a cherry flavoured BBQ sauce at the end as well, but you really might not need it the meat is so tasty!

Give it a go. You won’t be disappointed!

Ingredients for the Sweet Rub

1. Cayenne Pepper
   
2. Onion Powder
   
3. Smoked Paprika
   
4. Garlic Powder
   
5. Brown Sugar
   
6. Black Pepper
   
7. Coarse Sea Salt
   
8. Ground Mustard

FAQ’s About Smoking Pork Butt

Smoked Pork Butt Temp

The target temperature for smoking pork butt/shoulder is between 91-96°C or 195-205°F. You will also need to leave the pork to rest for around 30 minutes.

Now you know how long it takes to smoke pork shoulder at 225, and the correct internal temperature for pulled pork!