Ingredients
- One 6- to 8-lb Boston butt, bone in
- 1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
Rub
- 1/4 cup freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 cup paprika, preferably smoked Spanish paprika (see Chef’s Notes)
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Mop
- 1 tablespoon rub mixture
- 2 cups cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon paprika, preferably smoked Spanish paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Vinegar Sauce
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Directions
- If it has not already been removed, remove the skin of the pork butt. Trim the fat on top of the pork butt, leaving only about ¼ to ½ inch remaining. Coat the pork with a thin layer of prepared mustard and massage the mustard into the pork.
- To make the rub: Combine the black pepper, paprika, sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the rub mixture to make the mop. Sprinkle the remaining dry rub onto the pork and rub it into the surface of the meat. Use enough rub to completely cover the entire butt with an even layer; a good general rule is to use about 1 tablespoon of rub per pound of meat. Reserve any remaining rub for later use.
- Wrap the pork tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight.
- Prepare your smoker or grill, and bring it to a temperature between 225° and 250°F with a light smoke escaping. Place a pan of water below the area where the pork will be cooked; this will keep the meat from drying out, prevent flare-ups, and help maintain the chamber temperature.
- Meanwhile, make the mop: Combine the 1 tablespoon reserved rub with the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, salt, paprika, and cayenne. Set the mop aside. Remove the pork from the refrigerator and sprinkle it with a little more rub to dry the surface. Allow the pork to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while the smoker or grill is heating.
- Place the pork into the smoker or grill. Maintain a temperature between 225° and 250°F for the duration of the cooking. The best way to monitor temperature is by using two thermometers or one thermometer with two temperature probes. One thermometer will monitor the chamber temperature and the other will monitor the internal temperature of the meat. To help maintain the proper temperature, try to avoid unnecessarily opening the smoker or grill; it’s best to try to go without opening it for an hour or so at a time. Each time you open the cooking unit, heat is lost and the cooking time is extended.
- Each time you open the chamber, turn the pork and baste it with the mop to provide flavor and to keep the surface of the pork moist during the lengthy cooking process. While the chamber is open, also check the temperature. If the heat is dropping, add more fuel or smoking chips. If the heat is too high, close the vents, or refill the water pan if it has gone dry. (Keeping the water pan from drying out is vital to maintaining temperature and the proper moist cooking environment.)
- While the pork is cooking, make the vinegar sauce: Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Set the sauce aside to allow the flavors to infuse.
- Plan to cook the pork for about 1½ hours per pound; you may want to give yourself an extra 2 hours if you are on a mealtime deadline. An 8-pound pork butt will take 10 to 12 hours to cook. It may stick and plateau for hours; this is normal. Don’t try to rush it. Increasing the temperature will negatively impact the quality of the finished meat. When the pork reaches an internal temperature of 193°F, remove it from the chamber and allow it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Once it is cool enough to handle, “pull” or chop the pork into pieces: Pull the pork apart with two forks or your fingers, or chop it using a knife. Remove any large pieces of fat that remain and discard them. Make sure that you mix the pork well and have the “bark” distributed evenly throughout the meat.
- Dress the pork to taste with the vinegar sauce. Most, if not all, of the sauce will be required. The meat is also excellent for pulled pork sandwiches; serve on sliced soft white bread or a soft hamburger bun with coleslaw.
Chef’s Notes
- Smoked Spanish paprika, or pimentón, is preferred because the peppers are smoked over an oak fire, which gives it a smokier flavor than that of regular paprika. If it is not available, be sure to use a good-quality sweet paprika.
- This recipe has a lot of fresh cracked black pepper in it. Try it as-is before deciding to reduce the amount, because you’ll find that it’s not an excessive amount of heat. It gets most of its heat and flavor from a delayed palate reaction to the black pepper. The initial heat will come from the cayenne and then it will finish with the black pepper. If you would like the dish to be spicier, increase the amount of cayenne.
