Smoked Pulled Pork Shoulder
A bark-crusted pork shoulder smoked until it shreds with a fork, then tossed in its own juices and a sharp vinegar splash.
- Time12 hr
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.70 a head
- Oven130°C (110°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Pat the pork dry. Mix the sugar, paprika, garlic and onion granules, salt, pepper, cumin and cayenne. Smear the mustard over the pork and press the rub on thickly all over. Rest for 1 hour at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge.
- 2
Set the barbecue up for indirect cooking at 110C to 120C, with the wood chunks on the coals or in a foil pouch over a low gas burner. Or heat the oven to 130°C (110°C fan) and add 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke from your cupboard if you have it. Put the pork on the cool side, fat side up.
- 3
Cook uncovered for 6 hours, spritzing every hour after the first 2 with the apple juice and half the vinegar, until the crust is dark and the pork reads about 75C inside. The temperature will seem to stall around here, which is normal.
360 min - 4
Wrap the pork tightly in two layers of foil with a splash of apple juice. Return to the heat for 3 to 4 hours, until a probe slides in easily and the meat reads 93C to 96C. The bone should wiggle loose.
210 min - 5
Rest wrapped in a towel for 1 hour.
60 min - 6
Unwrap over a tray to catch the juices, pull out the bone, and shred the meat with two forks. Skim the fat from the juices, then toss the pork with a ladleful of them and the rest of the vinegar. Season with salt and serve in rolls with slaw.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
