My Boston Pork Butt Recipe pulls out all the stops. It uses my decadent injections, seasonings, and sauces to create one stellar meal. These Boston butts smoke on the the Traeger Ironwood 885 all day, giving them a tender, rich texture. You can only imagine how great your house will smell!
Pork Butt vs. Pork Shoulder
In the world of BBQ, both "pork butt" and "pork shoulder" refer to cuts from
the front of the pig, but they aren't exactly the same. A Boston butt, often
called just "pork butt," comes from higher on the foreleg, above the shoulder
blade, and has more marbling and fat, making it ideal for slow and low
smoking. The "pork shoulder," or picnic shoulder, sits just below the butt and
is leaner, often used for pulled pork due to its rich flavor and optimal fat
content.
Some people may be intimidated by cooking a large cut of pork. The truth is, this Boston Pork Butt Recipe is exceptionally forgiving! The pork injection and wrap ensure the meat stays juicy no matter what. If you’re hoping to learn BBQ 101, try this fantastic recipe.
Boston Pork Butt: The Ingredients
A blend of sweet and spicy rubs and seasonings creates one stellar Boston Pork Butt! Here’s the list of ingredients I used for this mouth-watering cook.
- Competition Pork Recipe Bundle. This carefully curated bundle gives you everything you need to make competition-grade pork recipes. All of these ingredients are best sellers, and they all serve different purposes.
- Heath Riles BBQ Honey Rub gives you the best honey flavors without the char you get with the real deal. I love this rub because of the golden color it gives pork, chicken, seafood, and beef.
- Heath Riles BBQ Hot BBQ Rub is the best hot rub on the market. It combines heat with a bit of sweetness for a perfectly balanced effect. I use it on ribs, beef, pork, chicken, and fish.
- Heath Riles BBQ Pecan Rub gives the meat a savory, nutty finish. If you have a nut allergy, you’ll love this product as it doesn’t contain real nuts. It’s delicious and one of our best-sellers!
- Heath Riles BBQ Peach Rub adds the perfect hint of Georgia BBQ to any recipe. This blend is sweet like the name suggests, but it also adds a touch of heat to anything you put it on. It is so good and always reminds me of Spring.
- Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Sauce took me over ten years to perfect. You'll be obsessed with this one if you love sauces with a ketchup base. This sauce features a unique blend of spices that take any cook to a new level.
- Heath Riles BBQ Tangy Vinegar Sauce was invented because I wanted a vinegar-based sauce that wasn’t too..vinegary. This sauce has the ideal balance of sweetness and tang. It’s great on its own but shines with my sweet sauce.
- Heath Riles BBQ Pork Injection and Brine is a great way to add moisture to pork without altering the natural flavors. This ingredient has won me a lot of money, and I know it’ll make you a winner too.
- Cheshire Farms Boston Butts. Despite its name, pork butts come from the pig’s shoulder. It gets its name from an Old English word describing the “butt” of the gun or the widest part of something. I love this cut of pork, and it’s even better when it comes from Cheshire Farms.
- Heath Riles BBQ Everyday Rub. Salt and pepper look bland compared to this AP rub! I use it on fries, veggies, eggs, and popcorn. It’s a fantastic rub that will make you feel like a king.
- Yellow mustard. Mustard is one of my favorite binders. It adds twang to the pork and keeps the spices where they belong. I recommend using smooth mustard, like French’s yellow.
- Apple juice. I mixed my pork injection with apple juice to create a delicious down-home flavor profile. The apple juice doesn’t overwhelm the other ingredients, leaving you with a delicately infused pork butt.
The Smoker Setup: The Traeger Pellet Grill
Here’s the main setup I used for this cook. You can find more of my grilling favorites in the Equipment and Tools section.
- Pellet grill/smoker. I used a Traeger Ironwood 885 for these ribs. This pit is incredible because you can use it to grill or smoke. The Traeger Ironwood 885 has many excellent features like a pellet sensor, a super smoke button, and easy transportation. This setup was perfect for smoking the pork butt low and low.
- Pellets. For this cook, I used Traeger Hardwood Hickory Pellets. This option added rich smoke to the pork and created the best golden crust.
How To Smoke A Boston Butt
You can find a detailed demonstration of this cook in the video and recipe card. Enjoy this brief overview of how I pulled this recipe together.
- Fire up the Traeger Ironwood. I stoked the Traeger Ironwood 885 with Traeger Hardwood Hickory Pellets and fired it up to 275℉.
- Prep the Boston Butts. I removed the pork shoulder from the package and wiped them down. Then, I trimmed a little off the fat cap so it would render evenly, then I did the same thing with the fat around the money muscle. I felt the pork for any bone fragments and cut them out.
- Inject the pork. I made my injection by combining ¼ cup of Heath Riles BBQ Pork Injection and Brine with 12 ounces of apple juice until smooth. This measurement covered ONE pork butt, so multiply the quantity if you’re smoking multiple pieces of meat. I injected the pork with a grid-like pattern until it started to swell. I made sure to inject all sides of the meat for maximum moisture.
- Add binder and seasoning. I patted the pork butts dry, then drizzled the meat on all sides with a layer of yellow mustard. I seasoned the pork with a layer of Heath Riles BBQ Everyday Rub, followed by Heath Riles BBQ Pecan Rub, Heath Riles BBQ Peach Rub, and Heath Riles BBQ Honey Rub.
- Start smoking. I transferred the pork to two small pans (fat cap up!) and set them on the Traeger Ironwood 885 I let the pork butts cook for 2 ½ hours before checking them.
- Spritz with apple juice. After 2 ½ hours, I sprayed the pork butts with apple juice to bring out the red color. I closed the lid and let them go for 2 more hours.
- Wrap the Boston Butts. After a total of 5 hours, my meat was 155℉ internally. I removed the pork butts from the Traeger Ironwood 885 and laid them on a sizeable double-lined sheet of foil. My wrap consisted of 1 cup of Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Sauce and 1 cup of Heath Riles BBQ Tangy Vinegar Sauce mixed until smooth. I poured the wrap over the pork butts and folded tin foil over the top. Finish and serve. I put the pork butts back on the pit and set my ChefAlarm for 200℉.
- Reset, finish, and serve: Once the Boston Butts reached temperature, I took them off the Traeger Ironwood 885. My pork had a total cook time of about 8 ½ hours. I let the meat rest for 1 ½ hours before digging in.
The Results
The pork butt came off the grill with a gorgeous crust! It was so tender; the blade bone just slid right out. Layering the seasonings gave my Boston Pork Butt Recipe a fabulous flavor profile. The peach, pecan, and honey shined when paired with salty pork. This recipe is one for the books!
Serving Suggestions for Pulled Pork
I love reserving the juice from the bottom of the pan to pour over the meat. Simply transfer the juices to a bowl or measuring cup and let cool. Scrape the grease off and mix the liquid into the pork.
My favorite way to use this Boston Pork Butt Recipe is in pulled pork sandwiches. Top the meat with a little more Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Sauce, and you’re good to go!
Storing Leftover Boston Pork Butt
I love vacuum-sealing leftovers to use in other dishes. If you vacuum-seal your meat, it lasts up to a month in the fridge. If you store it in a covered container, it will only last about 4 days. You can also freeze your pork for up to 4 months.
Equipment and Tools
Traeger Ironwood 885, Traeger Hardwood Hickory Pellets, disposable cutting board, heavy-duty aluminum foil, 1 or 2 half-size deep aluminum pans, ThermoWorks Chef Alarm, Yeti Tundra 65
Cooking a Boston Pork Butt FAQs:
How long to smoke a Boston butt?
A: Smoking a Boston butt typically takes about 1 to 1.5 hours per pound at 225 degrees Fahrenheit, so for a 10-pound butt, expect about 10 to 15 hours of smoking time.
Is a Boston butt pork or beef?
A: The Boston butt is pork. It can also be referred to as a “pork butt”.
How to reheat a Boston butt?
A: To reheat a Boston butt, wrap it in foil and place it in a 250-degree Fahrenheit oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, usually about 1 to 2 hours depending on size.
