If you ask my husband what his favorite thing to cook is, he’ll always say one word: smoke. He’s been obsessed with smoking meats for years, and this pulled pork shoulder is one of the first dishes he really mastered. Over time, he’s tested and tweaked it—adjusting temps, timings, and ingredients—until it became what it is now: absolutely perfect.
This isn’t your average pulled pork recipe. It starts with a bold, flavorful dry rub made from pantry staples like salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, and brown sugar. From there, it’s low and slow on the smoker, developing a deep smoky bark with a light vinegar spritz along the way.
But the real magic happens at the end: just as the bark sets and the pork is nearly done, we wrap it and finish it in the oven with a combination of butter, hot honey, regular honey, and pepper jelly. That glaze infuses into the meat as it finishes cooking, making it sticky, rich, and ridiculously tender. Every bite is juicy, smoky, slightly sweet, and beautifully balanced.
One of the best parts? You won’t even need BBQ sauce. This pork is that flavorful all on its own. And if you happen to have leftovers, it’s just as amazing the next day piled into a sandwich, tossed into tacos, or eaten straight out of the container (guilty).
We always let it rest on the warm setting in the oven for a couple of hours if time allows—something about that little pause just makes it shred like a dream.
Whether it’s your first smoked meat or your fiftieth, this one’s a keeper.
Juicy smoked pulled pork shoulder glazed with butter, hot honey, and pepper jelly—so rich and flavorful, you won’t need BBQ sauce. A low-and-slow favorite for any backyard pitmaster.