Fire & Smoke Recipe

Trim and dry

Trim excess silverskin and very large fat caps from the pork shoulder, leaving a thin layer of fat to baste during cooking. Pat the roast thoroughly dry with paper towels.

Apply rub

Combine all dry rub ingredients in a bowl and mix until evenly blended. Rub the mixture evenly over the entire surface of the pork, pressing so it adheres. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate uncovered for up to 12 hours for a deeper bark.

Bring smoker/grill to temperature

Prepare a smoker or indirect-heat grill for low-and-slow smoking at 225°F (about 107°C). Use charcoal with hardwood chunks (hickory, oak, apple, or cherry) for smoke. Maintain steady temperature around 225–250°F.

Smoke the pork

Place the pork shoulder on the smoker fat-side up on the grate. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the meat avoiding bone. Close the smoker and maintain 225–250°F. Smoke until internal temperature reaches 165°F (about 4–6 hours depending on size) — this is the stall phase when collagen begins to break down.

While smoking, combine apple cider vinegar, apple juice, water, and hot sauce in a spray bottle or small bowl. Starting after the first 1–1.5 hours and every 45–60 minutes thereafter, spritz the exposed meat lightly to keep the surface moist and help build a flavorful bark. Do not soak; a light mist is enough.

If the pork is developing a hard crust before reaching desired internal temp, wrap tightly in foil or butcher paper when it reaches ~165–170°F to push through the stall and retain moisture. If wrapping, reserve some spritz to pour into the packet (2–4 tablespoons) before sealing.

Continue cooking (wrapped or unwrapped) until the internal temperature reaches 195–205°F and a probe slides into the meat with very little resistance (about 1–3 hours after the stall depending on size). This is the range where collagen has melted and the pork becomes tender enough to pull.

Remove the pork from the smoker and let it rest, wrapped, for at least 45 minutes and up to 2 hours in a cooler or insulated container. Resting allows juices to redistribute and makes the meat easier to shred.

While the pork rests, combine finishing sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Simmer over low heat 5–8 minutes until sugar dissolves and flavors meld. Taste and adjust balance with more vinegar or sugar if needed. Keep warm.

Unwrap the rested pork and transfer to a large cutting board or tray. Using two forks or meat claws, pull the pork into shreds, discarding large pieces of fat or bone. Mix the pulled pork with a few ladles of the finishing sauce if you want sauced meat, or serve sauce on the side. Start with 1/2 cup sauce and add more to taste.

Toast buns lightly on the grill or in a pan. Pile pulled pork onto buns, top with pickles and optional coleslaw. Serve extra sauce on the side. Leftover pork keeps refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months.