Ultimate Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich
A backyard BBQ pulled pork sandwich made with smoked pork butt, dark bark, juicy pulled meat, tangy vinegar finishing sauce, creamy crunchy slaw, pickles, and toasted buns. This recipe is easy enough for beginner smokers but good enough to feed a hungry crowd. The pork is smoked low and slow, wrapped after the bark sets, rested until juicy, then piled high on buns with slaw and BBQ sauce.
Equipment
- Smoker or pellet grill
- Hickory, apple, cherry, pecan, or oak wood pellets/chunks
- Leave-in meat thermometer
- Instant-read thermometer
- Pink butcher paper or heavy-duty foil
- Foil pan
- Large cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Mixing bowls
- Tongs
- BBQ gloves
- Black nitrile gloves, optional
- Meat claws or forks
- Spray bottle, optional
- Sauce bottle, optional
Ingredients
For the Pork:
- 1 bone-in pork butt 7 to 9 pounds
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup apple juice for wrapping
- 1/4 cup brown sugar optional for wrapping
- 2 tablespoons butter optional for wrapping
For the BBQ Rub:
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
For the Vinegar BBQ Finishing Sauce:
- 1/2 cups vinegar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
For the Creamy Crunchy Slaw:
- 4 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Sandwiches:
- 10 to 12 brioche buns potato buns, or soft sandwich rolls
- 2 tablespoons butter for toasting buns
- 1 cup BBQ sauce plus more for serving
- Dill pickles for topping
- Extra slaw for topping
- Hot sauce optional
Instructions
- Trim the pork butt. Remove any thick hard fat from the pork butt, but leave some soft fat on the surface to help keep the meat juicy during the cook.
- Add the binder. Mix yellow mustard and apple cider vinegar together, then rub it all over the pork butt.
- Make the rub. In a bowl, mix brown sugar, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, mustard powder, and optional cayenne pepper.
- Season the pork. Coat the pork butt heavily on all sides with the BBQ rub. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while the smoker preheats, or refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor.
- Preheat the smoker. Set the smoker to 250°F using hickory, apple, cherry, pecan, or oak wood.
- Start smoking. Place the pork butt directly on the smoker grates with the fat side facing the heat source. Insert a leave-in meat probe into the thickest part of the pork without touching the bone.
- Build the bark. Smoke the pork butt until the bark is dark, firm, and set. This usually happens around 160°F to 170°F internal and can take 4 to 6 hours.
- Wrap the pork. Place the pork butt on pink butcher paper or heavy-duty foil. Add apple juice, optional brown sugar, and optional butter. Wrap tightly.
- Finish smoking. Return the wrapped pork to the smoker and continue cooking at 250°F until the internal temperature reaches about 200°F to 205°F.
- Check for tenderness. Start checking around 198°F internal. The pork is done when a probe slides into the meat with very little resistance and the bone wiggles easily.
- Rest the pork. Keep the pork wrapped and rest it in a cooler, warm oven, or insulated container for 1 to 2 hours.
- Make the finishing sauce. In a small sauce pan, mix apple cider vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, salt and heat until everything is dissolved and mixed together. Set aside to call, then transfer to bowl or squeeze bottle
- Make the slaw. In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper. Add cabbage and carrots, then toss until coated. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Pull the pork. Transfer the rested pork to a large pan. Remove the bone and any large pieces of unrendered fat. Shred the pork by hand, with forks, or with meat claws.
- Season the pulled pork. Mix the bark back into the meat. Add a few spoonfuls of the Carolina Red Sauce and toss until the pork is juicy and flavorful. Add more as needed.
- Toast the buns. Butter the cut sides of the buns and toast them on a grill, griddle, or skillet until golden brown.
- Build the sandwiches. Pile pulled pork onto the bottom bun. Add BBQ sauce, crunchy slaw, and pickles.
- Finish and serve. Add the top bun and serve immediately with extra BBQ sauce, pickles, and napkins.
Notes
Pork butt is also called Boston butt. It is the best cut for pulled pork because it has enough fat and connective tissue for low-and-slow BBQ.
Do not wrap the pork until the bark is set. If the bark rubs off with your finger, keep smoking.
The stall usually happens around 155°F to 170°F internal. Do not panic. The pork is still cooking.
Cook to tenderness, not just temperature. Most pork butts finish around 200°F to 205°F, but the probe test matters more.
Resting is not optional. A good rest keeps the pork juicy and makes it easier to pull.
Use the vinegar finishing sauce lightly at first. You can always add more, but you cannot take it back out.
If the pulled pork tastes flat, it probably needs a little more finishing sauce or salt.
For a sweeter sandwich, use more BBQ sauce.
For a tangier sandwich, use more vinegar finishing sauce and pickles.
For a spicy sandwich, add hot sauce, pickled jalapeños, or a spicy BBQ sauce.
For a no-smoker version, cook the seasoned pork butt in the oven at 275°F until bark forms, then wrap and continue cooking until probe tender.