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Smoked pork has long been a favorite of mine. I learned to do pork using the low and slow technique years ago and while that technique produces great results, I am also a fan of hot and fast cooking. This recipe combines the higher heat from the latter style of cooking with the amazing flavor of the Shultz’s Tangy Mustard BBQ Sauce to build a bark that’s triple what other mop sauces will produce. If you’re a fan of that crunchy bark texture and powerful flavor, this is a recipe you’re not going to want to miss.
Pulled pork is probably the most common way to prepare a pork shoulder. I’m a fan of it myself, but occasionally I like the texture of chopped pork. Cooking the meat to just a few degrees lower internal temperature than the typical pulled pork is best for this style. Additionally, when cooking pork for chopping I don’t wrap it in foil like I would when I am going for the pulled texture. Because I want some crunch to the chunks I let it cook uncovered for the entire cook, which helps to achieve that bark I am after. The end result is the best chopped pork you’ll ever taste and it’s perfect for tacos, sliders, hash, and even works well in chili.
Spicy Mustard-Crusted Pork Shoulder
Serves: 10Â | Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 5 hours
Ingredients
5 lbs pork shoulder
1 cup Schultz’s Tangy Mustard BBQ Sauce
Schultz’s Seasoning and Rub
Equipment
Smoker or grill
Meat thermometer (like the Thermoworks Signals or the ThermoWorks Smoke X4 RF)
Charcoal briquettes
Pecan wood chunks (not chips)
Step-by-Step
Step 1:Â Prepare your cooker and stabilize temperature at 325 degrees. I use a barrel cooker for this, but any style grill or smoker will work.
Step 2:Â While cooker is coming up to temperature, remove pork shoulder from its packaging. Rinse under cold water and pat dry.
Step 3:Â Generously coat the shoulder with 1/4 cup of Schutlz’s Tangy Mustard BBQ Sauce. This serves as both a flavor enhancer as well as a binder for the rub.
Step 4: Thoroughly coat with Schultz’s Seasoning and Rub.
Step 5:Â Once temperature is stabilized on cooker, add pecan chunks to coals, place pork shoulder inside cooker.
Step 6:Â Insert meat temperature probe into thickest portion of the pork, being careful not to let it touch the bone as this will result in false readings.
Step 7: Dilute remaining 3/4 cup sauce with an equal part of water, to use as a mop sauce. Approximately every 40 minutes, mop a generous portion onto pork shoulder. This will aid in the process of building an incredible bark on the meat. If you’ve never done this before you may mistake it for being burnt, nothing could be further from the truth. That dark, almost black bark is pure goodness and sits atop an incredible smoke ring, as seen here:
Step 8:Â Cook to internal temperature of 193 degrees. In a barrel-style cooker this should take approximately 5 hours. Other cookers may take slightly longer.
Step 9:Â Remove pork from smoker and let rest for 30 minutes.
Step 10:Â Remove shoulder blade bone, this should slide right out.
Step 11:Â Chop the pork into quarter inch pieces, adding in any remaining mop sauce you have left over, and serve.
Make this recipe:
Ingredients
- 5 lbs pork shoulder
- 1 cup Schultz’s Tangy Mustard BBQ Sauce
- Schultz’s Seasoning and Rub
Instructions
- Prepare your cooker and stabilize temperature at 325 degrees. I use a barrel cooker for this, but any style grill or smoker will work.
- While the cooker is coming up to temperature, remove pork shoulder from its packaging. Rinse under cold water and pat dry.
- Generously coat the shoulder with 1/4 cup of Schutlz's Tangy Mustard BBQ Sauce. This serves as both a flavor enhancer as well as a binder for the rub.
- Thoroughly coat with Schultz’s Seasoning and Rub.
- Once temperature is stabilized on cooker, add pecan chunks to coals, place pork shoulder inside cooker.
- Insert meat temperature probe into thickest portion of the pork, being careful not to let it touch the bone as this will result in false readings.
- Dilute remaining 3/4 cup sauce with an equal part of water, to use as a mop sauce. Approximately every 40 minutes, mop a generous portion onto pork shoulder.
- Cook to internal temperature of 193 degrees. In a barrel-style cooker this should take approximately 5 hours. Other cookers may take slightly longer.
- Remove pork from smoker and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Remove shoulder blade bone, this should slide right out.
- Chop into quarter inch pieces, adding in any remaining mop sauce you have left over.
Tried This Recipe?
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