Traeger Pork Butt
Picture a succulent, smoky pork butt slow-cooked to perfection on a Traeger grill. Tender, juicy meat infused with Traeger's signature wood pellet flavors that simply melts in your mouth. It's the perfect dish for any occasion that calls for mouthwatering food that satisfies the soul.
Equipment
- 1 Smoker/BBQ Thermometer
- 1 Heat resistant silicone gloves
- 1 Butcher's paper or aluminum foil
- 1 Plastic wrap
Ingredients
- 12 lbs Pork Butt Fat cap trimmed to ¼ inch
- 1 cup Smoked pork or beef dry rub This is my own easy to make dry beef brisket rub recipe however you can substitute it for your preferred dry rub.
- 2 cups Barbeque sauce (500ml)
Instructions
- Trim off any excess fat from the pork butt. Leave a thin layer of fat (about 1/4 inch) to help keep the meat moist during cooking and enhance the flavor of the pork butt.
- Season the pork butt liberally with a Pork dry rub seasoning, or a seasoning of your choice, ensuring that it is well covered. Wrap the meat in plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
- When ready to cook, rest the pork butt until it is at room temperature (20 minutes). Ignite the Traeger and Preheat to 225°F with the lid closed for 15 minutes. For best results use the Super Smoke function if available.
- Once the Traeger has reached 225°F, place the pork butt, fat-side up, directly on the grill grates towards the middle of the smoker. Insert the temperature probe into the thickest part of the meat ensuring to avoid any fatty areas in the meat. Close the lid and smoke the brisket until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, about 4hours.
- Once the brisket has reached 160°F remove the brisket from the grill and wrap it in heavy duty aluminum foil (or butcher’s paper). Ensure the brisket is well wrapped. Increase the Traeger temperature to 275°F (this will turn off super smoke as it is not required when the meat is wrapped).
- On a bench stack 4 large pieces of aluminum foil on top of each other, ensuring that they are wide enough to wrap the entire pork butt. If the foil is not wide enough overlap the foil pieces to create a wider base.
- When the internal temperature has reached 160°F, or after 4 hours, remove the pork butt from the smoker and place directly in the center of the foil. Fold three of the sides over tightly around the pork butt. This will leave one side open exposing the pork. Lift this side up and pour the apple juice on the pork butt. Wrap the foil tightly around the pork ensuring the juice does not leak out.
- Increase the Traeger temperature to 250°F, this will turn off super smoke. Place the foil-wrapped pork butt back onto the grill grates, again fat side up. Reinsert the probe and close the lid. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 204°F, about 4 hours more.
- Once the internal temperature reaches 204°F remove the pork butt from the grill and let rest for 1 hour, still tightly wrapped in the foil.
- Once the internal temperature reaches 204°F remove the pork butt from the grill and let rest for 1 hour, still tightly wrapped in the foil.
- Unwrap the pork butt and pour any excess liquid remaining into a fat separator. Place it in a large dish. Shred the meet by pulling it apart and remove the bone and any excess fat. Pour the separated liquid over the pork and season with a more of the pork rub. Add in some barbeque sauce and mix to combine.
Notes
When choosing a pellet wood flavor I prefer to use hickory or applewood, as they both provide a strong, smoky flavor that pairs well with pork. Other popular options include maple and cherry, which impart a slightly sweeter taste. I recommend trying different flavors and see what you prefer.
I like to use the super smoke function at the start of my cook to add a nice smokey flavor to the outside of the meat.
When you return pork for it's final cook, this is a good time to check on the pellets and ensure there is enough to get through ~4-5 hours (about 50% at this temperature cook).
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServeCalories: 699kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 86gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 272mgSodium: 787mgPotassium: 1688mgFiber: 1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 260IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 137mgIron: 8mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!