When it comes to classic barbecue, nothing hits the spot quite like smoked pulled pork. Juicy, tender, and packed with smoky flavor, it’s the kind of recipe that turns a backyard cookout into a feast. And when paired with a tangy, zesty mustard, you have a winning tailgating dish. These Smoked Pulled Pork with Mustard BBQ Sauce sandwiches were the perfect Carolina-inspired combo that had everyone coming back for seconds.
Love BBQ food as much as I do? Then you have to try some of my classic BBQ recipes with a twist from Smokey Jack and Coke Ribs, Pork Belly Lollipops or Cherry Coke Smoked Chicken. There is no shortage of flavor here!
What is Classic Pulled Pork?
A classic smoked pulled pork recipe consists of any pork meat smoked low and slow until the meat is tender enough to easily shred. Usually mixed with BBQ sauce, this recipe is an American BBQ classic. When done right, the tender and flavorful meat just melts in your mouth.
Traditionally pulled pork is made from the pork shoulder or pork butt. Both are the same cut of meat. The word “butt” comes from the colonial era when butchers would pack less desirable cuts of pork, like the shoulder, into large barrels called “butts” for storage.
A bone-in pork shoulder is the ideal cut of pork to make pulled pork because of it’s shape. An even cube, that cooks evenly on the grill for hours. Stay away from the boneless ones.
The pork shoulder is a very large cut of meat ranging anywhere from 7-10 lbs. It is also a cheaper cut because of all the fattiness making it very economical since 1 shoulder can feed 10+ people and makes meals for days.
Ingredients needed for the Smoked Pulled Pork with Mustard BBQ Sauce
- Pork Shoulder: depending on how many people you are cooking for, try to stay under 10 lbs. Make sure to get a bone-in pork shoulder.
- Mustard: I used a horseradish mustard for the sauce and binder to give the dish more zing.
- Seasoning: I used an all purpose rub that compliments the natural porks flavors as well as the savoriness of beer.
- Honey: to add sweetness and balance the tanginess of the mustard
- Brown sugar: to add sweetness and balance the tanginess of the mustard
- Ketchup: base for any BBQ sauce
- Apple cider vinegar: balance the tanginess and sweetness
- Worcestershire sauce: a touch of umami to balance all the ingredients.
How to properly prepare a pork shoulder
Before the smoker does its magic, it’s important to take a few minutes to prepare the pork shoulder properly.
To get started, remove the large pork shoulder from its packaging and pat it dry. Do NOT wash it. Take a few paper towels and make sure to pat the sides. Patting it dry will make it easier to handle and work with.
Next, take a look at the fat cap. It should be no more than a 1/4 inch thick. Slowly trim off any extra layers of fat. Take your time and remove a little bit a time. This fat will not render down making for one unpleasant fatty bite.
When the fat is trimmed, we can now score the fat cap in a checkered pattern. Do not go too deep, just enough to cut through the fat. Scoring allows the seasoning and smoke to penetrate deeper into the meat locking in those amazing BBQ flavors.
Season the Pork Shoulder
Before adding the seasoning, I like to use a binder as the base. For this recipe I used a Horseradish Mustard by my friends from Silver Springs. It’s a bold, flavorful mustard with a zing that I honestly use on everything! Not only does it hold the seasoning in place, but adds a little savoriness and kick to the pork.
For the seasoning, I use Dad’s All Purpose rub. It has the perfect balance of classic savory BBQ flavors that compliment the natural flavor of pork. DON’T BY SHY with the seasoning. This is a very large piece of meat. You don’t want bland pulled pork, coat heavily. Make sure to season all sides of the pork shoulder.
Pat the seasoning down vs. rubbing to avoid any of the spice from falling off.
Set aside the seasoned pork shoulder in room temperature for about 30 minutes and allow it to sweat which opens up the meat to absorb all those wonderful spices.
2 Step Method for Making the BEST Classic Pulled Pork
The secret to perfect pulled pork starts with patience. A slow smoke at low temperature lets the meat break down until it’s fall-apart tender.
The first step will give us that delicious smokey flavor and the next will get it fall apart tender.
The pork shoulder has a lot of fat and connective tissue that needs to render down. This takes time. Patience is key here.
Step 1 - Smoke low and slow
Preheat your grill or smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and set it for indirect heat. It doesn’t matter what cooking device you use, time and temps will always be the same.
Place the seasoned pork shoulder directly on the grates and let if smoke away.
For the first 4 hours, leave the pork should on the grill. Do NOT peek. Let the grill do its magic. After that, you should start to check the bark and see if is not drying out. If so, pour about 1/2 a cup of apple cider vinegar into a spray bottle and spritz the pork every hour. This helps keep the meat moist and helps prevent the bark from burning. This will help build a deliciously savory crust.
Depending on the size of the shoulder, you should estimate 1.5 hours/lb. Total cooking process will last 7-9 hours. By this time, the internal temperature on the pork will read around 170-175 degrees.
Step 2 - Wrapping classic pulled pork.
The next step in our cooking process will get the meat so tender, that it falls off the bone. In order to keep the moisture and prevent the protein from drying out, you need to wrap it for the final cook.
Here is where I did things a little different than my traditional sweet honey and brown sugar route.
Once the smoked pork shoulder reaches 170 degrees, transfer it from the grill into an aluminum pan or on a large foil sheet. Pour a cup of apple juice into the pan, seal the entire pan with a large sheet of foil and wrap it tightly.
The wrap will help keep all the moisture inside the pan and keep the meat extra tender and flavorful.
Increase the grill temperature to 275 degrees and place the pork back on the smoker for another 2-3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches around 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Recipe Tip
At this stage of the cook, no more smoke will penetrate the meat. It’s OK to finish the cook in the oven.
Open the wrap and test the tenderness of the meat. Insert your thermometer or fork in the meat and if it goes in the pork easily, like a hot knife through butter, then it’s done. If not, wrap it back up and continue cooking. Check again in 30 minutes. Continue this process until the meat is fork tender. Tenderness is key. This will help make the pork shreddable.
The final temperature on a smoked pulled pork can range anywhere from 200 to 205 degrees, so be patient. This is where a lot of the mistakes are made. Pork is removed too soon and the meat ends up tough.
Make the BEST Carolina-inspired Mustard BBQ sauce
The magic to this Smoked Pulled Pork with Mustard BBQ sauce recipe is in the sauce itself!
In a saucepan add horseradish mustard, honey, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and Dad’s All Purpose seasoning.
Mix the ingredients together and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes until the horseradish mustard BBQ sauce thickens.
This mustard BBQ sauce is so delicious I’ve made it on ribs before and it was outstanding!
Remember to rest pulled pork when done.
When the pork is fork tender, it’s time for the rest. Move the wrapped pork into an insulated cooler or a turned off oven and leave it to rest for 1 hour. Remember, this is a very large piece of meat that has been on the grill for 7-9 hours. It needs time to allow all the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
When it’s ready, start by removing the bone. If perfectly cooked, the bone should come out clean and without any resistance.
Keep the smoked classic pulled pork in the aluminum pan and using heat resistant gloves, start shredding the meat. I like using glove liners under my nitrile gloves for heat protection. Mix the pork with the rendered juices adding flavor to the dish.
Pour about half of the sauce onto the shredded pork and mix it all together.
Smoked Pulled Pork With Mustard BBQ Sauce Sandwich
Now that the pork shoulder has rested, was shredded and the sauce is made it’s time to make the BEST Smoked Pulled Pork with Mustard BBQ Sauce sandwiches!
Keep it simple, no need to anything other than buns, meat and sauce.
For the breading I used pretzel buns. They are the perfect size, softness and flavor profile for this savory dish. Add a generous heaping pile of the shredded pork, pour some of that mustard BBQ sauce over the top, add a few pickle chips and go straight for the first bite.
You’ll get the tenderness of the pork, the savoriness of the spices and tanginess from the mustard sauce. It’s the perfect bite every time.
Whether you’re hosting a cookout, tailgate, or just craving true barbecue at home, smoked pulled pork with mustard BBQ sauce is a dish that never disappoints. It’s smoky, tangy, and downright addictive — the kind of recipe that makes you proud to fire up the smoker.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re planning a summer BBQ, a game day feast, or just want to treat the family to something special, Smoked Pulled Pork with Mustard BBQ Sauce is a recipe that always delivers. The low and slow smoke creates juicy, tender pork, while the tangy mustard BBQ sauce adds the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and savory. Serve it piled high on sandwiches, alongside your favorite sides, or straight from the platter — no matter how you enjoy it, this smoked pulled pork is sure to be the star of the table.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do I need to use a bone-in pork shoulder? No, just depends what your grocery store or butcher have. Bone-in will take slightly longer to cook vs. boneless but will provide more flavor. Bone-in also cooks more evenly. Boneless may have some well done parts since it’s not evenly shaped due to the bone being removed.
Is it better wrap the pork shoulder in butcher paper or foil? I prefer to use foil over butcher paper because it helps retain all the moisture which keeps the pork nice and tender. I use a foil pan to fold the shoulder, then wrap the top with a foil sheet.
If you tried these Smoked Pulled Pork with Mustard BBQ Sauce or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments. I love hearing from you!
Print
Smoked Pulled Pork with Mustard BBQ Sauce
Smoked Pulled Pork with Mustard BBQ Sauce is tender, juicy, and packed with bold flavor. A Carolina-style BBQ recipe perfect for cookouts and family dinners.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword smoked pulled pork with mustard bbq sauce, pork shoulder, smoking meats, bbq, homemade mustard sauce, low and slow smoking, grillin with dad recipes, grilling with dad recipes.
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 12 hours hours
Servings 10 People
Calories 440kcal
Pulled Pork Ingredients
- 8 lbs Bone in pork shoulder
- 3 tbsp All purpose seasoning
- 2 tbsp Horseradish mustard
Mustard Sauce Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Horseradish mustard
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 1/2 cup Apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup Brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp Ketchup
- 1 tbsp All purpose seasoning
Remove the pork shoulder from its packaging and pat if dry.
Trim the fat cap if it's too thick, leaving 1/4". Score it in a checkered pattern.
Coat the entire pork shoulder with horseradish mustard and season with all purpose seasoning.
Set up the grill for indirect heat at 250 degrees. Place the injected and seasoned pork directly on the grates.
After the first 4 hours on the grill, spritz the pork every hour with apple cider vinegar.
Continue cooking until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 170-175 degrees.
Transfer the pork shoulder from the grill and place it in an aluminum pan or on a large foil sheet. Add 1 cup of apple juice.
Wrap the pan tightly with aluminum foil and place it back on the grill. Increase the grill temperature to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
Continue to cook until the internal temp of the pork shoulder reaches around 200 degrees.
Check for probe tenderness. If it doesn't go in smoothly, place it back on the grill and continue cooking.
Remove the wrapped pork from the grill and let it rest for 1 hour in an oven or insulated cooler.
In a saucepan add horseradish mustard, honey, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and Dad's All Purpose seasoning.
Mix the ingredients together and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes until the horseradish mustard BBQ sauce thickens.
Remove the bone and shred the meat, mixing it in with all the rendered juices. Pour half the mustard sauce over the pulled pork and mix together.
Make a sandwich with the pulled pork and mustard BBQ sauce and enjoy!
- Try to purchase a bone-in pork shoulder. Helps cook more evenly.
- For the first 4 hours, leave the pork should on the grill. Do NOT peek inside. Let the grill do its magic. After that, you should start to check the bark and see it is not drying out.
- At this stage of the cook, no more smoke will penetrate the meat. It’s OK to finish the cook in the oven.
- Tenderness is key. This will help make the pork shreddable. The final temperature on a pulled pork can range anywhere from 200 to 205 degrees, so be patient. If the probe is not going into the meat smoothly, it’s not done. Keep cooking. This is where a lot of the mistakes are made. Pork is removed too soon and the meat ends up dry and tough.
Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 482mg | Potassium: 888mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 202IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 5mg
Backyard GrillingWeekend WarriorsAdvice from DadBeard GroomingTV Shows for Guys4x4 Off-Road CarsMens FashionSports NewsAncient Archeology World NewsPrivacy PolicyTerms And Conditions
