Hey Smokers and welcome to my post where we will run through my Traeger bourbon and brown sugar pulled pork recipe and cooking guide. As you may or may not know, this site is all about cooking on my Traeger Pro 22 Pellet Smoker and seeing where we can take things. And today, we are looking for some sweet, sweet pulled pork!
Now, my motivation for this cook came from a well known BBQ cooking competition I have been watching on Netflix recently where they used a lot of Bourbon in their cooking. Add this to the fact that my wife came home with a boneless pork shoulder for me to cook and here we are.
Bourbon and brown sugar pulled pork for all…
Check out my: Traeger Carolina Pork Shoulder – Recipe and Cooking Guide
Traeger Bourbon and Brown Sugar Pulled Pork: What You’ll Need
Ok, so below is what I used to smoke me some pork shoulder laced with Bourbon and brown sugar:
Ingredients
- 1 whole pork shoulder (about 8-10 pounds) (You can of course use Pork Butt here instead)
- 1/4 cup (or more depending in size) of your favorite BBQ rub (see below)
- Mustard for binding (or whatever you like to bind with – or not if you don’t)
- Mopping and braising sauce (again, see below)
- Your favorite BBQ sauce for serving
Rub
- Onion powder
- Garlic Powder
- Smoked Paprika
- Cumin
- Salt
- Pepper
- Raw brown sugar (lots of it)
Usually I use chili powder in my rubs but as I am going for a sweeter recipe this time I have left it out – of course feel free to use it if you like the spice with the sweet.
Mop Sauce/Braise
- 1.5 cups bourbon
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup apple juice
- ½ cup brown sugar
- Butter to taste (if you like your sauce a bit silkier)
I didn’t use the butter, and to be honest, the above is probably a bit too much for a medium sized cut so if using anything smaller, then maybe halve the quantities here.
Equipment
- Pellet smoker
- Preferred pellets (I used Applewood pellets)
- Meat thermometer x 2
- Aluminum tray and foil (alfoil) (for post stall wrap)
The Smoking Process
This is what I did and when:
1. Prep the Shoulder
- Lay the pork shoulder on a clean surface and trim the fat layer from the top. Try to remove as much as possible as the more you leave on top, the longer the pork will take to cook.
- If using a binder such as mustard, apply liberally to the meat as this point.
- In a bowl, combine your chosen BBQ rub ingredients and then apply generously over the whole shoulder, ensuring every inch is covered.
- Let the pork sit for at least 30 minutes to an hour at room temperature too allow them to absorb the rub’s flavor. You can leave it overnight as well if you like.
2. Smoke the Shoulder
- Preheat your pellet smoker to 225°F (107°C).
- Place the pork shoulder on the smoker grates, fat side up.
- Insert a meat probe into the thickest part of the pork shoulder to monitor the internal temperature.
- Smoke the pork shoulder at 225°F (107°C) until the internal temperature reaches about165°F (74°C).
3. Make your Mop Sauce
Whilst the shoulder starts to smoke, it is time to make your mop and braising sauce as follows:
- Pour all of the ingredients for the mop sauce in a bowl and whisk until mixed.
- After 2 hours or so of smoking uninterrupted, use a mop, braising brush or spray bottle to ‘spritz’ the pork with your sauce. Repeat on the hour.
I have seen a couple of recipes here where it suggests to add the mop sauce ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a simmer before using. I didn’t do this but will give it a try next time and update this post.
4. Wrap the Shoulder
- Once the pork shoulder reaches 165°F/74°C (or thereabouts), remove it from the smoker and place it in an aluminum tray.
- Pour the rest of your mop sauce over the pork shoulder and wrap with foil.
- Return the shoulder to the smoker until the internal temperature reaches 205 – 212°F (95-100°C).
5. Rest and Pull the Shoulder
- Once the above temperature has been reached, remove the pork shoulder from the smoker and let it rest in a cooler for at least 1 hour.
- Unwrap the pork shoulder and shred.
- Mix the shredded pork with the juices from the foil for added flavor and moisture.
My Results
You know what, this was one of the best pulled porks I have made to date. I don’t know if the spirits of the bourbon worked with the meat but it was silky and moist and pulled immaculately (a strong word for BBQ I know but if the shoe fits).
In terms if taste, the sauce made the pork really sweet with just a hint of the Bourbon flavor. As above, I didn’t simmer the sauce beforehand so it is hard to see if that would add to the depth of flavor or not but if it is half as good as this one was, I will give it a try for sure!
Tips:
- If you prefer a sweeter or spicier taste, adjust the brown sugar and chili powder quantities in the marinade and rub.
- Make sure to keep the smoker’s temperature steady and avoid opening the lid too often to maintain the smoky flavor.
Conclusion
So there you have it, my recipe and cooking guide for some Traeger bourbon and brown sugar pulled pork. I hope it has been of assistance but as usual, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out by commenting below. I would also love to hear of your own experiences, preferences or suggestions here as well.
Are there any other products you have been looking at but want to know more about? If so, please comment below and I will do my best to get some details for you.
Until next time
Have fun and get smoking!
Paul
How I Turned My Smoking Passion Into A Full Time Income
Hey there! I’m Paul, and like you, I started as a BBQ beginner with just a Traeger and a dream. Now I’m helping others turn their smoking passion into a sustainable online business.
