This Traeger Pulled Pork is so easy and delicious it'll have your friends wondering if you got carryout. We rub a pork butt with homemade dry rub and smoke it to tender perfection in about 10 hours.
Combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, ground cayenne, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
Trim your pork butt. Use a sharp knife to trim any sections of fat that are thicker than a quarter inch. Be careful not to trim too much fat off, and don't trim any of the interior fat.
Set your Traeger or pellet grill to 250°F. While it's heating, generously season the pork butt on all sides with the BBQ rub. Let it sit until your smoker comes to temperature.
Once your smoker has come to temperature, place the pork butt directly on the grill grate, fat side up. Smoke it for about 5 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
Fold the pieces of aluminum foil up and around the pork butt (but don't close it up), then pour the apple cider on top. Close the aluminum foil tightly around the pork.
Remove the pork from the smoker and allow it to rest, untouched, for 45 minutes. Then open the aluminum foil pouch and shred the pork with meat claws or two forks.
A: We smoke our pulled pork at 250°F until it reaches a final temperature of 204°F. That's the temperature that allows the fat to render and melt properly.
A: We smoke our pulled pork at 250°F until it reaches a final temperature of 204°F. That's the temperature that allows the fat to render and melt properly.