by Justin Segelstrom
If you’ve got a smoker and a free afternoon, this pulled pork recipe is worth the effort. It’s layered with flavor from the inside out—starting with an injection, followed by a rub, a mop sauce, and a sticky glaze to finish.
Pork Injection (for 2 pork butts)
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup salt
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Whisk ingredients together and inject evenly throughout the pork. Let rest in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Need an injector? I use this one and it works great: https://amzn.to/4jQ2EVH
Pulled Pork Mop Sauce
- 16 oz vegetable oil
- 16 oz apple cider vinegar
- 32 oz water
- 1 cup BBQ rub
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
Whisk together with hot water to dissolve the rub. Mop the pork every 2 hours while smoking.
Smoking Instructions
- Preheat smoker to 225°F with cherry wood.
- Pat pork dry, coat with mustard, and apply a generous layer of rub.
- Smoke uncovered for about 6 hours, mopping every 2 hours.
- At 165°F internal temp, wrap tightly in foil with a little mop and rub.
- Continue smoking until internal temp hits 195°F.
- Let rest (still wrapped) in a cooler for 1 to 2 hours.
- Optional: Brush with BBQ sauce mixed with pan drippings and return to smoker at 245°F for 30–45 minutes to set the bark.
- Shred and serve. It’s great on buns, nachos, or eaten straight from the pan.