Smoked Apple Pork Butt

Pork butt is marinated with apple juice overnight, coated with mustard and a sweet dry rub, and smoked slowly in this flavor-packed recipe.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 4 hr
• Total Time: 4 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 411 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
• 3 drops liquid smoke flavoring
• 7 pounds bone-in pork butt
• 1.5 cups brown sugar
• 0.5 cup water
• 0.5 cup kosher salt
• 0.25 cup garlic powder
• 0.25 cup Italian seasoning
• 0.5 cup apple cider
• 0.5 cup yellow mustard
• 0.33333334326744 cup ground black pepper
• 0.25 cup ground paprika
• 0.25 cup apple juice concentrate
• 0.5 cup apple wood chips
• 0.5 cup apple juice concentrate
• 1 cup whiskey barrel wood chips (such as Jack Daniel's®)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat an electric smoker to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Fill smoker box with wood chips according to manufacturer's instructions.

Step 2

Make dry rub: Combine brown sugar, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, and sage in a small container. Measure 1 tablespoon dry rub mixture into a container large enough to fit pork butt. Refrigerate remaining dry rub.

Step 3

Make marinade: Pour apple cider, apple juice concentrate, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke into the large container with dry rub; mix well.

Step 4

Prepare pork: Score top of pork butt in a checkerboard pattern. Inject some of the marinade into the bottom, sides, and top of pork butt. Place pork in the container with remaining marinade. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.

Step 5

Prepare wood chips: Combine whiskey barrel wood chips, apple wood chips, apple juice concentrate, and water in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal and let soak, about 20 minutes.

Step 6

Remove pork from marinade; rub mustard and honey evenly on top. Coat pork butt heavily with reserved dry rub. Place pork fat-side up on a rack.

Step 7

Place the rack in the smoker and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) for medium or 170 degrees F (77 degrees C) for well done, 4 to 6 hours. Add additional soaked wood chips halfway through cooking time.

Step 8

Place pork butt fat-side up on a serving platter. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes, turning over halfway through resting time.