Bone-In Pork Shoulder
- by Omaha Steaks
- Last updated Nov 2, 2022
When cooked low and slow on the Kamado Joe, this bone-in pork shoulder is perfect for a crowd or when you’re planning ahead for leftovers. A not-too-sweet injection combined with the Omaha Steaks Ancho Chile Barbecue Rub is elevated from every day to extraordinary when slow cooked in the heat-retaining walls of the ceramic Kamado Joe grill. Serve as pulled pork on a plate or a sandwich-either way will wow a crowd.
By Kamado Joe
Preparation
PREP
40-60 MIN
COOK
11-13 HRS
SERVES
8-12 PEOPLE
Ingredients
- Bone-In Pork Shoulder
- Ancho Chile Rub
- Kamado Joe Classic 18 in.
For the injection:
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp Omaha Steaks Ancho Chile Barbecue Rub
Smoking wood suggestion:
- Apple wood chunks
Cooking Instructions
Step #1
Combine all ingredients completely in a mixing bowl and let sit at room temperature until the salt and sugar have dissolved completely.
Step #2
Preheat the grill to 250°F and setup for indirect cooking with the heat deflectors in the low position. Add four to five chunks of apple smoking wood (can also use peach or cherry).
Step #3
Trim all excess fat from the outer surface of the meat. Do not leave any fat cap-the thick layer of fat that appears on one side of the meat.
Step #4
Place the meat in a pan and inject the liquid into the meat at 1-inch intervals. As you inject, slowly pull the injection needle back to minimize spew and maximize the amount of liquid injected into the meat.
Note: Depending on the type of injector used, you might have to strain the injection liquid to ensure there’s no build-up or clogging in the injector.
Step #5
Apply a liberal coat of the Omaha Steaks Ancho Chile Rub to all sides of the outside of the meat so that it is completely opaque. Let sit on the counter until the grill is ready. If doing this step in advance, tightly wrap the meat in plastic wrap and return to the fridge until ready to cook.
Step #6
When the grill is ready, set the meat on the middle of the rack, close the dome and let it cook until the bark is set-or has no soft spots that can be easily scratched off-typically, around 160-165°F internal temperature.
Tip: Do your best to not open the dome during this step.
Step #7
When the meat gets to this point, remove from the grill and sprinkle with a liberal coat of brown sugar. Then drizzle on some agave nectar or honey and wrap tightly in a double layer of foil. Return to the grill, close the dome and let it cook until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 195-205°F.
Note: This will take approximately 1.5 hours per pound of meat to cook at 250°F.
Step #8
When the cook is finished, remove the foiled meat from the grill, place it in a cooler covered with a towel and let it rest for at least one hour and up to five hours.
Step #9
After the rest, remove the meat from the foil, remove the bone and shred with two forks to make pulled pork.
Additional Tips
- To simplify, you may skip the injection. If you want to simplify even more, you can skip the sugar, honey and foiling process.
- Watch for the bark to start forming. When you start to see solid patches of bark that pass the ‘scratch test,’ spritz the meat with water every 30 minutes until the bark has completely formed. This process is also optional but will help form a beautiful smoke ring.
- Meats like brisket and pork shoulder lose 40-50 percent of their weight when cooked. So eight pounds is more likely going to weigh four to five pounds after trimming, bone removal and cooking.
