How to Smoke a Pork Butt Hot and Fast for Pulled Pork

Craving pulled pork but don't have an entire day to spare? Enter the hot and fast method-a game-changer for anyone who loves BBQ meat, but needs it on the table in record time.

Imagine savoring delicious pulled pork in just a few hours, perfect for that last-minute barbecue or spontaneous weekend cookout. With this cooking method, you can achieve all the richness of traditional smoked pork butt, without the extended wait time.

What is Hot and Fast BBQ?

Hot and fast BBQ is the perfect solution for anyone who loves the smoky, savory goodness of pulled pork but doesn't have 10-12 hours to spend tending a smoker.

Unlike the traditional low-and-slow cooking process, which smokes meat around 225°F, the hot and fast technique cranks up the heat to between 275°F and 325°F.

This higher temperature speeds up the total cook time, allowing you to achieve tender, smoked pulled pork with minimal effort in roughly 5-6 hours.

One of the key benefits of hot and fast BBQ is its efficiency. It's ideal for busy weeknights or when you're hosting a barbecue and need to get food on the table quickly.

Despite the faster cook time, the pork retains its juicy tenderness and develops a beautiful bark, just like the traditional method. When rushed on time we like to make our Brisket with the hot and fast method as well!

And the best part? You don't need special equipment-your regular smoker or grill can be easily adapted for this cooking process.

Choosing the Right Cut for Hot and Fast Pulled Pork.

Selecting the right cut of meat is important to achieving tender, flavorful pulled pork, especially when using the hot and fast cooking method. While there are several cuts you can use, the bone-in pork butt stands out as the top choice for this cooking technique.

The pork shoulder butt, often referred to as the "Boston butt roast," is the upper part of the pork shoulder and includes a good amount of fat marbling, which is essential for keeping the meat moist during cooking.

The bone not only adds flavor but also helps conduct heat more evenly throughout the meat, leading to a more consistent cook.

Why Bone-in Pork Butt?

One of the reasons bone-in pork butt is ideal for hot and fast cooking is its structure. The tight connective tissue in this cut breaks down beautifully at higher temperatures, resulting in a tender, pull-apart texture that's perfect for pulled pork.

The bone acts as a natural guide to determine doneness-when the meat is fully cooked, the bone will easily slide out with little to no resistance.

Another advantage of using a bone-in pork shoulder butt is the added flavor. As the meat cooks, the bone releases rich flavors into the surrounding meat, enhancing the overall taste.

This is particularly beneficial when cooking hot and fast, as the shorter cook time requires every flavor-building element to work efficiently.

When selecting your pork shoulder butt, look for a cut that has a good balance of meat and fat. The fat cap should be thick enough to protect the meat from drying out, but not so thick that it prevents seasoning from penetrating.

A well-marbled cut will ensure that your pulled pork remains juicy and flavorful, even with the faster cooking time.

Other cuts of pork.

If you can't find bone-in pork shoulder butts, there are other cuts of pork that will work. A boneless pork butt will work, but you want to make sure it's especially marbled and has a thick fat cap. This is a great way to make sure it retains juices and doesn't dry out during the faster cooking method.

A "picnic shoulder" or "picnic roast" will work too. It is a cut from the lower part of the pork shoulder, typically containing more bone and less marbling than the Boston butt, making it slightly tougher but still flavorful. These usually come with the skin on, so you'll want to remove that layer of skin before cooking.

Stay away from lean cuts of pork like loin cuts - loin, tenderloin or sirloin. Though still great cuts for grilling, they're too lean to make pulled pork. 

How to smoke a pork butt, hot and fast.

Before you start cooking, it's essential to properly prepare your pork butt to ensure it cooks evenly and develops maximum flavor.

Trimming the meat.

First thing to do is trim the meat. Pat the meat dry with a paper towel, then using a sharp knife - preferably a boning knife - trim off any silverskin or bone fragments along the surface of the meat.

You want to leave the fat side intact as it will help keep the meat moist and provide a layer, or protection against the higher heat. Feel free to score the fat side in a crisscross pattern with the knife. This will allow the dry rub to penetrate into the crevices and develop more flavor. 

Seasoning the pork butt.

Next, it's time to season the pork. A dry rub is crucial for developing that signature smoky bark. There are some great brands of pork rub on the market, but there's something to be said about making your own.

You can try one of our recipes like this homemade BBQ rub that has a base of brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper among other seasonings.

Some people like to apply a thin layer of mustard or hot sauce before the rub to help it adhere to the meat, but this step is optional. The goal is to create a flavorful crust that will enhance every bite of your pulled pork.

Let the meat marinate.

Once your pork butt is trimmed and seasoned, let it sit and dry marinate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat. If you have time, you can refrigerate it overnight on a sheet pan covered in plastic for even deeper flavor. Now, your pork is ready for the smoker.

Hot and Fast Pulled Pork - The Cook

Now that the pork butt is seasoned and ready to go, let's walk through the cooking steps for hot and fast pulled pork. 

Set up your smoker

When it's time to cook, start by setting up your smoker or grill for indirect cooking. The key to hot and fast BBQ is maintaining a temperature between 300°F and 350°F. This higher heat will accelerate the cooking process while still allowing the meat to absorb the smoky flavor.

Any smoker will do, so long as you can maintain that temperature range, this includes any pellet smoker. 

Smoke the pork butt

Once you have good smoke rolling and a stable temperature, place the seasoned pork butt on the smoker the with fat side facing toward the heat. During the initial smoking phase, which lasts about 2-3 hours, resist the temptation to open the lid too often. Each time you lift the lid, you lose heat and extend the cooking time.

To keep the pork moist, use a spray bottle filled with apple juice, apple cider vinegar, or a mix of both to spritz the meat every hour or so. I like to place an aluminum foil pan filled halfway with water under the meat.

This water pan will help stabilize the heat in the cook chamber, keep the meat from drying out, and catch the drippings from the meat as it cooks. 

Wrapping your pork butt.

Once the pork butt has developed a dark exterior bark and reached an internal temperature of around 165°F, it's time to wrap it. Wrapping the pork in a double layer of aluminum foil will help it retain moisture and speed up the cooking process.

Place the pork fat side up on the foil layers, and fold the it up and around the pork. I like to make a mixture 50-50 mixture of apple juice and apple cider vinegar , and pour it over the pork butt into the wrap. Finish wrapping the whole pork butt tightly and return it to the smoker.

Continue cooking the wrapped pork butt until it reaches an internal temperature of 200°F to 205°F. At this point, the meat should be tender enough to shred easily. The total cook time should be around 4-6 hours, depending on the size of the pork butt and the consistency of your smoker's temperature.

Resting and Serving the Pulled Pork

Once the pork butt has reached the desired temperature, it's important to let it rest before shredding. Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring every bite is moist and flavorful.

Remove the pork from the smoker and let it rest for at least 30 minutes, but preferably up to an hour or two. If you're not eating until later, wrap the pork in an old towel and place it in a cooler to rest until you're ready to eat.

Shred the pork

After resting, it's time to shred the pork. Unwrap the meat and transfer it to a large tray or pan. Using tongs, forks or meat claws, begin pulling the pork apart into bite-sized pieces. Be sure to mix in any bark with the softer interior meat for the perfect blend of textures.

Pour any drippings from the foil into the pulled pork. Look for and discard any soft tissue or large pieces of unrendered fat from the shredded meat. You can save the bone to make a flavorful soup stock or throw it away. 

Once the meat is shredded and picked over, add some bbq sauce if desired. Now it's time to serve as you would any pulled pork bbq. This hot and fast method makes for a quality end product, and you don't need the extra time as you would with low and slow smoking.

Don't let the higher temperatures scare you - if you follow the basic steps here, you'll have some of the best pulled pork you've ever tasted. 

Check out our other pork recipes below!

How to cook baby back ribs in the oven

The best smoked country style pork ribs

Smoked party style bbq ribs

How to make smoked pig shots

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