Sticky Honey Hog Pork Shoulder (Pellet Grill / Traeger)

Overview

This method delivers a sticky, sweet bark with perfectly juicy pulled pork—using Meat Church Honey Hog rub, honey butter, and apple juice. It’s an overnight, low-and-slow cook designed for stress-free mornings and maximum flavor. Total cook time is roughly 12–13 hours, plus resting. Start your cook one day before you plan to serve.

Ingredients

• 1 Bone-In Pork Shoulder (7–9 lbs)
• Meat Church Honey Hog BBQ Rub
• Apple Juice (for spritz and wrapping)
• Honey Butter (store-bought or homemade: softened butter + honey, 2:1 ratio)
• Butcher Paper (preferred) or Foil

Equipment

• Pellet Grill (e.g., Traeger)
• Royal Oak pellets (80/20 blend recommended)
• Spray bottle for spritzing
• Cooler for resting

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep (Evening Before)

• Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder.
• Apply a heavy coating of Honey Hog BBQ rub on all sides.
• Let sit at room temperature for ~30 minutes while your smoker comes up to temp.

2. The Overnight Smoke

• Preheat pellet grill to 165°F.
• Place the pork shoulder directly on the grate, fat cap up.
• Smoke unwrapped for 5 hours (midnight to 5am is ideal).

3. Morning Routine

• At the 5-hour mark, start spritzing with apple juice every hour.
• Increase smoker temp to 225°F.
• Continue cooking until the internal temp of the pork reaches 170°F (bark should be set, deep, and sticky).

4. Wrapping

• Lay out butcher paper (or foil).
• Place the pork shoulder on the paper.
• Add 2–3 tablespoons of honey butter and a small drizzle of apple juice on top of the pork.
• Wrap tightly.

5. Finish at Higher Heat

• Return the wrapped pork to the smoker.
• Increase temp to 275°F.
• Cook until the pork reaches 205°F internal temp and is probe-tender.

6. Resting

• Remove from smoker and place (still wrapped) in a cooler or warm oven.
• Rest for at least 1 hour, up to 4 hours.

7. Serving

• Unwrap and pull the pork (discard bone).
• Mix in the buttery juices from the wrap for extra flavor.
• Serve as is, or with buns, slaw, and your favorite BBQ sauce.

Tips & Notes

• Total Cook & Rest Time:
  Plan for 12–13 hours cook time, plus 1–4 hours resting.
  Start your cook one day before you plan to serve for best results and no stress.

• Spritzing: Don’t oversaturate; just lightly mist the surface.

• Bark: If the bark softens too much after wrapping, crack open the paper for the last 20 min of cook time to firm it up.

• Resting: Don’t skip the rest! This makes a huge difference in moisture and tenderness.

Summary Timeline

Adjust based on shoulder size and smoker performance.

Optional Finishing Sauce

Mix equal parts honey and apple juice, add a splash of cider vinegar and a pinch of salt. Warm and drizzle over pulled pork for extra gloss and flavor.

Enjoy your championship-level pulled pork!