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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

Time Step
Midnight Pork on at 165°F (unwrapped)
5:00am Start spritzing, raise to 225°F
~8–9am Wrap at 170°F internal
~10–11am Raise to 275°F, finish at 205°F
~Noon Rest in cooler (1–4 hours)
~Lunch Pull and serve

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!

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