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.