Step

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  Matt Pittman's Pulled Pork - You Tube Video

  

• 1

  Preheat the Traeger temperature with the lid closed to 275°F; this will take about 15 minutes.

  275 ˚F / 135 ˚C

• 2

  Trim the pork butt: With a sharp knife, remove any thick or excess fat.

• 3

  Season the pork: Coat the pork butt all over with the mustard. (You won’t taste it, but it helps the spices adhere during the cook.) Sprinkle the pork put liberally with Meat Church Honey Hog BBQ Rub (or use Traeger Perfect Pork or Pork & Poultry Rub). Let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 to 30 minutes or, even better, cover and refrigerate overnight.

• 4

  Insert a leave-in thermometer into the pork butt aiming for the center and avoiding any bone. Place the pork butt directly on the grate fat side down. Smoke the pork until it’s a very dark mahogany color and the internal temperature is 165°F to 175°F, 5 to 6 hours. The time will vary depending on the size of the meat, the weather, and your grill model.

  275 ˚F / 135 ˚C

  170 ˚F / 77 ˚C

• 5

  Transfer the butt to a (half size) disposable aluminum pan or a 9 x 13-inch roasting pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top, place the butter on top of that, then sprinkle lightly with Honey Hog Hot BBQ Rub. Cover the pan tightly with foil, making sure the end of the thermometer is poking through the foil, and return it to the Traeger. Continue smoking the butt until it reaches about 200°F, this will take 5 to 6 hours, however, that at this point you can increase the grill temperature to speed the cooking. Note that while the internal temperature is a good indicator of doneness, what you are really looking for is the perfect tenderness. When properly cooked, a meat thermometer or similar should slide into the meat as easily as if it were a stick of room temp butter.

  275 ˚F / 135 ˚C

  200 ˚F / 93 ˚C

• 6

  Unwrap the pork and transfer it to a cutting board. Pour some of the liquid from the pan into a fat separator. Allow the pork butt to rest for at least 45 minutes. Using your hands or two forks, pull the pork into pieces. Add some of the reserved pan juice to the shredded pork. For added flavor, sprinkle with a light dusting of additional seasoning. Enjoy!