If you're craving something hearty, flavorful, and seriously satisfying, this smoked pork roast is exactly what you need. Slow-smoked low and slow, coated in a sweet, smoky rub, and cooked until fall-apart tender. This is BBQ at its best.
Whether you're serving it up for a weekend cookout, meal prepping, or just want a delicious dinner with leftovers that actually get better the next day, this recipe delivers every time.
I love serving this with classic BBQ sides, like pineapple coleslaw, jalapeno cheese corn bread, and the one pot mac and cheese for a hearty meal that satisfies everyone.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Slow-smoked for incredible flavor
- Tender and juicy every single time
- Simple ingredients with big results
- Perfect for slicing or shredding
- Great for leftovers and meal prep
And, if you love recipes with big flavor and minimal work, check out my old fashioned sloppy joes.
Key Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and their exact amounts is in the recipe card you’ll find at the bottom of the post.
- Pork Butt Roast: It's super marbled, which means it turns out juicy, tender, and perfect for shredding after a long smoke.
- Yellow Mustard: Helps the seasoning stick to the meat and creates that nice outer crust. You won't really taste it, but it does a lot of behind-the-scenes work.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness and helps form that delicious, slightly sticky bark on the outside.
- Paprika & Cayenne: Paprika adds smoky flavor and color, while cayenne gives it a gentle kick. Nothing crazy, just enough to wake things up.
- Garlic Powder & Onion Powder: These add that classic savory, aromatic, BBQ-style flavor that makes the pork taste rich and well-seasoned.
- Cumin: Adds a subtle earthy note that gives the rub a little extra depth.
Variations
- BBQ Sauce: Add BBQ sauce after shredding for a saucy finish.
- Use Different Wood: Hickory and pecan impart a deeper, stronger smoky flavor to the roast. Variations like apple or cherrywood give the roast a sweeter, milder flavor.
- Extra Spicy: Add more cayenne, red pepper flakes, or jalapeno powder.
- Make It a Base: Add this to all kinds of recipes, like pulled pork enchiladas, BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, pulled pork cornbread waffles, and more. Get creative!
How to Make Smoked Pork Roast
1: Mix the rub ingredients.
2: Pat the roast dry, then coat it with mustard, followed by the rub, and let it sit.
3: Smoke on low heat, fat-side up, until the internal temperature reaches 190°-205°F. Remove the roast, wrap it in foil, and let it rest for about 20 minutes.
4: Remove the fat cap and any large pieces of fat. Slice or shred, depending on your recipe. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use a meat thermometer for perfect doneness.
- Keep the smoker lid closed for consistent temps and even cooking.
- Let the roast sit for at least 20 minutes. The longer the rub soaks in, the more flavorful the meat.
- Don’t skip the resting step. You want those juices to redistribute.
- If you use a traditional smoker, soak your wood chips for at least 30 minutes prior to smoking.
Smoked Pork Roast FAQs
Pork butt’s combination of meaty texture, heavy marbling, and fat content makes it ideal for smoking. However, you could also use pork picnic shoulder or pork belly.
Yes! It's perfect for meal prep and often tastes even better the next day after the flavors have settled.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for 2 to 3 months in an airtight container.
Reheat in the oven or on the stovetop with a little broth or juices to keep it moist. You can also microwave it in short intervals.
Yes! Woods like hickory and pecan add a bold flavor, while fruit woods like apple or cherry add a slightly sweeter, milder smoke.
Great Recipes for Using Your Pork Roast
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Smoked Pork Roast
Ingredients
- 3 ½ pounds pork butt boneless roast
- ⅓ cup yellow mustard
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat a pellet smoker to 225° (we used hickory).
- In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, paprika, granulated, garlic, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
- Pat dry pork roast with paper towels.
- Cover with mustard over the entire pork roast.
- Generously pat the spice mixture on all sides of the pork roast. Let sit out for 20 minutes.
- Place pork roast fat side up on the smoker.
- Smoke for 6.5 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 190-205°.
- Remove from the smoker and place in foil for 20 minutes.
- Once rested, remove large pieces of fat and cap, and slice or shred pork to desired thickness.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer for perfect doneness.
- Keep the smoker lid closed for consistent temps and even cooking.
- Let the roast sit for at least 20 minutes. The longer the rub soaks in, the more flavorful the meat.
- Don’t skip the resting step. You want those juices to redistribute.
- If you use a traditional smoker, soak your wood chips for at least 30 minutes prior to smoking.
Nutrition
Pulled pork is one of my love languages. This smoked pork roast did not disappoint. We cooked it in the smoker, shred the pork when it came out and served it with my homemade vinegar barbecue sauce. Delicious!
This turned out so flavorful and tender. I loved smoked pork..perfect for the summer season!
Tried this recipe today and it turned out tender from edge to edge. Definitely one of the best pork roasts I’ve made!
This smoked pork roast was tender, smoky, and full of flavor. The sweet rub made it extra delicious, and it was perfect for BBQ night.
This smoked pork roast came out so tender, juicy, and packed with smoky flavor. The sweet rub made it extra delicious and perfect for BBQ night.
Absolutely fantastic. I mixed this with some BBQ sauce, and it made amazing pulled pork sandwiches.
This was such a great one. I’ve made several of your smoked recipes, and they’re always winners!