Fruit-Wood Smoked Pulled Pork (Boston Butt)
Fruit-Wood Smoked Pulled Pork (Boston Butt) delivers tender shreds of pork infused with deep smoke and a balanced sweet-heat crust from brown sugar, paprika, cumin, and cayenne. A mustard slather helps the rub cling while long, gentle smoking builds a pronounced bark and juicy interior. Serve piled on buns with crisp slaw for weekend cookouts or as a centerpiece for game-day gatherings.
- Prep30 mins
- Cook4 hrs 5 mins
- Serves6
- DifficultyHard
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Fruit-Wood Smoked Pulled Pork (Boston Butt), not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 41 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 15 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 58 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 22
- Heart Health
- 43
- Metabolic
- 50
- Digestive
- 24
- Inflammatory
- 41
- Performance
- 36
- General Wellness
- 1
Stir brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, seasoned salt, black pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl to make a dry rub.
- 2
Coat the roast with spicy brown mustard. Sprinkle the dry rub all over the roast and work it into all the folds and creases.
- 3
Stir pickle juice and olive oil together in a small bowl.
- 4
Preheat 5 pounds of charcoal in a smoker per the manufacturer's directions until white and flaming. Spread 7 to 8 large wood chunks over the coals. Set a drip pan on top; pour in beer and enough water to fill the pan most of the way. Close the smoker; bring the liquid in the drip pan to a boil. Place the roast on top and close the smoker.
- 5
Smoke the roast, turning every hour, until browned, about 2 hours, adding wood chunks as needed to keep the temperature at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Baste the roast with the pickle juice and olive oil mixture. Continue smoking, turning, and basting every hour until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 175 degrees F (80 degrees C), 2 to 3 hours more.
- 6
Remove the roast from the smoker and wrap it with aluminum foil. Let it rest, about 30 minutes.
- 7
Uncover the roast and cut it into chunks. Shred the chunks into small strands; transfer to a large bowl. Squeeze the strands with both hands repeatedly, mixing after each squeeze.
- Calories 1007.01 kcal High 50%
- Protein 53.73 g Good Source 107%
- Carbohydrate 31.52 g 11%
- Total Fat 72.62 g High 93%
- Saturated Fat 18.01 g High 90%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 153.62 mg High 51%
- Sodium 706.47 mg High 31%
- Dietary Fiber 7.51 g Good Source 27%
- Total Sugars 19.26 g --
- Added Sugars 7.07 g Moderate 14%
- Calcium 80.0 mg Low Source 6%
- Iron 4.75 mg Good Source 26%
- Potassium 247.19 mg Low Source 5%
- Vitamin A 2.81 mcg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin C 1.38 mg Low Source 2%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Mustard
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
- Alcohol 🚫🍷
About This Recipe
Fruit Wood Smoked Pulled Pork (Boston Butt) is made with 14 ingredients and serves 6. It takes about 4 hrs 35 mins and is rated hard. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Bone In Pork Shoulder Butt Roast, Cayenne Pepper, and Dark Brown Sugar. Each serving provides about 1007.01 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Fruit-Wood Smoked Pulled Pork (Boston Butt) made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Bone-In Pork Shoulder Butt Roast, Cayenne Pepper, Dark Brown Sugar, Garlic Powder. The full list of 14 is above.
- How long does it take to make Fruit-Wood Smoked Pulled Pork (Boston Butt)?
- About 4 hrs 35 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 4 hrs 5 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 1007.01 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Fruit-Wood Smoked Pulled Pork (Boston Butt) easy to make?
- This recipe is rated hard, with 14 ingredients and 7 steps.
- Is Fruit-Wood Smoked Pulled Pork (Boston Butt) healthy?
- Fruit-Wood Smoked Pulled Pork (Boston Butt) has an easyChef Pro health score of 39/100. Per serving, it provides 1007.01 calories and 53.73 g of protein, or 107% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber and iron. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 706.47 mg (31% of the Daily Value), saturated fat at 18.01 g (90% of the Daily Value) and added sugars at 7.07 g (14% of the Daily Value). It contains Mustard, Garlic, Onions and Alcohol, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.
For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.
Score a recipe free, no app required