How to cook pulled pork on a gas grill? Not all of us have smokers. There are a lot of gas grills out there. Shouldn't we have pulled pork too? I say yes. Pulled pork for all, and with a little planning, it is not that hard. Just plan enough time.
Introduction
I consider three things as the "holy grails" of BBQ. Brisket, baby back ribs and pulled pork from pork butt. And all three can be done on your gas grill with a little care., but pulled pork from pork butt is my absolute favorite.
The best pulled pork comes from pork butt, which is high in fat and connective tissue. It is cooked low and slow to melt the connective tissue into the meat, producing fall-apart tender meat that is heaven on earth.
Let's learn to do it with the gas grill you already have in a logical way that is easy once you understand it.
My Rating
Yep, I could live on pulled pork.
🐖Pork Butt
Like many cuts of meat, there are multiple names about the same thing. Pork butt and Boston butt are the same. Pork shoulder is the thinner area of this cut but is commonly cooked and used the same as the butt. It has a bit less marbling and less fat and is usually not separated from the butt.
If you are wondering, butt means thick, so that is why the term "butt" is used. Lastly, the picnic ham and picnic shoulder are not the same as this cut.
♨️Method
1) Pork butt. I suggest a 4-6 pound Boston butt. This method should be fine for up to 8 pounds and maybe more. Of course, the cooking time increases. Assume about ½ pound per serving.
2) A gas grill with a lot of gas. I have natural gas, so I'm good to go. If you are on a tank, start with a full one. It is always good to have a backup tank. If you run out with no backup. Pop it in the oven at 250. See the oven recipe linked below.
3) A rub. Whatever rub you love The rub should have some sugar, salt, and various spices. Some cooks will rub it on the day before and refrigerate (I did since I had this planned), but others rub on an hour before the cooking, and I believe this is good also. If you don't have a rub, I have included a suggested one below.
4) Some method of smoking. I have a smoking box built-in my new grill. On my old grill, I used a cast-iron smoking box (link in The Cooking for Two Shop.) You could use an aluminum foil pack of wood chips. I generally use hickory, but cherry, pecan, mesquite, and apple are commonly used. Some people like oak but I really dislike oak for this.
5) A way to watch the temperature of the grill surface. I now use my ThermaQ Blue from Themoworks, which you will find in My Shop. There are many other devices that will work. You can also use a cheap surface thermometer, but you will need to keep checking it, and that is not ideal.
6) Time... lots of time. I took 11 hours on the grill then a 2-hour rest before we ate. Bigger will take longer.
NEED HELP WITH THE GRILL?
A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill
How To Set Up Your Gas Grill for Smoking and Low and Slow Cooking
Do I Have to Use a Grill/Smoker for Pulled Pork from Pork Butt?
No. Check out the oven and crock pot recipes.
Oven Pulled Pork from Pork Butt
Crock Pot Pulled Pork from Butt the Right Way
⏰🌡️Time and Temperature
How long to cook pork butt?
The general consensus is 1 ½ to 2 hours per pound at 250 degrees, but it always seems to take me a bit longer. Smaller and bone-in pork butts tend to be a bit longer per pound since the cooking time is more related to thickness than weight.
Always remember, you are cooking to a final internal temperature, not by time.
If you have a time-critical cook, do it the day before and reheat. Or do it early. The wrapping before shredding can be as little as 30 minutes, and I have left it for 4 hours wrapped well in a cooler with great results. That gives you a big buffer of time.
What final internal temperature for pulled pork?
This is dangerous territory I going into since there are many strong opinions. I go for 195°-200° minimum, but I prefer 200°-205°. And I see 208° or 210° argued as the absolute best. Lower will be a bit moister, but a bit less tender and higher is less moist but a bit more tender. I can't tell the difference. I'll take the middle ground.
✔️TIPS
What rub to use?
Use the rub of your choice. Look around, and you will find thousands of variations, all of which will work. There are many commercial rubs, also.
Here is a simple rub from my 8:3:1:1 rub post, and I included it in the recipe. This makes more than you need, save the excess for another cooking.
- 8 Tablespoons (½ cup) Brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Should I inject the pork butt?
I don't, but you can add flavors and moisture with an injection. But pork butt is very moist, and I want it to taste like pork butt.
Fat pad up or down for pork butt?
Per many experts, it doesn't matter. You are not melting fat into the pork. You are melting the connective tissue and fat in the meat.
Bone-in or boneless?
It really doesn't matter much. To me, bone-in just seems right for the grill. It is an unmodified hunk of pork. But bone-in does take a bit longer to cook.
Should I soak the wood chips?
Tradition says yes, but most experts say not it is not needed. Some will say it prevents the wood from catching on fire and that they smoke longer. I have become convinced it doesn't matter, so I have removed that from the process.
What is "the stall" and what should I do about it?
Pork butts and beef brisket will hit a temperature "stall" when it starts to break down the connective tissue, usually in the 160° plus or minus a little. It may last only minutes or several hours. But the temperature will not move.
Think of it as the energy of the cooking melting the connective tissue, a very good thing. But there is also some fluid evaporation you can prevent by wrapping. See the grill brisket recipe for instructions if you want.
What to do about it? NOTHING, in my opinion, for the home grillers.
Sauce suggestions
I suggest my homemade Memphis Barbecue Sauce; A Wonderful Thing. This sauce always disappears, and others are left untouched at parties. But use any sauce you love.
One quick reminder, do not reheat with BBQ sauce. The acid in it will destroy the texture of the meat.
What to serve with pulled pork?
Coleslaw, baked beans, cornbread, and potato salad are generally severed. I tend to not do a lot of side dishes; it leaves more room for pork.
Homemade Macaroni Salad
Broccoli Salad with Bacon
Old Fashioned Cornbread
Microwave Corn on the Cob
♨️How to Reheat?
I like to reheat on a sheet pan; I sprinkle with a little water on my hand (don’t overdo it). Cover tightly with foil and into the oven at 250-300 until hot.
The time varies by how you shredded it and the amount on the tray. You can then turn the oven down (keep it covered) or transfer it to a crock pot on low to keep warm. (usually 45 minutes or so in the oven for me). I know that is not very exact, but you get the idea.
Never reheat with sauce applied, the acid will destroy the texture.
📖Classic Grill Recipes
How to Cook a Brisket on a Gas Grill
How to Grill Baby Back Ribs on a Gas Grill
How to Grill a Hamburger - A Beginner Tutorial
How to Grill Chicken Breasts on a Gas Grill
How to Grill Pork Chops on a Gas Grill
🖼️Step-by-Step Instructions
Start with about a cup of the rub of your choice. I used a variation from an 8:3:1:1 rub.
Jump in with your hands and apply the rib. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight if you can. But rub and grill is acceptable.
Set up your gas grill for indirect cooking. This means the meat is not over direct heat. You will see a pan under the pork to catch any drippings. This is on the indirect heat side. The other side has a pan of water over the direct heat. Adjust the burners to get a steady 250°.
Add the meat to the indirect side. I went with the fat side up.
Start your smoke. Here I added chips to my smoke box. You can also apply smoke with a separate smoker box or an aluminum foil pouch with slots.
Cook at approximately 250° until 190° minimum in all locations. 195° to 200° is good. I prefer 200° to 205°. It took me 11 hours for my 4 ½ pound bone-in butt.
Remove from the grill and wrap tightly in double sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Wrap in towels for 30 minutes to 2 hours. You can extend this time by wrapping more and using a small cooler - up to 3-4 hours.
Hand shred with a couple of forks. The bone should come out clean.
Best served freshly pulled.
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📖 Recipe
Pulled Pork on a Gas Grill – Not That Hard
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Ingredients
- 4-6 pounds Pork butt
- 1 cup rub of your choice or 8:3:1:1
- 3-4 cups wood chips - type of your choice
8:3:1:1 Rub - this makes just under one cup which is fine.
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Start with about a cup of the rub of your choice. I used a variation from an 8:3:1:1 rub.
- Jump in with your hands and apply the rib. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight if you can. But rub and grill is acceptable.
- Set up your gas grill for indirect cooking. This means the meat is not over direct heat. You will see a pan under the pork to catch any drippings. This is on the indirect heat side. The other side has a pan of water over the direct heat. Adjust the burners to get a steady 250°.
- Add the meat to the indirect side. I went with the fat side up.
- Start your smoke. Here I added chips to my smoke box. You can also apply smoke with a separate smoker box or an aluminum foil pouch with slots.
- Cook at approximately 250° until 190° minimum in all locations. 195° to 200° is good. I prefer 200° to 205°. It took me 11 hours for my 4 ½ pound bone-in butt.
- Hand shred with a couple of forks. The bone should come out clean. Best served freshly pulled.
Recipe Notes
Pro Notes:
- There are lots of tips in the full recipe post. If you are new to this, please read the post.
- Estimated cooking time is 1 ½ to 2 hours per pound. But smaller pork butts tend to be longer than that. Bone-in also takes a bit longer.
- You must be able to monitor grill surface temperature to do this. Please do not try without it. You want 250° grill surface temperature. You also must be able to check the internal temperature of the meat.
- You can keep reapplying smoke, but I find 1 hours is good for me. Your choice. I prefer hickory chips.
- Bone-in or boneless does not matter. And fat pad up or down does not matter.
- Use a rub of your choice. I provided a suggested rub. You may decrease the salt if you want.
- Done is really 200°-205° internal temperature. Don't settle for under 190°.
- Do not shred immediately. Wrap with foil and let the fluid absorb for at least 15 minutes but one hour is better.
- You can delay shedding time by 2-3 hours with wrapping the foil sealed butt in multiple towels and a small cooler if you have one.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days but I prefer 2 days since the texture seems to suffer. Will freeze well for 3-4 months.
- I like to reheat on a sheet pan, I sprinkle with a little water on my hand (don’t overdo it). Cover tightly with foil and into the oven at 250°-300° until hot. The time varies by how you shredded it and the amount on the tray. You can then turn the oven down (keep it covered) or transfer to a crock pot on low to keep warm. (usually 45 minutes or so in the oven for me). I know that is not very exact but you get the idea.
- Never reheat with sauce applied, the acid will destroy the texture.
- The most common error is poor grill setup. Please see How To Set Up Your Gas Grill for Smoking and Low and Slow Cooking.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition
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Editor's Note: Originally Posted July 15, 2012. This recipe has been one of the more popular recipes on the site and was way overdue for a facelift. I have re-edited the text and added more useful information. Photos have been re-edited and a few taken from other recipes to clarify things. Please enjoy learning how to do pulled pork on your gas grill.
EllenJ
Great recipe! Really. There are tons of recipes out there for gas grill smoked pulled pork, many good ones. But yours hits ALL the marks, including illustrations and customizing suggestions. Thanks!
Here's a little take on the soak/don't soak chips conflict: Wood begins to char at around 450°F and really needs to go a lot higher before it bursts into flame. So if you're grilling streaks you want to soak those chips (burnt hickory soot doesn't taste good) but you can smoke them all day at 250° and they'll be just fine. Again, thanks for the super recipe/method; I've been cooking for half a century and it's always fun to learn new tricks.
Dan
BLUF: absolutely brilliant recipe and instructions
First time smoker. Looked at a bunch of different sites for clear, easy to follow instructions and chose this recipe.
The instructions were clear, laid out expectations and how to accomplish them. The rub was excellent and the Memphis BBQ sauce recipe (heavier end on cayenne) was perfect with mesquite wood.
One issue I had as a newbie was figuring out how much smoke and "density" was ideal. Found a video that depicted the "thin blue smoke" that is preferred. If mention of that was made, it would help out the first timers.
Also, wrapping the butt mid-cook? I did with about 3 hours left. Turned out excellent.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Dan,
Welcome to the blog and great name.
About the smoke. You are correct, I would prefer a thinner longer smoke (a slight blue ting usually) than a brief heavy smoke (less blue) but how to get one vs the other varies by your grill and method of smoking. Generally heating the chips over a lower heat area of the grill (250ish) and avoid the hottest part of the grill.
Wrapping is for "The Stall" which is discussed in the post. To me, you are trading a minimal change in moisture and slightly quicker cooking for a really good crust. Especially in smaller and thinner butts. I do cover it in detail on the grill brisket post.https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/cook-brisket-gas-grill/#the-stall
Glad you enjoyed the post and the pulled pork. Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Cathy
I searched high and low but no butts; came home with a boneless, 4.5 shoulder. What should I do differently?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Cathy,
Welcome to the blog.
Boneless is fine. Shoulder is generally part of the butt so you are fine. (discussed in the post) It will cook slightly faster but you cook to a final internal temperature anyway.
Dan
Jessica
Hi Dan—can you skip the water all together?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Jessica,
Welcome to the blog.
Most people do the water. It is a very dry environment so "it doesn't hurt. If you have more moisture, the "stall" should be less... maybe. If your setup has the drop pan over the heat then it will decrease the burning of the drippings. But really, I suspect most people will notice nothing different.
Hope that helps some.
Dan
Matt
These directions and recipe is great thank you so much. I made and 8 lb one this past July and followed that up with two 4 lbs ones. Well here it is December and I just made a 7lb one that took 14 hours. Sure the cold and rain didn’t help. My question, what’s the best way to reheat as I am serving for New Years? I was thinking crockpot, but there is no liquid...does it need?
Thanks and happy new year!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Matt,
Welcome to the blog.
Glad it works so well for you.
To reheat:
I like to reheat on a sheet pan, I sprinkle with a little water on my hand (don’t overdo it). Cover tightly with foil and into the oven at 250-300 until hot. The time varies by how you shredded it and the amount on the tray. You can then turn the oven down (keep it covered) or transfer to a crock pot on low to keep warm. (usually 45 minutes or so in the oven for me). I know that is not very exact but you get the idea.
Never reheat with sauce applied, the acid will destroy the texture.
I don't reheat in the crock pot since you have this thick mass of meat, so to get it all warm, you would tend to cook it more.
Hope that helps.
Dan
Jim
How many times do you refill your wood chips? I can't imagine they will smoke for 11 hours. I've read you only want smoke for about half the cooking time so about 5-6 hours. Is the ideal time to get the smoke into the meat at the beginning of the cooking time? I grill and smoke Salmon in a similar way but my chips rarely smoke for more than 45 minutes and the salmon is done well before the chips are smoked out. What do you think?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Jim,
Welcome to the blog.
I generally do about 1-2 hours of smoke near the beginning. That seems to be enough for me and only requires opening the grill hood once.
If you want more, I would suggest making up a few foil packs of chips and then hourly slightly open the grill and toss it on the direct heat side. You want to be careful about opening the grill hood often since it is hard to balance the heat again.
Hope that helps.
Dan