Bourbon Brown Sugar Pulled Pork
On February 27, 2020 (Updated May 11, 2024)
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Bourbon Brown Sugar Pulled Pork is one of those recipes for the ages. Classic BBQ low and slow cooking combines with punchy, tongue-tingling flavors to make for a pulled pork experience unlike any other.
Brown Sugar Pulled Pork
This pulled pork is unlike any pulled pork you’ve had before. Not only is it seasoned with my amazing Signature Sweet Rub (you can buy this delivered to your door from Patio Provisions, or you can make it yourself from my Best Sweet Rub Recipe post, but it’s mopped hourly with a sweet bourbon brown sugar mop sauce.
The layers of sweet and spice in this recipe are made for the subtle/savory natural flavors in pork. It’s perfect meat harmony. I love when that happens!
Recipes like this pulled pork are the ones I come back to over and over again. They’re meant for a low and slow BBQ lifestyle, which allows me opportunities to spend time with my family. While we wait for the pork to finish smoking, I can hang out on the back deck and kick up my feet while the kids play in the yard. It’s a wonderful way to spend lazy weekends with your family or friends.
Bourbon Brown Sugar Pulled Pork
I have been so excited to share this recipe with you guys. My husband told me this was the best pulled pork I’ve ever done! It truly is so good. You can eat it as-is, drizzle some extra mop sauce on top, or make it into a tasty BBQ sandwich. If you’re wondering if it’s worth the long smoke time. Trust me. It’s worth it every time.
I kept the process for smoking my pork shoulder (AKA Boston butt) fairly simple with a heavy emphasis on the bourbon and brown sugar flavor profile. The shoulder got a healthy dose of my Best Sweet Rub before hitting the grill for a low and slow smoke bath. I used even more seasoning to enhance the bourbon and apple cider vinegar in the mop sauce (which then turned into the foiling liquid during the second phase.)
From beginning to end, I built up layers of those complementary flavors so that when it was all done and ready to pull there was that mouth-watering sensation of mmm in every single bite!
Tips for Making Brown Sugar Pulled Pork
Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind before diving into this recipe. You can also scroll down to the video in the recipe card to follow the step-by-step visual instructions for making this amazing pork.
- Invest in a good meat thermometer. When choosing an instant read thermometer, I strongly recommend the Thermapen MK4 from Thermoworks. The ideal temperature for transferring the pork to the foil pan is 165 degrees F and for ending up tender pulled pork when it is finished is between 201 and 203 degrees F. Keep an eye on your temperature and you’ll have perfect results every time!
- Save the mop sauce! Don’t dump the remaining mop sauce sitting in your disposable aluminum pan down the drain! Drizzle it over the meat for added moisture and flavor!
- Don’t forget to rest the meat. Even though you’ve been waiting quite a while to enjoy your pulled pork, make sure to allow it to rest for 30 minutes before shredding and digging in.
More Pulled Pork Recipes
Pulled pork is a must-try on the smoker. If you’ve mastered this brown sugar pulled pork, try your hand at my other awesome recipes available here on Hey Grill Hey:
Cider Brined Pulled Pork
Carolina Pulled Pork
Simple Smoked Pulled Pork
Brown Sugar Pulled Pork Recipe
Bourbon Brown Sugar Smoked Pulled Pork
Video
Ingredients
- 1 7-9 lb bone-in pork shoulder roast
- ¼ cup Hey Grill Hey Signature Sweet Rub (or your favorite BBQ seasoning)
Bourbon & Brown Sugar Mop Sauce
- 1 ½ cups bourbon
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 Tablespoon Hey Grill Hey Signature Sweet Rub
Instructions
- Fire up the smoker. Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F, using hickory, apple, or maple for your wood smoke.
- Prep the pork and get it in the smoke. Liberally season the pork shoulder on all sides with the Sweet Rub. Place the pork on the grill grates and close the lid.
- Make the mop sauce. While the pork begins to cook, make the bourbon brown sugar mop sauce. Pour all of the ingredients for the mop sauce in a medium saucepan. Bring the mop sauce to a boil while whisking and remove from the heat. Set aside.
- Smoke the pork. Place the pork on the grill grates and close the lid. Mop the pork shoulder with the mop sauce every hour until the internal temperature of the pork reads 165 degrees F. This should take around 6-7 hours.
- Braise. Transfer the pork shoulder to a disposable aluminum pan and pour the remaining mop sauce over the top. Cover tightly with foil and return to the smoker.
- Finish cooking. Continue cooking until the internal temperature of the pork reads between 201-203 degrees F or until the thermometer probe slides into the pork like it's softened butter. This step can take anywhere from 4-6 hours, that's the fun part about BBQ, it's done when it's done.
- Rest, shred, and serve. Remove from the smoker and allow the pork to rest for at least 30 minutes before shredding, removing the bone, and separating the fat and gristly from the meat. Drizzle some additional braising liquid on the pork as desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
**This post was originally published May 2017. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.
Susie, I am making this on Friday and wanting to serve on Super Bowl! Because I am doing ribs and poor mans burnt ends on Super Bowl Sunday, my question is how is the best way to keep the pulled pork over that two days??? Thanks and I love all your recipes!!
Keep in fridge and reheat on lowest setting in the oven. Thank you!
Boom!! Easy and delicious. Made this for my wife’s birthday, as part one. Part two will be pork nachos.
Is there a disadvantage to starting slower at 225° or 180°? I’ll confess, I used a HGH brisket recipe and started slower at 180°. The brisket cooked for 22 hours, unwrapped then wrapped, then rested for two hours (because I couldn’t wait any longer). It was amazing!!!!!! I followed the HGH recipe except for initial cooking temperature.
I’m wondering if it would be ok to start the pulled pork at a lower temperature for a slower cook. Any thoughts?
Oh you can absolutely do that! The only disadvantage would be the longer cook time.
Doing this recipe again for the family. Plus your candid jalapeños. Love it!
I plan on making a 12 lb pork shoulder this weekend. Do your recommend any specific type of bourbon or does it not matter?
Also putting the mop sauce on every hour seems like a lot since it will take 12+ hours. What do you think about letting it smoke for the first 3 hours before applying the mop sauce?
Whatever you have on hand should work fine. You could definitely use that strategy with the mop!
Another hit, your recipes are so easy to follow. I’m always a hero when the family and friends eat whatever it is I make using them. Next up is your armadillo eggs.
So I know the name of this recipe is Bourbon Brown Sugar Pulled Pork. But is there something else I could substitute the bourbon with? Like apple juice or something?
Tried it with the bourbon and loved it. The red pepper flakes added the heat that I like!
Quick question, I ran this recipe with an 8.8 lb pork butt, but it stalled around 150 after 7 hours. Is it okay to take out and foil it at that time or should you wait until it gets to 165? Could it just cook longer in the foil pan to get to done?
You can foil it then if you want to. I don’t foil at a specific temperature. I wait until the bark is exactly where I want it and then wrap.
I am smoking this recipe today and I am an hour in. After making the mop sauce (and not being able to resist tasting) I’m curious if the strength of the chillis backs off a bit through the cook…(or I’ll be the only one eating pork for a week!! Not that I’d complain). I’ll report back and am wondering if that is the case. Very excited either way.
This is by far one of the greatest things I have ever eaten. Great recipe!