Smoked Pork Butt with Cherry Cola Rub

Smoked Pork Butt with Cherry Cola Rub
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Servings
6-8
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
6-8 hours
The classic way to serve pulled pork is on a squishy white bun with a pile of coleslaw–thatapproach works perfectly here. But the tender, flavorful meat is also delicious on its own (a lotof it will likely disappear at the cutting board), or in charred flour or corn tortillas. Finishthe pork with a splash of vinegar (a fruit vinegar would be nice here), hot sauce, or barbecuesauce as you please.
Ingredients
Directions
One bone-in Boston butt pork shoulder (4 ½ to 6 pounds)
Cherry Cola BBQ Rub
Vinegar (white or a red fruit vinegar), optional
Smoked Cherry BBQ Sauce, for serving (optional)
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An hour before you plan to smoke, place the pork shoulder on a rimmed baking sheet lined withfoil or butcher’s paper. Use a paring knife to make several small, ½-inch deep incisions on allsides of the pork. Generously season the shoulder with Cherry Cola BBQ Rub, and use your hands to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside to marinate at room temperature while you preparethe grill.
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Prepare a charcoal grill for two-zone cooking and build a medium-high fire.
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When the coals are glowing red and covered with a fine gray ash, use tongs to remove the cooking grate and place a drip pan with 1 inch of warm water on the side with no coals, and add a fewwood chunks. Carefully wipe the grill grates, then carefully wipe with a lightly oiled towelagain.
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When the fire begins to produce a steady stream of smoke, place the pork over indirect heat,close the grill, vent the grill for smoking, and smoke for 6-8 hours, until an instant-readthermometer inserted into the center of the roast reads 200°F. Add additional coals or woodchunks as needed to maintain a steady temperature of 250°F -275°F.
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Remove the pork from the heat and allow it to rest in a baking dish (to capture its juices) forat least 15 minutes, or up to 30 minutes before serving. To serve, remove the bone and use tongsand a fork to shred the pork into large chunks. (For a finer texture, transfer the meat to acutting board and chop it with a knife.) Drizzle the pork with any juices that are collected inthe dish, and serve with vinegar or barbecue sauce, if you like.