Ingredients
Smoked Pork Butt with Bourbon Cherry BBQ Sauce
- 1 Smithfield Pork Butt1
- 1-2 tablespoons Olive oil1-2 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons BBQ Rub seasoning blend2 tablespoons
- 1/2 cup Brown sugar1/2 cup
- 1/2 cup Honey1/2 cup
Sauce
- 3/4 cup Bourbon whiskey3/4 cup
- 2 cups Dark sweet cherries2 cups
- 15 oz Tomato sauce15 oz
- 6 oz Tomato paste6 oz
- 1/4 cup Cider vinegar1/4 cup
- 4 gloves Garlic4 gloves
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder1 teaspoon
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion salt1/2 teaspoon
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce3 tablespoons
- 1/3 cup Brown sugar1/3 cup
- 1/4 cup Molasses1/4 cup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Cayenne pepper1 1/2 teaspoons
- 1 teaspoon Salt1 teaspoon
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground black pepper1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
Trim any excess fat off pork butt the night before smoking it and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Rub all sides with a light coating of olive oil followed by a pre-made seasoning mix. Set uncovered in fridge overnight to help the rub bind to the butt. The next day, set your smoker to 250 degrees. Once it has come to temp, place butt inside and let smoke for six hours or until it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees (smokers can vary greatly on time). Pull the meat, wrap in foil with brown sugar and honey, and place back in the smoker until pork reaches 195-200 degrees. Take the pork butt out of the smoker and let it rest in a cooler for 30 minutes; this keeps the temperature high while the meat stays juicy.
While meat is resting, prepare the barbecue sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the garlic and bourbon. Simmer for 5 minutes; add cherries and simmer another 5 minutes, stirring every so often. Mix remaining ingredients into the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Sauce can be made earlier, if desired, which allows the flavors more time to meld together.
Once pork is fully rested, shred using forks or hands protected in heat resistant gloves. Serve with barbecue sauce.
