Smoked Pork Butt with Bourbon Cherry BBQ Sauce
TOTAL TIME20 hrs 0 mins
SKILL LEVELIntermediate
SERVINGS8-10
About this RecipeThis fun-to-prepare smoked wonder will make you reconsider running to your favorite BBQ joint—tender, slow-smoked pork butt served with a sweet-spicy bourbon cherry BBQ sauce. Succulent and satisfying enough to make any pitmaster proud and well worth the effort!
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Ingredients
Gather Ingredients from the list below 1-2 tbsps. olive oil 2 tbsps. BBQ rub seasoning blend 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup honey 3/4 cup bourbon whiskey 2 cups dark sweet cherries 15 oz. tomato sauce 6 oz. tomato paste 1/4 cup cider vinegar 4 cloves garlic 1 tsp. onion powder 1/2 tsp. onion salt 3 tbsps. Worcestershire sauce 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup molasses 1 1/2 tsps. cayenne pepper 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Gather Ingredients from the list below
Smoked Pork Butt
Bourbon Cherry BBQ Sauce
Directions
1.
Pork Butt: The night before smoking, trim any excess fat off the pork butt and dry it thoroughly with paper towels.
2.
Rub all sides of the pork with a light coating of olive oil, then apply a pre-made seasoning mix evenly.
3.
Place the pork butt uncovered in the refrigerator overnight to help the rub bind to the meat.
4.
The next day, set your smoker to 250°F and allow it to come to temperature.
5.
Once the smoker is ready, place the pork butt inside and smoke for six hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (note that smoker times may vary).
6.
Remove the pork from the smoker, wrap it in foil with brown sugar and honey, and return it to the smoker.
7.
Continue smoking until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 195–200°F.
8.
Take the pork butt out of the smoker and let it rest in a cooler for 30 minutes to retain heat and juiciness.
9.
BBQ Sauce: While the meat is resting, prepare the barbecue sauce by combining garlic and bourbon in a large skillet over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes.
10.
Add cherries to the skillet and simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
11.
Mix in the remaining sauce ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil.
12.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
13.
(Optional): You can make the sauce earlier to allow the flavors more time to meld.
14.
Once the pork has fully rested, shred it using forks or your hands protected with heat-resistant gloves.
15.
Serve the shredded pork with the prepared barbecue sauce.
