Think you have to travel to the South for epic barbecue? You don’t; This easy smoked pulled pork recipe uses a basic cut sitting right there in the meat case: picnic shoulder. And, we’ll show you exactly how to transform this tough cut into tender, smoky perfection that’ll have your friends begging for the recipe.
In this recipe:
While everyone obsesses over pork shoulder or Boston butt, we love a picnic shoulder for the most succulent pulled pork you’ll ever taste – and it costs way less! This budget-friendly cut delivers incredibly juicy, flavorful pulled pork when smoked low and slow. After smoking dozens of shoulders and perfecting our technique through years of trial and error (seriously, ride out the stall), we’ve cracked the code on this often-overlooked cut.
What is a Picnic Shoulder?
A picnic shoulder, also called a pork picnic roast, is the lower part of the pork shoulder, located just above the front leg. It’s a bit leaner than the Boston butt, with more connective tissue.
The trick? When cooked low and slow, it breaks down beautifully, producing juicy pulled pork with deep flavor. It typically comes with the bone in, making it perfect for smoking.
Ingredients
- Bone-in Picnic Roast: Look for one around 5 lbs for manageable cook time.
- Mustard: Acts as a binder to help the rub stick to the meat.
- BBQ Spice Rub: We use GirlsCanGrill Pork Rub, but any balanced blend of sweet, salty, and heat will work.
- Beer: Adds moisture and subtle flavor during the wrap phase. Choose a mild lager or amber ale.
- BBQ Mop – we love our apple cider vinegar mop for pretty much any pulled pork
How to Smoke Pork Picnic Roast
1. Prep the Pork
- Preheat smoker to 250–275°F.
- Score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern with a sharp knife.
- Rub all sides of the picnic shoulder with mustard.
- Generously apply your BBQ rub, pressing it into the meat.
2. Smoke the Shoulder
- Add a drip pan on the diffuser plate and replace grill grates.
- Place pork shoulder fat side up directly over the drip pan.
- Close the lid and smoke for 3–4 hours, spritzing every 45 minutes with a vinegar-based mop.
- Once internal temp hits 165°F, remove from grill.
3. Wrap and Finish
- Wrap the pork in butcher paper or foil.
- Return to grill and continue cooking until the internal temperature hits 205°F, about 3–4 more hours.
- Check every 45 minutes to monitor progress.
4. Rest and Shred
- Transfer pork to a foil pan, cover with a dish towel, and rest for 45 minutes.
- Unwrap and shred the meat, discarding bone and excess fat.
- Toss with a splash of the mop or drippings for added moisture.
Girl Carnivore Pro TIps
- Charcoal & Wood: Use oak lump charcoal and hickory or cherry wood chunks. Wait for clean, blue smoke before adding meat.
- Avoid the Stall Panic: Expect a stall around 165°F. Use butcher paper to power through while still keeping the bark.
- Keep it Moist: Spritz often and use a drip pan to catch flavorful drippings and help reduce the pork shoulder roast from drying out.
- Shredding Tip: Meat should shred easily when fully cooked – don’t rush it. If it resists, let it ride a bit longer.
What to Serve With Smoked Picnic Shoulder
Pair this smoked pulled pork with classic BBQ sides like coleslaw, cornbread, smoky mac and cheese, and baked beans. For something lighter, go with cucumber salad, grilled peaches, or a simple vinegar slaw. If you want, pair it with a little homemade BBQ sauce and pile it high on buns for sandwiches.
Storage & Reheating
- Storage: Cool and store in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze shredded pork in vacuum-sealed or zip-top bags up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers gently in a skillet or foil pan with a splash of broth or mop over medium-low heat.
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Smoked Picnic Shoulder Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 lbs bone-in picnic shoulder
- 4 tbsp mustard
- ¼ cup BBQ spice blend we love GirlsCanGrill Pork Rub
- 8 oz beer
- 1 1/2 cups BBQ Mop
Instructions
Prep the Grill and Picnic Roast
- Preheat your smoker for 250-275 degrees F. See our notes below for charcoal and wood recommendations
- Score the fat cap on top with a sharp fillet knife in a crosshatch pattern.
- Rub the pork shoulder on all sides with the mustard and cover with a liberal coating of the BBQ rub.
- When the grill has preheated and the smoke is no longer thick and heavy, add the drip pan on top of the diffuser plates and place the grill grates on top.
- Close the lid and allow the grill to preheat for another 10 minutes.
Smoke the Picnic Shoulder
- Add your pork, placing it on the grilling grates above the drip pan.
- Close the lid and allow the picnic shoulder to smoke until it reaches 165 degrees F, about 3 to 4 hours depending on weather and elevation. Spritzing with a vinegar-based mop every 45 minutes as it cooks.
Wrap the Pork
- Carefully remove the roast from the grill and wrap it in butcher's paper (or foil).
- Return it to the grill and allow it to smoke for another 3 to 4 hours, until it reaches an internal temp of 205 degrees F, checking every 45 minutes to an hour with your instant-read thermometer.
- When the pork has reached 205°F, carefully remove it from the smoker and place it in a foil pan, covered with a clean dish cloth to rest for 45 minutes.
Pull the Pork and Serve
- Using gloved hands, unwrap the pork and shred it into small pieces. Discard the bone and any cartilage or fat.
- Toss the pork in a little more of the mop to moisten the meat, if needed and serve as desired.
Notes
- What grill will this work on? We used a ceramic kamado-style grill, the Kamado Joe Konnected, but this recipe works on any charcoal grill or pellet smoker. Pro Tip: If using a ceramic grill, wrap the diffuser plates with heavy-duty foil to make clean up a breeze.
- What charcoal and smoking wood to use? We used B&B Oak Lump charcoal and 3 Western Wood Hickory chunks. Cherry wood is also a great choice for pork and will help it get that pretty red color. Always wait for clean wispy ‘blue smoke’ before adding your meat. Heavy, thick smoke leaves an acrid taste on your food.
- The Cut: We love a picnic shoulder because it’s smaller than a standard pork shoulder and cooks faster. It’s a little leaner, so don’t forget to spritz with a mop throughout the cook and use a drip pan to retain as much moisture as possible.
- Interntal Temp: This cut comes from lower on the shoulder, down towards the leg, and in order to get it to fall apart tender, the meat needs to reach 205 degrees F internally, when your digital meat thermometer should slide in without any resistance (as the pros say, “like butter”).
- The Stall: Often, the roast will cook to around 165 degrees F in the first few hours, and then comes what’s known as “the stall,” a tense period when it seems like the internal temp just won’t rise. You can ride this out or speed things up by wrapping the picnic shoulder in foil or pink paper, which is what the pros use because it’s breathable and allows better moisture retention.
Nutrition
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FAQs
No, a smoked picnic shoulder, cut from the shoulder area of the pig, is used for traditional pulled pork, braised, or slow-cooked roasts, versus ham, from the back that’s been cured and smoked and usually sliced thin.
