Sweet Smoked Maple Pulled Pork is a perfect savory-sweet breakfast for anyone looking to impress their guests.
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If you are looking for the best smoked maple pork recipe out there, this is it. The sticky, sweet flavor is a perfect twist on traditional pulled pork. It’s not like your typical backyard BBQ Carolina pulled pork. This stuff is like breakfast, all wrapped up in pulled pork form.
What is Maple Pulled Pork?
Maple pulled pork is when pork barbecue and breakfast make a baby. Just like our smoked pulled pork, it’s got that smokiness from being smoked for hours with the rich sweetness from the bourbon maple glaze.
Ingredients for Maple Pulled Pork
- Bone-In Pork Butt – This cut provides the perfect balance of fat and meat for tender, flavorful pulled pork.
- Salt
- Brown Sugar – Adds sweetness and helps to caramelize the pork while cooking, creating a rich flavor.
- Garlic Powder – Infuses the pork with a subtle garlic flavor without overpowering the dish.
- Onion Powder – Adds depth of flavor and complements the other spices in the seasoning blend.
- Paprika – Provides a mild, earthy flavor and a vibrant reddish color to the pork.
- Cayenne Powder – Adds a kick of heat to balance the sweetness of the maple glaze.
- Black Pepper – Contributes warmth and depth of flavor to the seasoning blend.
- Cinnamon – Adds a warm, sweet-spicy note that pairs beautifully with the maple glaze.
- Nutmeg – Offers a subtle, warm, and nutty flavor that enhances the overall complexity of the dish.
Maple Glaze
- Pure Maple Syrup – Real maple syrup adds sweetness and a distinct maple flavor that caramelizes beautifully on the pork during cooking.
- Bourbon (Any Whiskey Works) – Adds depth and complexity to the maple glaze, with its rich, smoky undertones.
- Cayenne Powder (Season to Taste if You Prefer More or Less Spice) – Allows you to adjust the heat level according to your preference.
- Salt
HOW TO MAKE SMOKED MAPLE PULLED PORK
- Slow-smoked pulled pork is as good as it gets. Start by prepping the spice rub the night before and coating the pork evenly. Wrap and store in the fridge overnight.
- Prep your smoker when ready to cook and always have a wireless digital thermometer ready for use. Place meat in the smoker and smoke until the pork reaches 195 to 201 degrees. This is that melt in your mouth fall off the bone magic temperature. Be patient though, as this can take several hours in your smoker.
- During the last hour, baste every 20 minutes with the maple glaze.
- Wait for the pork to cool before using gloves and meat shredders to pull the pork. And as always, add a drizzle of maple syrup glaze for that sweet smokey flavor. See the recipe below for the full details.
Girl Carnivore Expert Recipe Tips
- Choose the right kind of smoking wood for your pulled pork for the best flavor.
- Don’t have a smoker? No worries! You can make this recipe in the oven like our oven pulled pork or in a slow cooker like our slow cooker pulled pork.
- Can’t find a bone-in pork butt? Use a boneless pork butt instead and cut down on the cooking time.
What to Make With Delicious Maple Pulled Pork
The great thing about maple pulled pork is that it’s super versatile. It pairs perfectly with savory dishes for that sweet and salty vibe. Here are some dishes to make with maple pulled pork:
- Place it on top of thick challah bread for the ultimate sweet and savory French toast
- Pulled Pork Enchiladas
- Creamy Mac and Cheese
- A topping on IPA Pulled Pork Cheese Dogs
- Smoked Pulled Pork Stuffed Peppers
- Mix up the roll idea with these Pulled Pork Rolls with Alamaba Sauce
- And win over everyone with this crazy good BBQ pulled pork pizza
- Eggs Benedict
- Grab some hamburger buns and make pulled pork sandwiches.
Leftovers & Reheating
Store the pulled pork in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze it for up to 2-3 months.
To reheat:
- Place leftover pulled pork in a microwave-safe dish.
- Add a splash of water or broth.
- Cover loosely and microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through.
You can also reheat on the stovetop in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
More Maple Recipes
- New England Brunch Burger
- Maple Pepper Bone-in Pork Chops
- Bison Burger with Maple Brussels Slaw
- Baked Maple Salmon
If you want to take your brunch recipes to the next level, you have to make this maple pulled pork. It’s salty, sweet, and utterly delicious.
Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
Smoked Maple Pulled Pork Recipe
Recommended Equipment
- pellet smoker or grill
Ingredients
- 1 5 lbs bone-in pork butt
For the Seasoning Blend
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
For the Maple Glaze
- 1/2 cup real maple syrup
- 1/4 cup bourbon Any whiskey works
- 1 tbsp cayenne powder Season to taste if you prefer more or less spice
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Pat the pork butt dry and place on a clean work surface.
- Whisk the salt, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a bowl.
- Liberally season the entire pork shoulder.
- Wrap and store in fridge until ready to smoke, at least 8 hours later.
- Preheat your smoker to 225.
- Smoke the pork until a wireless thermometer reads 195-201. This can take around 7 to 12 hours depending on your smoker.
- Apply smoke for the first 3 hours for the best flavor.
Meanwhile, make the Maple Glaze.
- Whisk the maple syrup, bourbon, cayenne powder and a pinch of salt in a small pan over medium heat.
- Whisk until the cayenne has dissolved.
- Lower heat and allow the glaze to thicken about 20 minutes longer. Keep warm.
- During the last hour of cook time, baste the pork in the maple glaze every 20 minutes.
- Pull the pork from the smoker and allow to cool before shredding.
- Drizzle any of the remaining maple glaze over top.
- Store in an airtight container or serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
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FAQs
If you found yourself giggling at the phrase “pork butt” like it was a recollection of some sort of puerile taunt from the seventh grade, then you are not alone. You wouldn’t be the first.
But let’s hope you’re the last. Because assuming it refers to the tail end of the pig is a rookie reveal. In fact, pork butt is actually the top shoulder meat of the pig. As opposed to “pork shoulder” per se. Guess what?
It isn’t really the shoulder so much as it is the meat below the butt on the front leg of the pig. Confused?
Don’t be; if you see anything labeled pork butt or pork shoulder, then you are in the right ballpark.
If you are looking for a leaner cut, then pork shoulder has less marbling than pork butt. But since you want the pork to cook low and slow, basting for hours and hours, the butt is best.
Since this is going to cook for hours in the smoker, the extra fat helps keep the meat extra moist and juicy. Full of flavor that just gets better and better as the smoke tickles it for hours on end.
No worries! You can make slow cooker pulled pork in a crock pot. Throw all your ingredients into the slow cooker and set to cook on low heat for 8-10 hours or longer for fork tender pork.
Hi!
Yesterday I made the pulled pork and it was delicious!
Thanks again!
Stefan