Cherry Cola Pulled Pork Recipe | Sweet & Smoky Pork Butt

Client project: I created this cook for Lone Star Grillz on the El Fuego Trio in pellet mode. You can also see the official Lone Star Grillz recipe page.

This Cherry Cola Pulled Pork keeps the process simple: build a flavorful bark at 250°F, then finish the pork in a warm cherry-cola braising liquid until it is tender enough to pull by hand.

Ingredients

• 1 bone-in pork shoulder or pork butt
• Mustard, for a light binder
• Lone Star Grillz Texas Bold Rub or your favorite pork rub
• 1 cup cherry cola
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon additional BBQ rub for the braising liquid

Make the Cherry Cola Braising Liquid

Combine the cherry cola, apple cider vinegar, butter, brown sugar and about a tablespoon of your rub in a small saucepan. Warm it over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring until the butter melts and everything is combined. Set it aside until the pork is ready to wrap.

Prep and Smoke the Pork

1. Trim any loose or excessive fat from the pork. Lightly score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern if desired.
2. Coat the pork lightly with mustard and season generously on every side.
3. Preheat the smoker to 250°F for indirect cooking.
4. Place the pork on the smoker and cook until the bark is dark, dry and firmly set. Depending on the size of the shoulder, this can take several hours.

Braise Until Tender

1. Transfer the pork to a foil pan once the bark is set.
2. Pour the prepared cherry-cola liquid into the pan around the pork rather than directly over the bark.
3. Cover the pan tightly with foil and return it to the smoker.
4. Continue cooking until the pork is probe tender. This commonly happens around 203–206°F internal, but tenderness matters more than the exact number.

Rest and Pull

Keep the pork covered and let it rest for about 60–90 minutes. Then remove the bone, shred the meat and mix in as much of the flavorful pan liquid as you like.

My Tips for Better Pulled Pork

• Wrap by bark, not by the clock. Wait until the seasoning is firmly set before adding the braising liquid.
• Pour liquid around the pork. That helps preserve the bark you worked to build.
• Cook for feel. A probe should slide into the pork with very little resistance.
• Do not skip the rest. The rest is part of the cook and makes pulling much easier.

More Smoked Pork Recipes

If you like this cook, try my Pork Belly Burnt Ends or the Easy Backyard Ribs.

BBQ for the everyday family.