Step 1

Add the salt, brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, mustard powder, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix until combined.

Step 2

Sprinkle half of the dry rub over the pork shoulder and massage the rub into the meat. Flip the pork over and sprinkle the rest of the dry rub on top of the rest of the pork and massage the dry rub into the meat. Be sure the whole pork shoulder is coated.

Step 3

Wrap the pork shoulder in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight for best results.

Step 4

Preheat the smoker to 250ºF and add your smoking pellets or smoking chips to the smoker. We used the Signature Traeger Blend pellets. prepare the apple juice spritz. Pour the apple juice, bourbon maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar into a small spray bottle and shake it until combined. Set aside.

Step 5

When the smoker is preheated, place the pork shoulder on the smoker and cook for 7-8 hours. Spritz the whole pork shoulder with the apple juice spritz every hour or hour and a half to keep it from drying out.

Step 6

When the pork shoulder has been on the smoker for 6 hours, lower the temperature to 200ºF.

Step 7

When the internal temperature of the pork reaches 195ºF-205ºF the pork is done.

Step 8

Remove the pork from the smoker and let the meat rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing or shredding.

Step 9

Serve on it’s own, on tacos, on buns, or in a burrito bowl.