Saucy Rossy BBQ
Pork

275°F Traeger Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Sobeys pork shoulder rubbed with two Prairie Smoke & Spice rubs, smoked at 275°F on a Traeger Woodridge Pro, wrapped at 175°F, pulled at 198°F and piled on sesame buns.

Time~10 hrs Prep20 min YieldServes 8–10 CategoryPork Watch4:03
275°F Traeger Pulled Pork Sandwiches — watch on YouTube

Watch the full cook on YouTube

Method

  1. 1Season the pork shoulder liberally with Prairie Smoke & Spice All-Purpose Dry Rub and Maple Candy Dry Rub.The all-purpose rub is the savoury base and the maple candy rub brings the sweetness, and the two blend well on pork. Cover every face; a shoulder is a big, thick cut and most of the flavour ends up in the bark. Pat the rub on rather than scrubbing it in so it stays put.
  2. 2Smoke it on the Traeger Woodridge Pro at 275°F with the MEATER probe in.275°F sits in the middle of the workable range for pork shoulder, roughly 225°F to 325°F. If you only have 5 or 6 hours, bump it to 325°F and it still gets the job done. Put the probe in the thickest part, away from any bone, so you can follow the cook without lifting the lid.
  3. 3Check it regularly, and give it a quick spritz of apple cider vinegar each time you open the lid.Spritzing keeps the surface from drying out, and the vinegar's acidity suits pork. Tie it to the checks you are already making rather than opening the lid just to spritz — every opening costs heat. Patience is the main job in this phase.
  4. 4When it reaches 175°F internal — about 6½ hours here — move it to a foil tray with a little apple cider vinegar, butter and BBQ sauce, and cover it tightly with foil.By 175°F the bark has had most of its time to form, and wrapping now helps push through the stall. The vinegar, butter and sauce become a braising liquid that keeps the meat moist and seasons the juices. Keep it to a little; the shoulder releases plenty of its own.
  5. 5Push the thermometer back in through the foil and cook until about 198°F and probe tender.Probe tender matters more than the number: the probe should slide in and out with almost no resistance everywhere you test. Shoulder collagen needs time at temperature to break down, and a shoulder that reads 198°F but still feels tight needs longer.
  6. 6Rest it for about 1–2 hours.The rest made a real difference to how this one pulled. It lets the temperature even out and the meat relax, so it separates into long, tender strands instead of shredding into dry threads. A cooler or a switched-off oven keeps it warm if it has to wait.
  7. 7Pull the pork, pour off most of the juices but leave a little in, and mix it back through the meat.It should fall into long strands with almost no effort. Pick out any bone and large pieces of fat as you go. Mixing a little of the juice back through keeps the pork moist; pouring all of it back makes it soggy.
  8. 8Toss the pulled pork with the BBQ sauce of your choice.Almost any BBQ sauce goes with pork, so use a favourite. Add it a little at a time — you want the pork coated, not swimming, and more can always go on at the table.
  9. 9Pile a baseball-sized portion onto a Dempster's sesame seed bun and top with French mustard, pickles, onions and pickled hot peppers.A handful about the size of a baseball makes a proper sandwich that still holds together. Mustard, pickles, onions and hot peppers bring acid, crunch and heat to cut through the rich, sweet pork. Add extra sauce if you like, though it does not need it.

Watch it on YouTube

What each ingredient is doing

Pork shoulder
Sold as butt or picnic, and full of fat and connective tissue that break down into tender, pullable meat over a long cook. The butt is the more even, easier-to-pull cut; the picnic has more skin and bone.
All-Purpose Dry Rub
The savoury base layer. Any savoury all-purpose or pork BBQ rub can stand in.
Maple Candy Dry Rub
The sweet maple layer, and the sugar helps the bark colour up. Any sweet or maple rub works; sugar-heavy rubs darken faster, which is fine at 275°F.
Apple cider vinegar
Used twice, for spritzing and in the wrap. Its acidity cuts the richness of pork. Apple juice is the softer, sweeter swap.
Butter
Adds fat and richness to the wrap. It combines with the vinegar and BBQ sauce into a seasoned braising liquid.
BBQ sauce
Goes in the wrap and is tossed through the pulled meat. Pretty much any BBQ sauce goes with pork, so pick the one you like.
Sandwich toppings
French mustard, pickles, onions and pickled hot peppers: acid, crunch and a little heat against fatty, sweet pork. Coleslaw is the obvious alternative.

Temperature guide

StageTempWhat it means
Pit275°F / 135°CThe middle of the 225–325°F range that works for shoulder.
Wrap175°F / 79°CReached after about 6½ hours. Into a foil tray with vinegar, butter and sauce.
Done~198°F / 92°CAnd probe tender everywhere — the feel matters more than the number.
Rest1–2 hoursWhat lets it pull into long strands.

Pitmaster tips

  • Season heavily and on every face. A shoulder is thick, and most of the flavour ends up in the bark.
  • Pick the pit temperature to fit your day. Anywhere from 225°F to 325°F works, and 325°F gets it done in 5–6 hours if you are short on time.
  • Use a probe thermometer so you are not opening the lid to check. Every opening costs heat.
  • Spritz when you are already checking, not on a schedule of its own.
  • Wrap at about 175°F — late enough for bark to have formed, early enough to push through the stall.
  • Keep the wrap liquid small. The shoulder releases plenty of its own juice.
  • Cook to probe tender, not just 198°F. If the probe drags anywhere, give it more time.
  • Do not skip the rest. It is what makes the pork pull into long strands rather than shreds.
  • Pour off most of the juice before mixing. A little keeps it moist; all of it makes it soggy.
  • Sauce lightly and let people add more at the table.

If it goes wrong

The pork will not pull
It is undercooked. The collagen needs more time; cover it back up and keep cooking until the probe slides in with no resistance, even if the thermometer already reads 198°F.
The pulled pork is dry
It was pulled without a proper rest, or the juices were all poured away. Rest at least an hour and mix some of the juice back through.
It is soggy
Too much juice mixed back in, or too much sauce. Pour off most of the liquid and add sauce a little at a time.
The cook is running long
That is the stall. Wrapping at 175°F helps push through it, and if time is short, raise the pit toward 325°F.
The bark is soft
Expected after a covered foil wrap, since it softens in the steam. For a firmer bark, wrap later or use butcher paper instead of a covered tray.
The bun falls apart
Too much sauce or juice in the pork. Toast the bun cut side down for a minute and keep the pork moist rather than wet.

Ways to change it up

Hot and fast
Run the Traeger at 325°F for a 5–6 hour cook, as suggested in the video. Same wrap and finish.
Low and slow
Run it at 225°F for more smoke time and a deeper bark. Budget roughly 1½–2 hours per pound.
Slaw on top
Swap the mustard and pickles for a sharp vinegar coleslaw, Carolina-style.
Apple juice instead of vinegar
Use apple juice in the spritz and the wrap for a sweeter, milder result.
Different rubs
Any savoury all-purpose rub with a sweet rub layered over it follows the same idea.

What to serve it with

  • On Dempster's sesame seed buns with French mustard, pickles, onions and pickled hot peppers, as in the video.
  • Coleslaw, on the side or on the sandwich.
  • Extra BBQ sauce at the table.
  • Baked beans, potato salad or fries.
  • A cold beer.

Storage & reheating

Pulled pork keeps 3–4 days refrigerated. Store it with some of its juices, sauced or unsauced, in a sealed container.

Reheat covered in a pan or a 250–275°F oven with a splash of the reserved juice, apple juice or broth, stirring until hot. A vacuum-sealed bag in simmering water also works well. The microwave dries the edges unless you add liquid and cover it.

It freezes very well for 2–3 months in portioned, vacuum-sealed or zip-top bags with some juice. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

FAQ

What temperature should I smoke a pork shoulder at?

Anywhere from 225°F to 325°F works. 275°F is a good middle ground — this one reached 175°F in about 6½ hours. If you are short on time, 325°F will do it in 5–6 hours.

When should I wrap a pork shoulder?

Around 175°F, once the bark has formed. Wrapping helps push through the stall, when evaporation holds the temperature flat for hours. Add a little liquid; here it was apple cider vinegar, butter and BBQ sauce.

What internal temperature is pulled pork done?

Usually somewhere around 195–205°F, but the real test is probe tenderness. This one came off at about 198°F, once the probe slid in with almost no resistance. If it still feels tight, keep going.

How long should pulled pork rest?

At least an hour, and one to two hours is better. The rest evens out the temperature and lets the meat relax, so it pulls into long strands. Keep it in a cooler or a switched-off oven if it needs to wait longer.

Should I spritz a pork shoulder?

It helps keep the surface from drying out, and apple cider vinegar's acidity suits pork. Only do it when you are already opening the lid to check, since every opening costs heat.

What goes on a pulled pork sandwich?

Mustard, pickles, onions and hot peppers is the combination here — acid, crunch and heat against rich, sweet pork. Coleslaw is the other classic. Keep extra BBQ sauce at the table.

Know your cook

More information, cause recipe back stories are stupid

No 500-word life story — just the good-to-know stuff on what’s actually in this cook. Here’s the rundown on every real ingredient, health and nutrition wise.

Pork
Pork is a protein-rich meat that's especially high in thiamine (vitamin B1) — more than most other meats — plus B6, niacin, and selenium. Tenderloin and loin are lean; shoulder and belly are richer, so portion the fattier cuts.
Onion
Onions are low-calorie aromatics rich in fibre, vitamin C, and antioxidants such as quercetin. They add depth and gentle sweetness without much fat or salt.
Apple
Apples add natural sweetness, fibre, and vitamin C. In a brine or alongside pork they balance salt and smoke; on their own they're a low-calorie, gut-friendly fruit.
Butter
Butter adds richness and helps carry sauce into the meat, but it's high in saturated fat and calories, so it works best as a finishing touch rather than by the cupful.

General nutrition info only, not medical or dietary advice — portions, brands and add-ons change the numbers.

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