# Question about what kind of wood to use for pork shoulder.



## Solo_Falcon (Jun 26, 2020)

My in-laws just bought me a 16 lb pork shoulder. Plan on making pulled pork with at least half of it. Was curious what kind of wood would pair best with pork seeing how I’m just starting to get into smoking meats. Also if anyone had some suggestions for a run that doesn’t have a lot of salt in it due to dietary restrictions of family members. Thanks to all in advance and happy smoking!


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## yankee2bbq (Jun 26, 2020)

Solo_Falcon said:


> My in-laws just bought me a 16 lb pork shoulder. Plan on making pulled pork with at least half of it. Was curious what kind of wood would pair best with pork seeing how I’m just starting to get into smoking meats. Also if anyone had some suggestions for a run that doesn’t have a lot of salt in it due to dietary restrictions of family members. Thanks to all in advance and happy smoking!


First off, I am thinking you have two pork butts (shoulders) vacuum sealed together.  ( twin pack-8lb pork butts).  I am assuming your smoker is the OK Longhorn, I would suggest Oak, Hickory, or Cherry. The pork butt is very forgiving. For the rub, I just use SPOG. (Salt, pepper, garlic). A lot of those store bought rubs are high in sodium. Happy smoking!


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## Solo_Falcon (Jun 26, 2020)

yankee2bbq said:


> First off, I am thinking you have two pork butts (shoulders) vacuum sealed together.  ( twin pack-8lb pork butts).  I am assuming your smoker is the OK Longhorn, I would suggest Oak, Hickory, or Cherry. The pork butt is very forgiving. For the rub, I just use SPOG. (Salt, pepper, garlic). A lot of those store bought rubs are high in sodium. Happy smoking!


I was thinking that there might be two in there. I used oak and hickory on my brisket so I’ll have to try the cherry wood for this one. And for the run would you recommend granulated garlic or garlic powder or fresh crushed garlic?


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## 6GRILLZNTN (Jun 26, 2020)

Go with Justin on this.  Mixing your own SPOG lets you control the sodium.  His recommendations for smoke wood are spot on, but I would add Apple to that mix.

Dave


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## bpopovitz (Jun 26, 2020)

Solo_Falcon said:


> My in-laws just bought me a 16 lb pork shoulder. Plan on making pulled pork with at least half of it. Was curious what kind of wood would pair best with pork seeing how I’m just starting to get into smoking meats. Also if anyone had some suggestions for a run that doesn’t have a lot of salt in it due to dietary restrictions of family members. Thanks to all in advance and happy smoking!


hey Solo, welcome aboard.  below is a rub recipe  i have used for a long time. I usually leave out the sugars and put that on when I foil with some apple juice. You could also cut the salt back a bit, but this one is really pretty low sodium.  Other advice, start your fire, get temps settled in, relax and enjoy.

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar 
1/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons Emerils Essence
2 tablespoons kosher salt 
2 tablespoons onion powder 
1 tablespoon garlic salt 
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 
1 tablespoon chili powder 
1 teaspoon mustard powder 
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning 
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper


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## yankee2bbq (Jun 26, 2020)

Solo_Falcon said:


> I was thinking that there might be two in there. I used oak and hickory on my brisket so I’ll have to try the cherry wood for this one. And for the run would you recommend granulated garlic or garlic powder or fresh crushed garlic?


The question was, “granulated garlic or garlic powder or fresh garlic?” 
I use garlic powder. I’ve never seen granulated garlic before in grocery stores here in Arkansas. (Although we just got in-door plumbing  last week...)


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## Solo_Falcon (Jun 26, 2020)

yankee2bbq said:


> The question was, “granulated garlic or garlic powder or fresh garlic?”
> I use garlic powder. I’ve never seen granulated garlic before in grocery stores here in Arkansas. (Although we just got in-door plumbing  last week...)


Hahaha made me laugh. Never thought of the different items available to people based on logistics. Thanks for the advice. I’m hoping it’s two pork butts so I can cook both differently.


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## Magic Meat (Jun 26, 2020)

Call me stubborn but I always do a butt with like 85-90% apple and toss in a small split of hickory now and then.. for some weird reason I always associate pork with apples and it always just made sense to use apple wood, I live in the north east US and you can't drive more then a 1/4 mile In any direction without a apple tree on the side of the road with perfectly seasoned dead branches on the bottom, they just call out."please put me in the stick burner " hahaa.. idk.. I just grew up with apple as the staple smoking wood and through the years I have learned to toss a small chunk of hickory in to give it that hint of spiciness..
Go apple with a little hickory, you can't go wrong.


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## pineywoods (Jun 26, 2020)

Cherry will work, of course so would about any other wood depending on personal tastes. The only one I would caution you about is mesquite try that sparingly to begin with and see if you like that strong flavor


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## old sarge (Jun 26, 2020)

I am a hickory user.  As for rub, be it pork or beef, I use salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and brown sugar.


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## noboundaries (Jun 27, 2020)

Pork butts like all kinds of wood, so it really depends on your mood. Hickory, apple, cherry, oak, and mesquite are our favorites.


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## mike243 (Jun 27, 2020)

I like granulated garlic for most rubs and brownulated for my brown sugar, the Domino's GBS wont clump if you don't use all of it, hate having to beat the bottle of rub on the counter to break it up lol


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## forktender (Jun 27, 2020)

Pecan wood is by far my favorite wood for pork second would be an apple hickory or apple and cherry mix.
I don't think you can go wrong with any of the hard fruit woods on pork.


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## Solo_Falcon (Jun 27, 2020)

Magic Meat said:


> Call me stubborn but I always do a butt with like 85-90% apple and toss in a small split of hickory now and then.. for some weird reason I always associate pork with apples and it always just made sense to use apple wood, I live in the north east US and you can't drive more then a 1/4 mile In any direction without a apple tree on the side of the road with perfectly seasoned dead branches on the bottom, they just call out."please put me in the stick burner " hahaa.. idk.. I just grew up with apple as the staple smoking wood and through the years I have learned to toss a small chunk of hickory in to give it that hint of spiciness..
> Go apple with a little hickory, you can't go wrong.


Very good point about the Apple wood. Now all I can picture is a pig roast with an apple in its mouth haha. And yes. Apple wood is very very abundant up around me as well so I’ll have to look into this. Thank you!


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## Magic Meat (Jun 27, 2020)

Solo_Falcon said:


> Very good point about the Apple wood. Now all I can picture is a pig roast with an apple in its mouth haha. And yes. Apple wood is very very abundant up around me as well so I’ll have to look into this. Thank you!


Another thing with apple wood (my preference) is using the dead branches 1" to 3" diameter directly off the tree. The bark on dead apple wood branches usually falls right off really easy, especially after you chunk it up into like 6"-8" long pieces. That is what you want, no bark, and not green,  the bark smokes dirty and can bitter your smoke and give you bad tastes.


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## Magic Meat (Jun 27, 2020)

I keep a cordless sawzall with a pruning blade behind the seat in my pickup. When I go out for milk and bread more times then not I come back with a few branches of apple for my chunk box !
Been smoking for 20 years and have never bought smoke wood !


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## tallbm (Jun 27, 2020)

Hi there and welcome!
I think u are getting a lot of good info here.

I do my pork seasoning/rub with Salt, Pepper, Onion, and Garlic (SPOG) + Paprika.  As mentioned simply do all that in equal parts BUT lower the salt to the level u need.  In TX we historically dont ever use sugar in our rubs plus sugar can burn up and get bitter in some cases.

As for wood, much of the country uses Hickory on pork. I dont go more than 65% hickory on anything but bacon because too much hickory makes everything taste like bacon to me.
I like to do about 60-65% Hickory then Mapple/Cherry  or just Apple.

I think can go with a lot of options but I would recommend throwing in some hickory.  Most Competition Blends are Maple/Cherry/Hickory in various amounts or even amounts.  Play around and see what u like!  :)


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## Solo_Falcon (Jun 27, 2020)

If I’m using lump charcoal from oak and hickory do I still need to use hickory wood to smoke with? Or can I just add Apple?


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## tallbm (Jun 27, 2020)

Solo_Falcon said:


> If I’m using lump charcoal from oak and hickory do I still need to use hickory wood to smoke with? Or can I just add Apple?



The hotter something burns the lest smoke you get from it.  The less hot the more smoke.
So i would think u get some smoke from your oak and hickory but not like if u were generating smoke from wood.
Up to u and really an opportunity to experiment.  Start with just apple and then play around on the next smoke with just hickory or hickory and apple.  All up to u :)


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## daspyknows (Jun 29, 2020)

Apple, maple and pecan are my favorites.


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