Smoked Wild Hog Shoulder
Wild hog is leaner and gamier than the pork you buy, so it needs help staying moist. Brine it 12 to 24 hours, inject if you want insurance, and smoke at 250F. Wrap at 165F to drive through the stall, pull at 200 to 203F, and dress the pulled meat with a thin vinegar sauce.
- Method
- Low & Slow
- Total time
- 10 to 14 hr plus brine
- Target internal temp
- 200 to 203F
- Gear
- Folding BBQ Fork, offset smoker
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Serves
- 10 to 12
Ingredients
- 1 wild hog shoulder, 6 to 8 lb
- For brine: 1 gallon water, 1 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup BBQ rub
- Optional injection: 1 cup apple juice plus 2 tbsp salt
- Vinegar sauce: 2 cups cider vinegar, 1 tbsp red pepper flake, 1 tbsp sugar, salt
The Cook
- 01
Submerge the shoulder in the brine and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours. Wild hog needs the salt and moisture more than store pork does.
- 02
Pull it, pat dry, and inject the apple juice mix throughout if using.
- 03
Coat in rub and let it sit while the offset comes up to 250F with hickory.
- 04
Smoke fat side up, fire managed steady at 250F.
- 05
At 165F internal the bark is set and the stall hits. Wrap tight in foil or butcher paper. Failure point: skip the wrap on lean hog and it dries out long before it gets tender.
- 06
Push to 200 to 203F internal, where the bone wiggles free and the meat probes like butter.
- 07
Rest wrapped at least 45 minutes, then hand-pull with the fork.
- 08
Dress the pulled meat with the thin vinegar sauce to add moisture back.
Doneness
Done is a feel, not just a number. Around 200 to 203F the fork twists with no resistance and the blade bone pulls clean. If it fights you, it needs more time.
Pro Tip
Do not cook wild hog like a backyard Boston butt and walk it to 203F unwrapped. Leaner meat with less intramuscular fat will be sawdust. Wrap at the stall and inject if you have any doubt.
Questions
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