Preparation:
Rinse, dry, and then trim the shoulder until there is ~1/8in of fat remaining on the fatty side of the hunk. We want to get the rub on the meat, not on the fat that will render during cooking and remove the rub.
Dry brine the shoulder overnight the night before you’re planning on cooking it by liberally sprinkling salt (~1/2 tsp of salt per pound of meat) all over the butt, then placing it in the refrigerator.
Usually about half-way through the dry brining process, I mix together ~1C Mustard, 1/2C Honey and a few dashes of cider vinegar and brush it on the outside of the butt. This adds a flavorful base that the rub will stick to.
After brining and basting, a few hours before cooking or as you’re waiting for the smoker to get to temperature, liberally rub the shoulder with the spice mixture below. Feel free to change it up, but keep the sugar…it’s makes the bark crunchy
Place your thermometer into the center of the cut at least 1/2in away from the bone
Rub:
3/4C firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4C white sugar
1/4C Paprika
1/4C Smoked Paprika
1/4C Garlic Powder
2TBsp ground black pepper
2TBsp ground ginger powder (Optional)
2TBsp Onion Powder
2tsp Rosemary Powder (Optional)
Set smoker to 225, and once it gets to temperature add the meat in. After that, I usually add a mixture of hickory and apple chips to the smoker every half hour for two hours
After that time period just let it go until the internal temp gets to 190. At 190, pull on the bone and see if it pulls out cleanly, if it does, the butt is done, if not, let it go until the temp hits 203-205.
If there is no bone, jab a fork into the side of the butt and turn it 90 degrees. If it turns with little effort, the meat is ready.