4 Cups Apple Juice

1 cup pakced brown sugar

1 tsp whole black pepper corns

1 cup kosher salt

2 cups cold water

2 cups ice

1 lemmon, sliced

1 orange, sliced

1 bone-in picknic shoulder 5+ lbs

Plan ahead, this recipe brines overnight and cooks all day, but it’s well worth the time for these delicious flavors.

In a large bowl, combine all of the brine ingredients and stir until the salt and sugar crystals have completely dissolved. Pour over the pork butt in a food-safe bucket or food storage container. Be sure the pork is fully submerged in the brine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to cook, set the Traeger to 225 degrees and preheat, lid closed for 15 minutes.

While the grill preheats, remove the pork roast from the brine and reserve the liquid.

Using a meat injector, inject the pork with some of the remaining brine about every two inches across the entire roast.

Pour the rest of the brine into a bowl and set aside. This will be used as your mop sauce during the cooking process.

Put the pork roast on the grill grate, fat-side up and smoke for 3 hours, mopping with the apple juice brine every hour after the first hour.

Transfer pork roast to a disposable aluminum foil pan large enough to hold the roast.

Increase the temperature to 250 degrees, and roast for 6-8 additional hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part, but not touching the bone, registers 204-206 degrees. If the pork starts to brown too much, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.

Carefully transfer the pork roast to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 20 minutes. Pour the juices from the bottom of the pan into a gravy separator.

With your hands, pull the pork into chunks. Discard the bone and any lumps of fat, including the cap. Pull each chunk into shreds, and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Season pulled pork with additional rub and moisten with the reserved pork juice.