Texas-Style Smoked Pulled Pork on a Traeger Pellet Grill

This Texas-style smoked pulled pork is made with pork neck on a Traeger or other pellet grill or smoker.

I used a rather small cut that was nicely marbled, and it turned really tender and juicy when cooked low and slow!

This pulled pork is perfect when served in buns with Texas pickle slaw and BBQ sauce for an easy smoked pulled pork meal.

Why You Must Try This Recipe

This recipe gives you real smoked pulled pork flavor without needing a huge pork shoulder or an overnight cook.

I used a 3-pound (about 1.5 kg) piece of pork neck, which has enough fat to stay juicy but still cooks in a reasonable time.

The method is simple: smoke it first for flavor and bark, then wrap it until tender enough to shred.

Here’s why you will love this recipe:

• Smaller cut, faster cook: This pork took about 5 hours on my Traeger pellet grill.
• Juicy texture: Pork neck has enough marbling for pulled pork.
• Simple Texas-style flavor: Salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and smoke do most of the work.
• Great for sandwiches: The shredded pork works perfectly with buns, coleslaw, or Texas slaw, all topped with BBQ sauce.

What Exactly Makes This Texas-Style Pulled Pork?

Texas-style BBQ is all about smoke, meat, and simple seasoning:

• Black pepper forward: Coarse black pepper gives the pork that BBQ bark flavor.
• Simple rub: No complicated spice mix is needed.
• Smoke first, sauce later: The pork tastes good before adding any BBQ sauce.
• Tender and pullable: Wrapping helps the pork finish cooking without drying out.

Best Cut of Pork for This Recipe

For this recipe, I used pork neck, also called pork collar. It works really well for pulled pork because it has enough fat and connective tissue to stay juicy during smoking.

You don’t need a huge pork shoulder for this version. A smaller 2- to 4-pound piece is enough for a family meal and cooks much faster.

The best cuts for this recipe are:

• Pork neck/pork collar: Great choice for smaller pulled pork recipes.
• Pork shoulder: Also works, but usually takes longer.
• Boston butt: The classic American pulled pork cut, if you can find it.

Avoid very lean pork roasts. They will dry out before they become tender enough to shred.

Ingredient Notes

The ingredients for this recipe are simple, and that’s the point!

This is not a sweet, heavily sauced pulled pork recipe. The flavor comes from the smoke, pork, black pepper, and a basic BBQ-style rub.

For this recipe you’ll need:

• Pork neck (or other similar cut): I used a 3-pound (about 1.5 kg) piece of pork neck.
• Salt: Helps season the meat all the way through.
• Coarse black pepper: Gives the pork that Texas-style BBQ flavor.
• Garlic powder and onion powder: Adds savory flavor without making the rub complicated.
• Smoked paprika: Adds color and a mild smoky-sweet flavor.
• Brown sugar: Optional, but it helps with bark and balances the pepper.
• Apple juice: Added when wrapping to keep the pork moist.
• BBQ sauce: Optional for serving, especially if making sandwiches.

How to Make Texas-Style Smoked Pulled Pork

My method for cooking this pulled pork is simple: season the pork, smoke it until the bark sets, wrap it, then finish cooking until the meat is tender enough to shred.

I smoked a 1.5 kg piece of pork neck at 250°F (121°C). It took about 3.5 hours to reach 160°F (70°C), then about 1.5 more hours wrapped to reach 200°F (93°C).

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs (1.5 kg) pork neck, or other similar cut like pork shoulder or collar
• 2 tbsp coarse black pepper
• 1.5 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 150–200 ml apple cider/juice
• BBQ sauce, for serving
• Buns and Texas pickleslaw or coleslaw, for serving

Best Wood for This Recipe

I used Traeger hickory pellets, which gave the pork a bold, classic BBQ smoke flavor.

When choosing wood pellets or smoker wood, oak is another great all-around choice, while apple or cherry wood will add a milder, slightly sweeter smoke that also works well with pork.

Step 1: Season the Pork

Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Mix the black pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and brown sugar in a small bowl.

Rub the seasoning all over the pork. Let it sit at room temperature while your pellet grill or smoker preheats.

Step 2: Smoke the Pork

Preheat the Traeger pellet grill (or other smoker) to 250°F (121°C).

Place the pork directly on the grill grates and insert the thermometer probe into the middle of the pork. Smoke it until the outside has a nice bark and the internal temperature reaches about 160°F (70°C).

For my 3-pound (about 1.5 kg) pork neck, this took about 3.5 hours.

Step 3: Wrap the Pork

Transfer the pork to a large piece of foil. Add 150–200 ml apple cider/juice, then wrap the pork tightly so the steam stays inside.

Place the wrapped pork back on the smoker.

Step 4: Cook Until Tender

Keep cooking until the internal temperature reaches about 200°F (93°C) and the meat feels tender when pierced with a thermometer probe.

For my pork, the total cooking time was about 5 hours.

If the meat is not tender yet, keep cooking a little longer. Temperature is useful, but tenderness matters most.

Step 5: Rest and Shred

Remove the pork from the Traeger/smoker and let it rest, still wrapped, for about 30 minutes.

Open the foil carefully and save the juices. Shred the pork with two forks, then mix in some of the juices to keep it moist.

Serve in buns with Texas pickle slaw (see the recipe later in this article) and BBQ sauce, or use it for BBQ plates, tacos, or loaded potatoes.

How Long to Smoke Pulled Pork

For a smaller piece (3 pounds) of pork neck, the total cook time was about 5 hours at 250°F (121°C), plus a 30-minute rest.

The first part of the cook is for smoke and bark. The wrapped part is for tenderness.

The exact time depends on the size and shape of the pork, so use temperature and tenderness more than the clock. Bigger cuts of pork shoulder might need up to 10 hours of cooking, or a bit higher temperature.

Best Internal Temperature for Pulled Pork

Pulled pork is usually ready around 200–205°F (93–96°C), but the real test is how it feels.

When the thermometer probe slides into the pork with little resistance, it is ready to rest and shred. If it still feels tight, keep cooking it a little longer.

What to Serve with Texas-Style Pulled Pork

I served this pulled pork in buns with a Texas pickle slaw (see the recipe below) and BBQ sauce.

The smoky pork is rich, so something crunchy and acidic works really well with it.

Good serving ideas:

• Pulled pork buns with Texas pickle slaw or coleslaw and BBQ sauce.
• BBQ plates with potatoes, slaw, and sauce.
• Pulled pork tacos with onion, cilantro, and lime.
• Loaded baked potatoes with pork, cheese, and BBQ sauce.
• Rice bowls with slaw and hot sauce.

Try My Texas Pickle Slaw!

I served this pulled pork with a tangy pickle slaw instead of traditional coleslaw.

The pickles, crisp apple, and sharp, creamy dressing add plenty of crunch and cut through the rich smoked pork.

Quick Texas Pickle Slaw Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6–8

Ingredients:

• 5–6 cups finely sliced cabbage
• 2 carrots, grated or cut into small slices
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 crisp apple, cut into thin strips
• 3–4 dill pickles, chopped
• 1–2 tbsp chopped pickled jalapeños, optional
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp Dijon or yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1–2 tbsp pickle juice
• 1–2 tsp honey
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp coarse black pepper

Instructions:

1. Prepare the slaw: Add the cabbage, carrot, red onion, apple, pickles, and optional jalapeños to a large bowl.
2. Mix the dressing: Stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, vinegar, pickle juice, honey, salt, and black pepper.
3. Combine and chill: Toss the dressing with the slaw and let it rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving.

5 Tips for Juicy Smoked Pulled Pork

This is a simple recipe, but a few small things make a big difference:

• Use a fatty cut: Pork neck, pork collar, Boston butt, or pork shoulder all work well.
• Don’t rush the first smoke: Let the bark get dark before wrapping.
• Wrap tightly: This helps the pork finish cooking without drying out.
• Rest before shredding: Resting keeps the juices in the meat and evens out the temperature.
• Save the juices: Mix some of the foil juices back into the shredded pork.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover pulled pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.

For reheating, warm it gently in a pan with a splash of water, apple juice, or leftover cooking juices. You can also reheat it in foil in the oven until hot.

Pulled pork also freezes well. Pack it with some of the juices so it stays moist when reheated.