Rotisserie Pork Shoulder with South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce - tangy mustard sauce is the ideal match for rotisserie shredded pork.
Question from a reader:
Can I do low and slow barbecue style cooking on a rotisserie?
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Of course! Let’s cook a bone in pork shoulder until it is fall off the bone tender. And I mean fall off the bone. My first go around with this recipe used a 16 pound pork shoulder roast…and it was so tender that it dropped off the spit and fell into my drip pan. Whoops.
Also, this is my chance to share South Carolina’s mustard BBQ sauce. The heat and vinegar in mustard sauce cuts through the rich, fatty pork. Those South Carolinians know what they’re doing. No disrespect to North Carolinians, Kansans, or Tennesseans, or anyone else who knows their barbecued pork.
Equipment
- Grill with Rotisserie attachment (I use a Weber Summit with an infrared rotisserie burner. Here is the current version of my grill.)
- Aluminum foil drip pan (9“x13”, or whatever fits your grill. I use an enameled steel roasting pan.)
- Butchers twine
- Instant Read Thermometer
- 4 cups wood chips (divided into 2 (2-cup) servings), soaked for an hour
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Rotisserie Pork Shoulder with South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce Recipe
- Total Time: 6 hours
- Yield: 12-16 1x
Description
Rotisserie Pork Shoulder with South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce - tangy mustard sauce is the ideal match for rotisserie shredded pork.
Ingredients
- 6 pound bone-in pork shoulder roast (Boston butt roast)
Rub (If you have a favorite rub, you can use it instead)
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Mustard BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup yellow mustard
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (I use Frank’s Red Hot)
- Cheap hamburger buns
Instructions
- Season the pork shoulder: Submerge the smoking wood chips in water. Sprinkle the rub evenly over the pork shoulder, working it into any natural seams in the meat. Truss the shoulder with twine, tying it every inch and a half. Run the spit through the center of the roast, just underneath the bone, and secure it on the rotisserie spit with the spit forks. Let the roast rest at room temperature while the grill pre-heats.
- Set the grill up for indirect medium-low heat (300°F) - gas grill: For my Weber Summit, I remove the grates, turn burner #1 to medium, and my smoker burner to high. I put my drip pan in the middle of the grill, over the unlit burners, and let the grill preheat for ten to fifteen minutes. This gives me a grill temperature of 300°F.
- OR: Set up the grill for indirect medium-low heat (300°F) - charcoal grill: For my Weber Kettle charcoal grill I light 40 coals (⅓ of a Weber charcoal chimney, or one full Weber charcoal basket), wait for them to be mostly covered with gray ash, then pile the coals in charcoal baskets on both sides of the charcoal grate. (The charcoal baskets hold the coals in a tight pile.) Finally, I put a drip pan on the charcoal grate between the coals, then put the grill grate back on the grill. To keep the heat going, I add 14 unlit charcoal briquettes to the charcoal baskets every hour.
- Make the mustard BBQ sauce: While the grill is preheating: whisk the mustard BBQ sauce ingredients in a small bowl, then store in the refrigerator while the roast cooks so the flavors mingle.
- Cook the pork shoulder to 205°F internal: Drain the wood chips. If you don't have a smoker box on your grill, wrap the chips in an envelope of aluminum foil and poke a few holes in it for the smoke to escape. Put the wood chips in the smoker box (or put the foil envelope on the burner cover directly above a lit burner.) Put the spit on the rotisserie, start it spinning, and center the drip pan under the pork roast. Cook with the lid closed until the pork reaches 205°F in the thickest part of the meat, about 6 hours. (I recommend cooking to temperature using an instant read thermometer, because the time will vary depending on conditions and the thickness of the roast.)
- Rest, pull and serve: Remove the spit from the grill. Be careful - the spit is hot. Remove the roast from the spit, transfer to a platter, remove the twine, and let the roast rest for 15 minutes. Using a fork and a set of tongs, pull and shred the pork into bite sized pieces, discarding any large hunks of fat and breaking up the crusty exterior of the pork (the best part) so it mixes in with the rest of the meat. Put the pork in a large bowl, take a taste, and add salt and pepper to taste. (The seasoning on the outside of the pork doesn’t get into the center of the meat, so it usually needs a sprinkling of salt and pepper.) Pour in about a half a cup of mustard BBQ sauce and toss to coat the pork. Serve, piling high on the hamburger buns, and passing the rest of the sauce at the table.
Notes
If you have time, rub and truss the roast the night before cooking. Refrigerate overnight. Remove the roast from the refrigerator one hour before cooking, and spit it then.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Category: Sunday Dinner
- Method: Rotisserie
- Cuisine: American
Notes
- If you want to use an entire pork shoulder, make sure you truss it! (I think trussing hold it together on the spit.) It will take a little longer - 6 hours instead of 5 hours - for the larger roast. I’ll try an entire pork shoulder again soon…but I need to invite a crowd over to eat it.
- If any of your dinner guests are put off by the thought of yellow barbecue sauce (*cough* my kids *cough*), finish the recipe through “season the shredded pork with salt and pepper to taste”, then pass the mustard BBQ sauce and a regular tomato based BBQ sauce at the table and let them choose.
- Bonus Video: Stephen Colbert talking up South Carolina barbecue…while turning his back on the state for not supporting his sister in a recent election.
What do you think?
Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
Related Posts
Rotisserie BBQ Baby Back Ribs
Rotisserie Barbecued Pork Belly
Rotisserie Barbecued Chicken
Sous Vide Pork Shoulder Steaks
Click here for my other rotisserie recipes.
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Lonnie
Mike its Lonnie again (we last chatted in 2016). I've continued to use this recipe, as its a fav with not only my family, but friends too who've had it. I'm doing my first one for 2021 on a new BBQ today (Broil King Signet) , 8lb'er. Can't wait.
I've only ever done pork shoulder on the rotisserie. Do you have any other rotisserie meat recipe's you'd suggest? Also any ribs, steaks or other BBQ recipes. I've found your instructions easy to follow, but I'd love to learn more to cook on the BBQ than just hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken breast.
Thanks! Lonnie
Rich
Hi Mike, I’m going to try this tonight but have a boneless pork butt that’s 4.75lbs. Does boneless affect the cooking time?
Mike Vrobel
Boneless doesn't affect the cooking time - but don't go by time, go by internal temperature.
Kennth Robison
Love this pulled pork. Especially the mustard sauce. I make extra mustard sauce to use with many other meals like chicken nuggets and roast beef sandwiches.
Jack
Made this yesterday for my nephew's birthday. Huge hit!! Can't wait to make it again. Thanks Mike!!
Mike Vrobel
You’re welcome!
Jeremy
Hey Mike. I am excited to try this recipe for Easter! What flavor wood chips would you recommend for the smoker?
Mike Vrobel
Hickory is traditional with pork; I use Apple or cherry wood too. Oak and pecan are also good.
Dawn
It was easy to follow the recipe. It was delicious with or without the bbq sauce. I had one kid who liked the mustard bbq and one who chose to eat it as is. I will make it again.
Lonnie
Had 2 x 9lb on the rotisserie over the weekend. Had it on for 7 hours, on low heat. Didn't quite get the full pulled pork feel, as I had to take it off as everyone was waiting for dinner. Pork was still so juicy and yummy. If I left it on longer, would the rest of the pork pull?
Lonnie
Hi Mike - this recipe was amazing and my whole family loved it. I've used your recipe twice now and will continue. Based on your 16lb "disaster" have you tried this again and if so how long would you cook it for? I'm wanting to cook a good sized pork shoulder for a party I'm hosting in couple of weeks. Thanks
Mike V
I haven't tried it again - but, based on the timings on that one (it was just about done), I'd estimate 7 to 8 hours. Or, if you have space on your spit, do multiple smaller roasts - they'll cook for the time listed in this recipe.
Lonnie
Hey Mike,
You say 7-8 hours, but in your "disaster" post you said at 7 hours it fell apart. So would it not be wise to do about 6 1/2 hrs?
I've done multiple small ones before, but still only 2 x 4lb. See how we go.
Lonnie
Mike V
The thing is, you want it "fall apart tender". My problem was I got lazy, and didn't truss the roast. That would have held it together (and on the spit), and got me to where I wanted it. (Smaller roasts weigh less - that's why I don't need to truss them; they don't weigh enough to pull off the spit...but I've been trussing them ever since I had this problem, just in case.)
Let me know how it goes!
Lonnie
Thanks Mike. I actually ordered 2 x 8lb ones. Based on your instructions, would 6 hours be enough you think? As its 2 of them? Yes, I'll make sure I truss them, and yes I'll let you know how it I go.
Also, I have a smoker box I've never used before, with having a rotisserie burner for the meat, would a smoke box actually work, as there won't be any flame / heat coming from underneath the smoke box?
Mike V
Smoke box won't work unless it is over direct heat. 6-7 hours for the ticker roast - but go by internal temperature, not time.
mike
This was terrific! Made a 7 pounder on my Weber charcoal rotisserie. fed 6 adults and lots of left overs. The sauce was amazing. thanks!!
joan r
should i still cook the shoulder 5 hours even though it's just 3.5lbs?
Thanks for your recipe as I've just got a new rotisserie for my weber gas bbq and excited to try pork shoulder!
Mike V
That will take less time. (It is more a matter of thickness). I'd guess 3 to 4 hours; aim for 195 to 205°F internal temp.
Rudy K
I used a 5.5lb Boston Butt. I have to tell you I had my doubts about cooking this piece of meat for 5 hours and at an internal temp of 195 but damned if it didn't turn out totally yummy with burnt ends and all. I used a Char-Broil Gourmet 2 Burner Gas Grill and put the meat to the right side of the spit over a drip pan with cider vinegar in it. On the left side with the heat I put pecan in one smoke box and hickory in the other. About 1/2 way thru I slowly poured cider vinegar over the pork as it turned to get some more in the drip pan and then took some of the mustard sauce and brushed it on slowly. It was a pleasure and changed the way I will do pulled pork forever. Thank you Mike!
Diane
Can you freeze the pulled pork before adding the sauce?
Mike V
Sure.
Will M
My father used to do pork shoulders just like this, almost EXACTLY, down to the sauce and rub. He grew up in Charlotte, NC so I'm sure he saw it down this way back in the 50's and 60's. It gives such a great tasting bark on the outside; quite possibly the best tasting thing ever.
Mike V
Thank you! I'm glad to hear I'm following in your father's footsteps.
Ed Malone
Giving this one a shot today! How can we share pics on this site? I use a weber smoker box and it just doesn't work well.
Mike V
Sorry, I don't think my blog software handles sharing pics.
MJ
I would love to try this out, but just have a quick question. Did you ever turn on the actual rotisserie burner? If so, what setting(s)? I've read some of your recipes and on other sites where the rotisserie burner is on high initially and then turned to low or off for the remainder of the time.
The pork looks delicious, can't wait to try it out! Thanks!
Mike V
For this one, no rotisserie burner - we want low and slow.
BBQ Bill
WOW! Perfect! The timing/temp instructions were exactly right. I chose to remove the bone first not sure why....and the mustard/vinegar sauce was spectacular. I added additional hot sauce but that was just my preference, then served it on whole wheat slider size buns with home made coleslaw. What a hit, the entire family loved it! Thanks.
Mike V
Excellent! I'm glad it worked so well for you.