Smoked Pulled Pork Chili is the ultimate fusion of smoky flavors and mouthwatering tenderness in a bowl. This chili combines tender onions and celery with pinto beans, diced tomatoes, and spice in slow simmered perfection.
This recipe combines two beloved classics: smoked pulled pork and chili, and they are a match made in heaven. Picture the succulent, smoky tenderness of perfectly cooked pork, intertwined with a medley of vibrant spices and slow-cooked beans.
Pulled pork is one of my favorite things. The slow smoking process not only imparts a mesmerizing flavor but also creates a texture that practically melts in your mouth.
The smokiness pares beautifully with the savory chili spices, creating a symphony of taste that will leave your taste buds singing. So, join us as we explore the step-by-step process of creating a smoked pulled pork chili that will become the star of your next gathering, a go-to for family dinners, or simply your new favorite comfort food indulgence.
The Ideal Cut for Pulled Pork
When it comes to smoked pulled pork, the cut of meat you use is key. The most commonly used, and indeed the best cut for this purpose, is the pork butt or shoulder, also known as the Boston butt.
This part of the pork has an optimal balance of fat and muscle, ensuring the meat remains moist and flavorful during the long, slow cooking process. Its generous marbling leads to a deliciously tender and rich end product.
As the pork butt cooks slowly over the low heat of the smoker, the fat renders and bastes the meat, resulting in a succulent and tender meat that can be pulled easily and used for all kinds of great dishes, like smoked pulled pork tacos, pulled pork pizza, and sandwiches.
What is Pork Butt?
Contrary to what its name suggests, pork butt is not actually from the behind of the pig. Instead, it is a cut of meat from the upper shoulder area, the same area as the pork shoulder, except it has more marbling and fat than pork shoulder.
Pork butt is a well-marbled and flavorful cut, thanks to its higher fat content compared to other cuts of pork. This fat plays a crucial role when it comes to smoking or slow cooking.
As the pork butt undergoes the low and slow cooking process, the fat slowly renders, basting the meat and infusing it with incredible juiciness and flavor. This makes it ideal for smoking, as the fat helps keep the meat moist and prevents it from drying out.
» Serve this pork with The Best Smoked Mac and Cheese and Smoked Corn on the Cob.
Ingredients Needed
For The Pulled Pork
- Pork Butt – Pork Butt comes in a lot of sizes. Get one that suits your needs. It will take more or less time on the smoker depending on the size so it’s important to use a meat thermometer. You can also use pork shoulder for this recipe. It’s interchangeable.
- Mustard – Use a ground mustard or our delicious Carolina Gold Sauce
- Pork Dry Rub – See our recipe for pork dry rub here, or use any store-bought you like.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Use any vinegar you have on hand.
For The Chili
- Cooking oil – I use canola oil but you can use anything you have handy.
- Onion, celery, and garlic – These are the trinity of flavor in cooking. You can’t get away without it. They add a tremendous amount of flavor to the chili.
- Tomato paste – The paste helps thicken the chili and adds a robust flavor.
- Diced tomatoes – Use diced or crushed tomatoes in a can with no added preservatives of sugar. I prefer Cento San Marzano brand, but you can use any brand you like.
- Pinto beans – There’s debate about what the best bean is for chili. I prefer pinto beans. You can use your favorite bean instead, if you want.
- Beef bouillon – You can also go with a cup of beef broth in place of the water and bouillon cube
- Worcestershire sauce
- Spices – Chili powder, cumin, salt, oregano, paprika, white sugar, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Garnish – Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, crunchy tortilla strips, red pepper flakes.
Equipment Needed
- Smoker – I use a Z Grills 700 series smoker for most of my smoking, though I also have a Traeger grill. You can use whatever smoker you have – they all work the same.
- Wood pellets – There are many types of pellets available. If you’ve already got pellets in your smoker, use whatever you have.
- Meat thermometer – Many smokers have a thermometer built in, but if yours doesn’t, get an instant-read thermometer. I love this Thermapen.
What Temperature Should Pork Butt Be Smoked At?
When it comes to smoking a pork butt, maintaining a consistently low and slow temperature is key to achieving tender and flavorful results. The recommended smoking temperature for pork butt is 225°F.
Keep in mind that smoking a pork butt is a slow and patient process. It can take several hours, typically ranging from 1.5 to 2 hours per pound of meat, to reach the desired internal temperature. The target internal temperature for a fully cooked and tender pork butt is generally around 195°F to 205°F.
Thermapen ONE (read our review)
» Reading in one second or less
» Accuracy of ± 0.5°
» 5-year warranty
» Auto-rotate display; motion-sensing
» Insanely long battery life (2000 hrs)
How to Make Smoked Pulled Pork
Take the pork out of the refrigerator 1 hour before smoking. Preheat the smoker to 225° F. Fill the hopper with your preferred pellets. I like to use apple wood. If you like a more robust smoky flavor, try hickory or mesquite. Once you find the best wood for smoking pulled pork, it will totally change the game.
Rub the pork with the mustard or Carolina gold sauce and sprinkle on the dry rub. We use our flavorful pork dry rub for this.
Place the pork butt into the aluminum pan, fat side up. Insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. Place the pan on the smoker and smoke, without opening the lid, until the meat reaches 145° F.
Pour the apple cider vinegar into the pan and continue smoking until the pork reaches 165° F.
Remove the pork from the smoker and wrap it in butcher paper. Return the pork to the smoker until the meat reaches between 190-202° F (lower for firmer meat, higher for softer meat).
Remove the pork from the smoker and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before shredding. If you do the shredding while it’s still warm, the meat will come apart very easily.
Then you can use the pulled pork for any thing you want – from sandwiches, to tacos, and nachos.
How to Make Smoked Pulled Pork Chili
In a large pot over medium heat, add the cooking oil. When the oil is hot add the onion and celery. Sauté for about 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Be careful that the garlic doesn’t burn. Burnt garlic has a harsh bitter flavor.
Next, add the tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Stir well. Lower the heat to medium low.
Add all of the remaining ingredients to the pot and stir well to combine. Place the lid on the pot and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Remove the lid from the pot, simmer the chili on low for up to an additional hour, stirring occasionally.
What Smokers We Use
Traeger Grills Pro Series 22 Pellet Grill & Smoker
Did you know that Traeger created the original wood-pellet grill? The Pro Series 22 is the one most people choose because it’s compact, yet has plenty of space for cooking. You can use any type of wood pellets you like. See the Traeger Series 22 Grill on Amazon.
Z Grills 7002C2E Pellet Grill & Smoker
We use the 7002C2E, which has dual temperature probes, a huge pellet hopper and pellet viewing window, with a large grill space and streamlined design. See this grill and more on the Z Grills site.
How to Store and Reheat
You can store leftover chili in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. If you want to freeze the leftovers seal them tightly in a Ziplock freezer bag and store for up to 3 months.
To reheat chili add the leftovers to a saucepan and heat through over medium heat, stirring often. Add 1/4 cup of water if it is too thick.
Expert Tips
- Look for a well-marbled pork butt with a good fat cap for optimal flavor and juiciness.
- Use your choice of wood pellets, chips, or chunks (such as hickory, apple, or mesquite) to add a smoky flavor to the pork butt.
- The longer you simmer the chili the more flavor it will have.
- If you don’t like it spicy leave the cayenne pepper out completely.
What Pellets to Use for the Smoker?
You’ll also need pellets for your smoker, if you’ve got a pellet grill like we do. Pellets come in many different types that you can choose from. I like to use the Bear Mountain Gourmet Blend, hickory wood, or cherry wood pellets for mine. They also have a bourbon wood pellet that’s very good. My friend Todd swears by the Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey pellets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cut of pork to use for smoked pulled pork chili?
We suggest using pork butt or pork shoulder.
Pork butt is a well-marbled and flavorful cut, thanks to its higher fat content compared to other cuts of pork. This fat plays a crucial role when it comes to smoking or slow cooking.
Pork shoulder comes from the same area but has less fat and marbling.
How long does it take to smoke a pork butt or shoulder?
This depends on the weight of the pork and the temperature of your smoker. Generally, you’ll need to allow about 1.5 hours per pound of meat when smoking at 225°F. So, for a typical 8-pound pork butt or shoulder, you’d be looking at approximately 12 hours of smoking time.
How do I know when my pulled pork is done?
The key to perfect pulled pork is cooking it to the right internal temperature. Most experts agree that an internal temperature of 195°F to 205°F is ideal for pulled pork. At this temperature, the collagen within the pork shoulder breaks down, making the meat incredibly tender and easy to pull apart.
How long should I cook pulled pork chili for?
This chili is going to cook for 2- 2 1/2 hours to allow all of the flavors to meld together and achieve the desired consistency.
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Smoked Pulled Pork Chili
Equipment
- stock pot
Ingredients
For the smoked pulled pork:
- 4- 6 pound (5 kg) pork butt or shoulder
- 1/4 cup (59 ml) mustard or Carolina Gold Sauce
- 1/4 cup (59 g) pork dry rub
- 1/2 cup (118 ml) apple cider vinegar
For the chili:
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cooking oil
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 4 ounces (113 g) tomato paste
- 28 ounce (794 g) can diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 pound (454 g) smoked pulled pork see the recipe
- 15 ounce (426 g) can pinto beans drained
- 2 cups (473 ml) water
- 1 cube beef bouillon
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) chili powder
- 1 tablespoon (6 g) ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon (17 g) Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp (12 g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) paprika
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) cayenne or chipotle powder add extra for more heat
Instructions
For the smoked pulled pork:
- Take the pork butt out of the refrigerator 1 hour before smoking.
- Preheat smoker to 225° F. Fill the hopper with your preferred pellets. I use apple wood.
- Rub the pork with the mustard and sprinkle on the dry rub.
- Place the pork butt into the aluminum pan, fat side up. Insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.
- Place the pan on the smoker and smoke, without opening the lid, until the meat reaches 145° F.
- Pour the apple cider vinegar into the pan and continue smoking until the pork reaches 165° F.
- Remove the pork from the smoker and wrap it in butcher paper. Return the pork to the smoker until the meat reaches between 190-202° F (lower for firmer meat, higher for softer meat).
- Remove the pork from the smoker and let it rest at room temperature for 40 minutes before shredding.
For the chili:
- In a large pot over medium heat, add the cooking oil, then add the onion and celery. Saute for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Stir well.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine. Place the lid on the pot and cook over medium low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the lid from the pot, simmer the chili on low for up to an additional hour, stirring occasionally.
Nutrition
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Angie is a dedicated grilling aficionado who has experimented with a wide variety of techniques, equipment, and ingredients, to discover the endless possibilities of flavors and textures that grilling can achieve.