Apple Juice Brined Pork Butt Recipe

This Traeger recipe for apple juice brined pulled pork is an excellent way to elevate your BBQ game. Brining the pork in a mixture of apple juice, brown sugar, and herbs infuses it with a sweet and savory flavor, making it incredibly moist and tender. Paired with a homemade coleslaw and served on hamburger buns, this dish promises to be a crowd-pleaser at any gathering.

Ingredients

Brine:

• 4 cups apple juice
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 orange, sliced
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 2 cups ice

Pulled Pork:

• 1 bone-in pork shoulder (10-12 lbs)
• Traeger Pork & Poultry Rub, to taste
• Traeger 'Que BBQ Sauce
• 10 hamburger buns

Coleslaw:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup shredded green cabbage
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Prepare the Brine: In a large saucepan, combine the apple juice, water, brown sugar, black peppercorns, salt, lemon, orange, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from heat, add the ice, and stir until melted. Let the brine cool completely.
2. Brine the Pork: Place the pork shoulder in a large, deep container. Pour the brine over the pork, ensuring it is fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Preheat the Grill: Set the Traeger to 225℉ and preheat with the lid closed for 15 minutes.
4. Inject the Pork: Remove the pork from the brine, reserving the liquid. Using a meat injector, inject the pork with the brine every 2 inches. Reserve the rest of the brine for mopping.
5. Season and Smoke: Generously season the pork with Traeger Pork & Poultry Rub. Place the pork on the grill, fat-side up, and smoke for 3 hours, mopping with the brine every hour.
6. Cook the Pork: Transfer the pork to a disposable aluminum foil pan. Increase the grill temperature to 250℉. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 204-206℉, about 6-8 hours. If the pork browns too quickly, cover with foil.
7. Rest and Shred: Let the pork rest for 20 minutes. Pull the pork into chunks, discard the bone and fat, shred the meat, and mix with more rub and cooking liquid. Optionally, mix in Traeger 'Que BBQ Sauce.
8. Make the Coleslaw: In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add cabbage, carrot, and onion, and toss to coat.
9. Assemble the Sandwiches: Pile the pulled pork onto hamburger buns and top with coleslaw. Enjoy!

Unique Twist: Maple-Glazed Apple Juice Brined Pulled Pork

For a unique twist on this recipe, consider adding a maple glaze to the pork during the last hour of cooking. Here’s how:

Maple Glaze:

• 1 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Combine the maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and ground cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
2. During the last hour of cooking, brush the glaze over the pork every 15 minutes.

This addition of maple glaze will add a rich, sweet layer of flavor that complements the apple brine perfectly.

Enjoy your delicious apple juice brined pulled pork with a new twist!