When it comes to feeding a crowd, few barbecue recipes can compete with pulled pork. It's affordable, forgiving, packed with flavor, and versatile enough to serve everything from backyard cookouts to game day gatherings. Best of all, once the pork is on the smoker, there's very little work left to do.
This Pellet Grill Pulled Pork recipe is one of my favorite ways to cook a pork butt. It's simple, loaded with flavor, and perfectly suited for overnight cooking. The pork is seasoned with a combination of Heath Riles BBQ Pecan Rub and Honey Chipotle Rub before spending the night on the smoker. Once it develops great color and bark, it's wrapped with Tangy Vinegar BBQ Sauce and finished until it's fall-apart tender.
Pile that pork onto a soft bun, top it with Carolina-style slaw, and finish it with a little extra vinegar sauce, and you've got a barbecue sandwich that's hard to beat.
Whether you're cooking for family, friends, or just meal prepping for the week, this recipe delivers incredible results with minimal effort.
Pellet Grill Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Carolina Slaw | Heath Riles BBQ
This recipe starts with a pork butt weighing around six pounds. After a light trim, it's seasoned with a savory layer of Heath Riles BBQ Pecan Rub followed by Heath Riles BBQ Honey Chipotle Rub.
The pork is smoked low and slow overnight at 220°F before being wrapped with Tangy Vinegar BBQ Sauce and finished at a higher temperature. Once it becomes probe tender, it's rested, pulled, and lightly seasoned again before being piled high on sandwich buns.
The final touch is a generous spoonful of Carolina-style slaw and another drizzle of vinegar sauce, creating the perfect balance of smoke, sweetness, tang, and texture.
Why This Recipe Works
Great pulled pork is all about patience and layering flavor.
The combination of Pecan Rub and Honey Chipotle Rub creates a balanced seasoning profile that complements pork perfectly. The Pecan Rub delivers savory barbecue flavor while the Honey Chipotle Rub adds sweetness and a touch of heat.
Cooking overnight at 220°F gives the pork plenty of time to develop bark while slowly rendering fat throughout the shoulder. As the pork reaches the stall, wrapping it with Tangy Vinegar BBQ Sauce helps retain moisture while adding another layer of classic Carolina-inspired flavor.
One of the most overlooked steps in making pulled pork is seasoning after it's pulled. While the bark is loaded with flavor, the interior meat needs seasoning too. A little extra vinegar sauce and a light dusting of rub help ensure every bite tastes just as good as the bark.
The end result is moist, flavorful pulled pork that's perfect for sandwiches, platters, tacos, nachos, and more.
The Ingredients
- Pork Butt is the foundation of this recipe. A six to seven-pound shoulder is the perfect size for overnight cooking and yields plenty of pulled pork for sandwiches.
- Heath Riles BBQ Pecan Rub provides a savory barbecue flavor that works exceptionally well with pork. Despite the name, it contains no nuts and delivers a rich, balanced seasoning profile.
- Heath Riles BBQ Honey Chipotle Rub adds sweetness and a subtle smoky heat that complements the Pecan Rub perfectly.
- Tangy Vinegar BBQ Sauce is used both during the wrap and after pulling the pork. It adds brightness and helps balance the richness of the meat.
- Hamburger Buns provide the perfect vessel for building a classic pulled pork sandwich.
- Easy Vinegar Coleslaw is a Carolina-style slaw that adds crunch, acidity, and freshness to every sandwich. Its bright vinegar dressing helps balance the richness of the pork while adding texture and flavor.
The Setup
This cook is all about low-and-slow barbecue.
Fire up your Smoking Brothers Premier Vertical Pellet Smoker and set it to 220°F. For fuel, we're using Royal Oak Charcoal & Hickory Blend Pellets, which provide a bold smoke profile that pairs beautifully with pork.
One of the biggest advantages of pellet smokers is convenience. Once the grill is loaded with pellets and up to temperature, there's no need to babysit a fire all night. Simply place the pork on the smoker and let it work while you sleep. After the pork reaches approximately 160°F internal temperature, it will be wrapped and the smoker temperature increased to 275°F to finish the cook.
The Process for Pellet Grill Pulled Pork
Trim the Pork Butt
Using a Heath Riles BBQ Boning Knife, lightly trim any excessively hard fat from the surface of the pork butt. Don't overthink this step. Most pork butts don't require extensive trimming, so focus on removing any particularly thick or hard pieces of fat while exposing a little more meat where needed.
Season the Pork Butt
Place the pork butt on a Sheet Pan and apply a generous coating of Pecan Rub followed by Honey Chipotle Rub. There's no binder required for this recipe. Simply season all sides evenly and gently pat the rub into the meat to help it adhere.
Smoke Overnight
Transfer the pork butt to the smoker and cook at 220°F overnight. Allow the pork to smoke until it reaches approximately 160°F internal temperature. For this cook, that took about 11½ hours.
During this time, the bark develops while the fat slowly renders throughout the shoulder. The low cooking temperature gives the smoke time to work its way into the meat while creating the rich color and flavor that make pulled pork so satisfying.
Wrap with Vinegar Sauce
Once the pork reaches 160°F, remove it from the smoker and place it on a large sheet of foil. Generously apply Tangy Vinegar BBQ Sauce over the surface of the pork before wrapping it tightly.
The vinegar sauce helps add moisture and flavor while helping the pork push through the stall. It also creates a flavorful cooking environment inside the wrap that complements the seasoning already on the meat.
Finish the Cook
Return the wrapped pork to the smoker and increase the cooking temperature to 275°F. Continue cooking until the pork reaches approximately 203–205°F internal temperature and feels probe tender throughout.
A Thermapen ONE makes it easy to monitor the temperature accurately, but tenderness is the ultimate indicator. When a probe slides in with very little resistance, the pork is ready.
Rest the Pork
Remove the pork from the smoker and allow it to rest for at least one hour, although two hours is even better. Resting gives the juices time to redistribute throughout the meat and makes the pork easier to handle when it's time to pull.
If needed, the pork can be held in an insulated cooler or warm oven during this time without losing quality.
Pull and Season
Put on a pair of Heat Gloves and begin pulling the pork. The bone should slide out cleanly, and any remaining fat should separate easily from the meat.
As the pork is shredded, drizzle it lightly with Tangy Vinegar BBQ Sauce and finish with a light dusting of Pecan Rub. This extra seasoning step helps ensure every bite is flavorful, not just the pieces covered in bark.
Build the Sandwich
Pile a generous portion of pulled pork onto a hamburger bun. Top with a spoonful of Easy Vinegar Coleslaw and finish with another drizzle of Tangy Vinegar BBQ Sauce.
Add the top bun and serve immediately while everything is fresh and warm.
The Results
This is everything great pulled pork should be.
The bark develops a deep mahogany color while delivering incredible flavor from the Pecan Rub and Honey Chipotle Rub. Beneath that bark, the meat stays juicy, tender, and packed with smoky flavor.
As you pull the pork apart, you'll notice just how well the fat has rendered. The bone slides out cleanly, the meat shreds effortlessly, and every bite remains moist. The vinegar sauce plays a huge role in balancing the richness of the pork. It adds brightness without overpowering the smoke or seasoning, while the Carolina-style slaw brings crunch and freshness to the finished sandwich.
When everything comes together on a bun, you get the perfect bite—smoky pork, tangy sauce, crisp slaw, and soft bread. It's classic Southern barbecue at its best.
Perfect Pairings
- Easy Vinegar Coleslaw – This Carolina-style slaw is exactly what tops the sandwich in this recipe. The bright vinegar dressing cuts through the richness of the pork while adding texture and freshness.
- Mississippi Coleslaw – If you prefer a creamier slaw option, Mississippi Coleslaw pairs beautifully with smoky pulled pork.
- Maple Honey BBQ Baked Beans – Sweet, smoky baked beans are a natural companion to pulled pork sandwiches.
- Classic Southern Potato Salad – Creamy potato salad adds a cool contrast to the bold barbecue flavors.
- Creamy Dill Bacon Potato Salad – The smoky bacon and fresh dill flavors pair perfectly with vinegar-based pulled pork.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover pulled pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
For longer storage, vacuum seal and freeze portions for up to three months. Reheat gently with a splash of Tangy Vinegar BBQ Sauce to maintain moisture.
Final Thoughts
If you're looking for a foolproof way to make incredible pulled pork on a pellet smoker, this recipe is hard to beat.
The overnight cook makes the process easy, while the combination of Pecan Rub, Honey Chipotle Rub, and Tangy Vinegar BBQ Sauce creates layers of flavor from start to finish. Add a spoonful of Carolina-style slaw and pile it all onto a bun, and you've got a barbecue sandwich that's worthy of any backyard gathering.
Once you try this overnight pellet grill method, you'll understand why pulled pork remains one of the most beloved barbecue classics around.
Equipment and Tools
Smoking Brothers Premier Vertical Pellet Smoker, Royal Oak Charcoal & Hickory Blend Pellets, Heath Riles BBQ Boning Knife, Heat Gloves, Sheet Pan, Thermapen ONE
