Recipe

Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Pork Butt

The championship pork butt recipe from Big Bob Gibson's, as featured in Peace, Love and Barbecue. An injection marinade delivers flavor deep into the meat, a custom rub builds the bark, and a low-and-slow cook produces pull-apart tender pork.

By Luis Ramirez(Updated )

Prep

1 hr

Cook

13 hrs

Rest

15 min

Total

14 hrs

Yield

Serves about 20 (two pork butts)

Difficulty

Advanced

Method

Smoked / Low & Slow

Wood

Hickory

Internal Temp

195°F

Fuel

charcoal

I’ve had the BBQ book Peace Love and Barbecue for some time now and haven’t really dedicated myself to its content nearly enough. Today, the 4th of July 2006, I have. There is a recipe for pork butt included in this book that has garnered so much attention and picked up a few awards around the BBQ circuit that I had to give it a try. I am speaking of Big Bob Gibson’s championship pork shoulder recipe.

I followed the recipe to the letter, except for the fact that I used pork butt instead of shoulder, and have found the results to be fantastic. I wouldn’t normally post a recipe from a book on this site, but his recipe is the worst kept secret in the world of barbecue. It can be found all over the Internet and television.

I injected and rubbed the butts yesterday and smoked them overnight. Got them out of the smoker this morning (after 10 hours of smoking over mesquite lump with hickory chunks), the internal temperature was 195F and the meat was absolutely wonderful.

Jump to IngredientsJump to Instructions

What You Need

Ingredients

  • The meat:
  • 2 pork butts

For the Injection

  • 3/4 cup apple juice
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt, finely ground
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
  • Mix ingredients together and inject into each butt.

For the Rub

  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup paprika
  • 1/3 cup garlic salt
  • 1/3 cup kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano leaves
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • Mix ingredients together and apply liberally to the butts.

Step by Step

Instructions

  1. 1

    Refrigerate

    Refrigerate the injected, rubbed butts for at least 4 hours.

  2. 2

    Smoke

    Smoke at about 225°F until the internal temperature reaches 195°F.

  3. 3

    Rest & Pull

    Let rest 15 minutes, then pull.

  4. 4

    Serve

    Pile the meat in a bun with a little of your favorite BBQ sauce, add coleslaw if you like, and enjoy. Have a great 4th of July.

From the Pit

  • The injection marinade delivers flavor deep into the meat where rub can't reach
  • Reserve 1/4 cup of rub to mix into the pulled pork at serving time
  • Wrapping in foil halfway through speeds up the cook

Equipment

  • Smoker or indirect-heat BBQ
  • Meat injector
  • Heavy-duty aluminum foil
  • Thermometer
  • Rubber gloves

Nutrition

Per serving

Calories

330 calories

Protein

28 g

Fat

23 g

Carbs

3 g

Sodium

640 mg

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What does injecting a pork butt do?
It carries flavor and moisture deep into the meat where a surface rub can’t reach. The apple-juice injection is a big part of why this recipe wins.
What temp do you pull this pork butt?
Smoke at about 225 degrees F until it hits roughly 195 degrees F internal, then rest 15 minutes before pulling.
Can I use pork butt instead of pork shoulder?
Yes. That’s exactly the swap made here, with great results. They’re close cuts; butt has a little more marbling.

Tagged pork butt · pulled pork · championship · big bob gibson · competition · smoking · low and slow · hickory · injection marinade · competition pork