Muncie-Style Smoked Pork Shoulder with North Church Rub

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Slow-smoked pork shoulder rubbed with a bold seasoning blend inspired by Muncie's rich heritage, creating tender, flavorful pulled pork. This American-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 400 minutes, pairs pork shoulder (Boston butt), brown sugar, paprika for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 8, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 40 min Cook: 360 min Serves 8 American cuisine 450 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, and 1 tsp mustard powder to make the North Church rub.
  2. Step 2: Pat dry 4 lbs pork shoulder and generously coat all sides with the rub, pressing it into the meat. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  3. Step 3: Preheat your smoker to 225°F and add hickory or applewood chips for smoke.
  4. Step 4: Place the pork shoulder fat side up on the smoker rack and smoke for approximately 6 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 195°F, spritzing with 1 cup apple juice every hour to maintain moisture.
  5. Step 5: Remove the pork from the smoker and wrap tightly in foil. Let rest for 1 hour.
  6. Step 6: Unwrap and shred the pork with two forks. Toss with 1 cup barbecue sauce and serve on buns or as desired.

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