Smoked Wild Boar Shoulder (Pulled Pork)
Wild Boar Recipe
1Setup & Prepare
About This Recipe
Experience wild boar at its finest with this wood-smoked recipe. The key is traditional smoking, which ensures deeply flavored meat with authentic smokehouse character every time you make it.
American BBQ meets European game
BBQ Evolution This preparation adapts the American pulled pork tradition to wild boar, taking advantage of the meat's superior flavor and natural marbling.
Ingredients (Serves 12-15)
- 8-10 lb wild boar shoulder (Boston butt)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Apple or hickory wood chips
Method
-
Dry Rub: Apply a generous coating of your rub and let it penetrate for 12 to 24 hours. The longer, the better.
-
Smoking Setup: Set your smoker to 225°F to 250°F with a steady supply of smoke from fruit or oak wood.
-
Long Cook: This is a marathon, not a sprint. Plan for 12 to sixteen hours depending on the size of your shoulder.
-
Stall Management: When the internal temperature hits 160°F and stalls, wrap the meat in butcher paper to push through.
-
Final Temperature: You're aiming for one ninety-5 to 2 oh 3°F internal. At this temperature, the collagen has fully converted to gelatin.
-
Resting: Wrap the finished shoulder in towels and rest it in a cooler for at least 2 hours. This makes it even more tender.
-
Pulling: Shred the meat with forks or meat claws. The bark should be dark and the meat should pull apart effortlessly.
2Ingredients
Shopping List
3Cooking Instructions
-
Dry Rub: Apply a generous coating of your rub and let it penetrate for 12 to 24 hours. The longer, the better.
-
Smoking Setup: Set your smoker to 225°F to 250°F with a steady supply of smoke from fruit or oak wood.
-
Long Cook: This is a marathon, not a sprint. Plan for 12 to sixteen hours depending on the size of your shoulder.
-
Stall Management: When the internal temperature hits 160°F and stalls, wrap the meat in butcher paper to push through.
-
Final Temperature: You're aiming for one ninety-5 to 2 oh 3°F internal. At this temperature, the collagen has fully converted to gelatin.
-
Resting: Wrap the finished shoulder in towels and rest it in a cooler for at least 2 hours. This makes it even more tender.
-
Pulling: Shred the meat with forks or meat claws. The bark should be dark and the meat should pull apart effortlessly.
FDA Food Safety Guidelines
⚠️ Important: Wild Boar carries a risk of Trichinella parasites. ALL cuts — including steaks, roasts, and ground meat — must reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). There is no safe rare or medium-rare preparation for this species.
- Always use an instant-read meat thermometer to verify doneness.
- Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces after handling raw wild game.
- Thaw frozen game in the refrigerator — never at room temperature.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.
Nutritional Information
Per serving: 470 calories, 39g protein, 32g fat, 12g carbohydrates.
▶Watch the Recipe
See the techniques in action with our step-by-step video guide
4Chef's Notes & Pairings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving: 470 calories, 39g protein, 32g fat, 12g carbohydrates.
