Overview

How to turn a skin-on picnic shoulder into juicy pulled pork with blistered crackling. Score it right, render it clean, and finish hot without burning the skin.

Ingredients

• 1 skin-on picnic shoulder, 7–9 lb (3.2–4.1 kg)
• Kosher salt at 1.5–2.0% of meat weight (about 54–72 g for 8 lb/3.6 kg)
• Coarse black pepper, 2–3 tbsp (12–18 g)
• Garlic powder, 2 tsp (6 g)
• Smoked paprika (meat sides only, optional), 1 tbsp (7 g)
• Yellow mustard or neutral oil as binder (meat sides only), 2–3 tbsp (30–45 g)
• Apple cider vinegar for spritzing meat sides only, 1 cup (240 ml, optional)

Equipment

• Smoker (offset, kettle with charcoal snake, or pellet grill)
• Instant-read thermometer and leave-in probe
• Sharp utility or paring knife for scoring
• Chef’s or boning knife and sturdy cutting board
• Wire rack and sheet pan for dry brining
• Heavy-duty foil or shallow foil pan (for boat)
• Heat-resistant gloves
• Spray bottle (for meat sides only, optional)
• Butcher paper or foil for optional tenting
• Cooler/towels or warm oven for holding

Wood

Hickory with a touch of apple

Time & Temp

Time & Temp
Smoke temp: 265 °F (129 °C)
Target internal: 203 °F (95 °C)
Approx duration: 12 hours

The Cut and the Goal

A picnic shoulder is the lower half of the pork shoulder, often sold skin-on. Cooked low and slow, it gives you the same tender pulled pork you expect from a butt, with the bonus of crackling if you handle the skin correctly. The goal is twofold: render collagen in the shoulder to probe-tender for pulling, and dry and blister the skin into crisp, glassy shards.

Sourcing and Trimming

Choose a 7–9 lb (3.2–4.1 kg) skin-on picnic with a full, even skin cap and at least 1/2 inch (12–15 mm) of fat beneath. Trim loose tags and hard surface fat on the meat side but leave the fat under the skin intact; that’s what renders and puffs the crackling. Square up edges for even cooking. Pat the skin thoroughly dry—moisture is the enemy of crispness.

Scoring the Skin

With a sharp utility or paring knife, score the skin in a tight diamond pattern, spacing cuts about 1/2 inch (12 mm) apart and cutting 1/8–1/4 inch (3–6 mm) deep—through the skin, barely into the fat, never into the meat. Scoring lets rendered fat escape and increases surface area so the skin can puff instead of turning rubbery. Keep strokes shallow and controlled; deep cuts will leak juices and soften the bark.

Salt, Dry Brine, and Drying

Salt the picnic at 1.5–2.0% of trimmed meat weight: for an 8 lb (3.6 kg) shoulder, use 54–72 g kosher salt. Work salt into the meat sides and into the score lines, then apply your rub to the meat surfaces only. Do not put sugar on the skin; it scorches during the hot finish. Place the shoulder uncovered on a rack over a sheet pan and refrigerate 12–24 hours. This dry brine seasons deeply and lets the skin dehydrate so it will blister later.

Fire Setup and Wood

Run a steady pit in the 260–275°F (127–135°C) range with clean, thin smoke. Hickory with a touch of apple is a classic Southeastern choice for pork, giving a robust backbone with sweet edges. On an offset, feed small, clean-burning splits; on a kettle, use a charcoal snake with 4–6 fist-sized wood chunks staged for the first 3–4 hours; on a pellet cooker, select a hickory/apple blend and avoid heavy moisture in the pit. Keep airflow high enough to dry the skin.

Cook: Render First, Then Crisp

Place the picnic skin-up so heat and airflow dry the skin. For a long cook, “boat” the meat: set the roast in a shallow foil pan or form a foil boat that supports the meat side while leaving all skin exposed. Smoke at 260–275°F (127–135°C) until the internal temperature in the thickest meat hits 175–180°F (79–82°C), typically 7–10 hours for a 7–9 lb (3.2–4.1 kg) picnic. If the bark on the meat side is set and color is where you like it, you may loosely tent the meat side with foil to protect it from drying, but keep the skin uncovered. Continue cooking until the shoulder reaches 198–203°F (92–95°C) and probes slide in with little resistance—think warm butter. The blade bone should wiggle freely.

Finishing: Crackling Without Burning

Once the meat is probe-tender, switch to the crisping phase. Raise the pit to 425–475°F (218–246°C) if your smoker can do it cleanly, or move the shoulder to a preheated 475°F (246°C) oven. Keep the shoulder skin-up and dry—no spritzing. Crisp for 10–20 minutes, rotating as needed, until the skin blisters and turns glassy with audible crackle. Watch constantly; sugar will burn, and pooled fat can flare. Alternatives: a ripping-hot grill (direct heat, lid down, 3–6 minutes) or a broiler (top rack, 5–8 minutes). Stop as soon as the skin is blistered; overcooking here dries the meat.

Rest, Pull, and Serve

Rest the shoulder 30–60 minutes, tented loosely, or hold hot at 145–160°F (63–71°C) for up to 4 hours in a warm oven or insulated cooler. Separate the crackling sheet and chop into bite-size shards. Pull the meat by hand or with forks, discarding excess fat and gristle, and season to taste with finishing salt and a splash of vinegar. Fold some crackling into the pork for texture, or serve it on top so it stays crisp. This pairs naturally with Eastern Carolina vinegar sauce and simple slaw.

Food Safety

Keep raw pork below 40°F (4°C) and avoid cross-contamination—dedicate boards and knives for raw handling and wash hands and surfaces. While whole-muscle pork is safe at 145°F (63°C), a shoulder is cooked to 198–203°F (92–95°C) for texture, not safety. Do not leave cooked pork in the 40–140°F (4–60°C) danger zone for more than 2 hours (1 hour if ambient is above 90°F/32°C). Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours; reheat to 165°F (74°C). Use caution during the hot finish: rendered fat can flare—keep a clear path for smoke, a drip pan in place, and never leave the crisping step unattended.

Troubleshooting

Rubbery skin usually means it wasn’t dry enough or pit humidity was high—extend the uncovered time and ensure strong airflow, then finish hotter. Burnt or bitter skin points to sugar on the skin or dirty smoke—keep the skin sugar-free and your fire clean. If the meat is tender but the skin won’t blister, remove the crackling sheet and finish it alone under a broiler or on a hot grill while the pork rests. If the bark softened during a wrap or hold, vent steam and give the meat side 10–15 minutes back on the pit to reset before service.

Notes

• Do not spritz the skin; spritz meat sides only if needed to manage color and surface drying.
• Avoid sugar on the skin—save sweet rubs for the meat sides or finishing sauces.
• A foil “boat” protects the meat side while keeping the skin exposed for drying and later blistering.
• If your smoker can’t climb above 400°F (204°C) cleanly, transfer to a hot oven for the crackling step.
• Probe tenderness, not just temperature; the blade bone should wiggle and pull free easily at finish.
• Hold finished pork hot above 140°F (60°C) if delaying service; add chopped crackling at the last moment to keep it crisp.