Low and slow is best when cooking pork butt, and one of my favorite ways is in a smoker. This has very little hands-on time but a long cook time. The meat freezes very well so you can make it ahead of time and have it ready to go.

Prep: 10 min. + standing • Smoke: 7 hours + resting

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1 bone-in pork shoulder roast (8 to 10 lbs.)

Applewood chips or pellets

3 Tbsp. spicy brown mustard

¼ cup all-purpose meat seasoning or favorite spice rub

⅓ cup apple cider or juice

3 Tbsp. cider vinegar

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1. Let roast stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

2. Preheat smoker to 275°. Add wood chips or pellets to smoker according to manufacturer’s directions.

3. Trim excess fat from pork, leaving some exterior fat. Pat roast dry; rub with mustard and sprinkle with spice rub.

4. Place pork in smoker. In a spray bottle, combine apple cider and vinegar; lightly spritz pork. Smoke, spritzing every hour, until pork reaches 165° and is a dark brown color, about 5 hours.

5. Transfer pork to a 13x9-in. baking pan or large cast-iron skillet; liberally spritz with cider mixture. Cover tightly with foil and return to smoker. Cook until pork reaches desired degree of doneness. For sliced pork, cook until pork reaches 190°-195°, 2-3 hours longer. For pulled pork, cook until 200°-205°.

6. Remove and let stand at room temperature, covered, 45-60 minutes. For slices, cut around bone. For pulled pork, remove bone and shred pork. Skim fat from cooking juices; toss pork with cooking juices.

FREEZE OPTION

Freeze cooled meat and juices in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally. Add water if necessary.

Serving size: ½ CUP MEAT MIXTURE

186 cal., 11g fat (4g sat. fat), 67mg chol., 548mg sod., 0 carb. (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 19g pro.