Our Food Pork Barbecue

Pork Barbecue

Smoked Pork Shoulder, Chopped by Hand

Great pork barbecue starts with the right cut and the right method.

At Mr. Barbecue, we smoke pork shoulder the old school way: low and slow over 100 percent hickory wood. Pork shoulders give us the balance we want in delivering rich flavor, natural moisture, and the kind of texture that holds up the way true NC barbecue should.

Why We Smoke Pork Shoulder

Pork shoulders have a higher fat-to-lean balance than many smaller roasts, which matters for barbecue.

More moisture and more flavor: The natural fat keeps the meat tender and helps it stay juicy, even during service.

Bigger cut, better control: A larger shoulder gives us a more consistent cook and a better finished product.

Low and slow wins: Slow smoke gives the meat time to break down properly, not rush cook “tender.”

How We Season,

Smoke & Chop It

We do not phone this in. We work hard day in and day out to achieve perfection in our barbecue.

Seasoned before the smoke: We season (rub) our shoulders every day with our age-proven spice recipe before they go on the fire, so the flavor has time to settle in.

Hickory smoked in a steady environment: Consistent heat and clean hickory smoke help that seasoning work its way through the meat.

Chopped by hand: After the smoke, each shoulder is hand-chopped, not shredded by a machine.

Trimmed as we chop: We remove excess fat and any tough bits so every bite leaves you satisfied.

Mixed for the signature taste: Hand chopping lets us blend the tender inside meat with the outside brown bits, also called bark, for that deep, smoky finish.

Portioned by hand: Same serving size, every time, because consistency matters.

Our Hickory Wood Standard

Smoke is an ingredient, not a gimmick. We only use hickory wood, sourced locally and chosen for moisture and burn consistency. Each load is split and cut to the size we need so we can cook the same way, every day.