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I'm LOVE BBQ, but let's be honest—sometimes waiting 12 hours for pulled pork is just not happening. That's exactly why I love this hot and fast pulled pork recipe. You get mouthwatering barbecue goodness quicker, plus the sweetness of Cherry Coke pulled pork gives it a unique twist everyone will rave about.
Smoked Pulled Pork is one of my favorite BBQ meals - however sometimes I just don't want to wait all day, or all night to be able to eat it. If you feel the same way, this hot and fast pulled pork recipe is exactly what you're looking for!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Saves Time: Tender pulled pork without spending all day babysitting the smoker.
Amazing Flavor: Cherry Coke adds sweetness and depth that's totally irresistible.
Easy Prep: Minimal effort but huge payoff—perfect for weekend BBQ or busy weeknight dinners.
Ingredients / Tools You’ll Need for this Hot and Fast Pulled Pork
- 6-8 LB bone-in pork butt
- Yellow mustard (as a binder)
- Cherry Coke (for marinade)
- BBQ rub of your choice
Instructions
Preparation:
The first thing that you're going to want to do to start the hot and fast pulled pork is to prepare the fat cap on the pork by scoring it about ¾" - 1" deep. I love doing this because it gets the flavor deep down inside the meat. If we're being honest, it also looks really cool when it's cooking and done!
Drop the soon-to-be hot and fast pulled pork into an airtight container and cover it completely with Cherry Coke, letting it sit overnight in the fridge.
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Cooking:
The next morning, let's cook the hot and fast pulled pork! Fire up your smoker or pellet grill to 325°F—this higher temperature cooks faster and develops a killer bark. Take the pork butt out, pat dry with paper towels to remove extra moisture, then slather with a thin coat of yellow mustard and cover generously with BBQ rub.
Let it rest at room temperature for about half an hour—trust me, this ensures a more even cook.
Place the pork fat side up on your smoker to protect the meat from the direct heat and smoke until the internal temperature hits about 165°F, typically around three hours. Once it hits 165°F, move it into an aluminum pan and pour about an inch of Cherry Coke in the bottom—wrap the pan tightly with a double layer of foil and pop it back in the smoker.
Keep cooking until the internal temperature hits 205°F—total cook time will be about roughly 6-7 hours, depending on the size of the meat, but still way faster than the traditional method.
Serving Suggestions:
When it's finished cooking, don't unwrap it yet! Let the pork rest covered in its juices for about two hours.After resting, shred it using meat claws or two forks—it's going to practically fall apart on its own.
Serve piled high on buns with extra BBQ sauce or hot sauce, or just enjoy it straight from the pan.
Recipe Notes & Pro Tips
Watch Your Temperature: Always use a digital meat thermometer. Overcooked pork dries out fast, and undercooked pork stays tough.
Let It Rest: Don't skip the resting period—it's the secret to juicy, flavorful pulled pork.
Marinate Overnight: Giving your pork butt a Cherry Coke bath overnight is key—it breaks down tough connective tissue and adds sweetness.
Better Bark: Higher heat cooking creates an incredible crunchy bark, and it's ready faster than traditional BBQ methods.
Seriously, give this hot and fast pulled pork recipe a shot. It’s delicious, easy, and the Cherry Coke twist takes it over the top. You'll probably start wondering why you ever spent so long cooking pulled pork the old-fashioned way.
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Watch Me Make It!
If you like this recipe - please press the “Subscribe button” on the video below (you won’t leave this page)Other Recipes You'll Love:
- Pulled Pork Recipe: BBQ Garlic Bread Leftovers
- Pulled Pork Bombs – Perfect Smoker Appetizer Recipe
- Pulled Pork Loaded Fries with BBQ Sauce & Pickles
- Hawaiian Punch Pulled Pork Recipe
- Smoked Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork
Hot and Fast Pulled Pork with Cherry Coke
Ingredients
- 1 Pork Butt 6-8lbs
- Yellow Mustard for binder
- Cherry Coke for marinade
- BBQ Rub
Instructions
- Score the fat cap on the pork butt in a cross hatch fashion to allow flavor deep inside the meat. Place in container large enough to hold it and add pork butt. Place covered in fridge and marinade overnight.
- Next day: Preheat smoker to 325F
- Rub a thin layer of yellow mustard all over pork, and cover liberally with BBQ rub or seasoning. All it to sit on your prep area for 25-30 minutes to allow the rub to penetrate the meat, and the meat to start warming to ensure even fast cooking.
- Place meat inside the smoker and cook with lid closed until it reaches 165F interneral. At this point, add the pork butt to an aluminum pan with about 1 inch of cherry coke covering the bottom of the pan. Seal well with foil and place back in smoker until it reaches 205F internal. This should be about 6-7 hours in total.
- Remove from smoker and allow to rest in it's own juices, covered for about 2 hours. It'll be tempting, but don't unwrap it.
- After the resting time, remove the bone, and shred the pork either by hand using heat proof gloves, or by using meat claws.
- Serve on it's own, or as part of a sandwich with all your favorite BBQ fixings!
Nutrition
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Jon Jones says
How is the cook time (8MINUTES)
And the total time is (HOURS AND 23 MINUTES)???????
Danny Dobrzenski says
HA! yeah that math doesn't make sense to me either - thank you