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Pulled pork burger built smashburger-style takes smoked pork butt off the bun and turns it into crispy compressed patties with caramelized edges and a juicy center. An 8-pound bone-in pork butt gets scored, seasoned, and smoked at 250°F to 165°F, then wrapped and pushed to 207°F probe tender. The shredded pork gets compressed into 4 to 6 ounce balls, smashed hard on a screaming hot griddle for 30 seconds per side, and built on toasted brioche with pickled red onions, dill pickles, and Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce. The total cook runs 8 to 10 hours for the pork, plus about 5 minutes per round of patties, and serves 8.

Why a Smashed Pulled Pork Burger Beats a Standard Pulled Pork Sandwich

Crispy Edges From the Smash Add a Texture a Pile of Pork Cannot Match

A traditional pulled pork sandwich is a soft pile of shredded meat on a bun. The flavor is great but the texture stays uniform from bite to bite. Smashing the pork into a thin patty on a screaming hot griddle creates lacy, browned edges where the fat and Maillard reaction kick in. Consequently, every bite delivers a different ratio of crispy edge to tender pulled center instead of just soft shred.

Compressed Patties Hold Together Better Than a Loose Pile

A standard pulled pork sandwich slides apart on the first bite, and you end up eating half of it off the wrapper. Tightly compressed pork patties hold their shape on the bun and stay intact through the build. Moreover, the smash locks the strands together as the fat re-renders, creating a structurally sound patty that handles toppings without collapsing.

Why Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce Belongs on This Pulled Pork Burger

Umami From the Soy Cuts Through the Pork Fat

Standard American BBQ sauce is built on tomato, vinegar, and brown sugar. Bachan’s is built on soy sauce, mirin, and ginger, which means the sauce brings savory umami depth instead of just sweet-and-tangy. Therefore, the soy in Bachan’s cuts through the richness of the pork shoulder fat in a way that American BBQ sauces cannot, and the ginger adds a clean spice that lifts the whole bite.

Less Sweet, More Savory Depth Across Every Layer

The sauce serves three jobs in this recipe. First, it acts as the binder for the BBQ seasoning on the raw pork butt. Second, it goes on the bottom bun under the patty. Third, it gets drizzled on top of the pickles before the top bun goes on. As a result, every layer of the burger carries the Bachan’s flavor instead of just one application that gets buried under the other components.

How to Score and Smoke the Pork Butt

Diamond Scoring Multiplies the Bark Surface

Score the surface of the pork butt in a diamond pattern about 1 inch apart, cutting just deep enough to expose the meat underneath without going through the fat cap. Furthermore, scoring multiplies the bark surface by exposing more meat to the smoke and seasoning, and lets the rub penetrate further into the muscle. The cuts also help render the fat more evenly during the cook.

Smoke to 165°F, Wrap, Then Push to 207°F

Preheat the smoker to 250°F and place the pork butt directly on the grates. Smoke until the internal temperature hits 165°F, which sets the bark and lets enough smoke penetrate the meat. Then wrap the pork tight in foil, bump the smoker to 350°F, and continue cooking until the internal hits 207°F and a probe slides through the thickest part with zero resistance. As a result, you finish the cook in 8 to 10 hours instead of 12 to 14 hours of unwrapped low and slow.

Forming the Pulled Pork Smash Patties

Compress Tightly or the Patties Fall Apart on the Griddle

After resting and shredding, take 4 to 6 ounces of pulled pork and compress it firmly into a tight ball with your hands. Pack it as hard as you can without overworking it. Loose balls fall apart the moment the spatula hits them on the griddle, and the strands separate before any crust forms. In contrast, tightly compressed balls hold their shape under the smash and crisp into a single cohesive patty.

4 to 6 Ounces Per Patty Hits the Sweet Spot

Smaller than 4 ounces and the patty smashes too thin and dries out in the time it takes to brown. Larger than 6 ounces and the smash spreads wider than the brioche bun, with too much surface area to crisp evenly in 30 seconds. Therefore, 4 to 6 ounces is the goldilocks zone for both even crisping and a clean fit on the bun.

Smashing and Building the Pulled Pork Burger

High Heat and a Heavy Press for Crispy Edges

Heat a griddle or cast iron over high heat until it is screaming hot. Place the pork ball on the surface and smash it down hard with a flat spatula or burger press, holding for 5 seconds. Cook for about 30 seconds until the bottom is crispy and golden brown, flip, and cook another 20 to 30 seconds. Additionally, the high heat is essential since lower temperatures steam the pork instead of searing it, which gives you grey, soggy patties instead of crispy ones.

Build From Sauce Up for Even Distribution

Build the burger in this order: toasted bottom bun, layer of Bachan’s, crispy pork smash patty, pickled red onions, dill pickle slices, more Bachan’s, top bun. Layering Bachan’s both under and over the patty distributes the umami across the entire bite, and the pickled red onions and pickles bring the acid and crunch that cut the richness of the pork.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Pulled Pork Smashburgers

Step 1: Prep and Score the Pork Butt

Lightly score the surface of the pork butt in a diamond pattern about 1 inch apart, cutting just deep enough to expose the meat underneath without cutting through the fat cap. Coat the entire pork butt with 1/2 cup of Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce as a binder. Then season heavily with your favorite BBQ seasoning, pressing the rub into the scored cuts.

Step 2: Smoke to 165°F Internal

Preheat the smoker to 250°F. Place the pork butt directly on the grates and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. This is when the bark sets and enough smoke has penetrated the meat. Plan on about 5 to 6 hours at this stage for an 8-pound butt.

Step 3: Wrap and Finish to 207°F Probe Tender

Transfer the pork butt to a foil tray and wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Bump the smoker temperature to 350°F. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 207°F and a probe slides through the thickest part with zero resistance. This usually takes another 2 to 3 hours.

Step 4: Rest, Shred, and Drain Excess Grease

Let the pork rest at least 30 minutes before shredding. Then shred the meat with two forks or meat claws. Remove excess grease if there is a lot pooled in the foil, but leave some fat in the meat. You want the pork moist but not overly greasy so the patties crisp up properly on the griddle.

Step 5: Form Tight Pulled Pork Balls

Take about 4 to 6 ounces of pulled pork per patty and compress it firmly into a compact ball with both hands. Pack the strands together as tightly as possible so the patty holds its shape when smashed. The tighter the ball, the better the smash.

Step 6: Smash on Hot Griddle for Crispy Edges

Heat a griddle or cast iron pan over high heat until it is screaming hot. Place the pork balls on the surface and immediately smash them thin with a flat spatula or burger press. Cook about 30 seconds until crispy and golden brown on the bottom, flip, and cook another 20 to 30 seconds. The goal is crispy edges with a juicy center.

Step 7: Toast Buns and Build the Burgers

Toast the brioche buns cut-side down until golden brown. Build each burger in this order: bottom bun, layer of Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce, crispy pulled pork smash patty, pickled red onions, dill pickles, more Bachan’s, top bun. Serve hot.