What is a good sauce for smoked Shoulder butt?

I don't add BBQ sauce to mine any longer, but some folks in my family like a sauce on their pulled pork.  I always have a bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's on hand for those who do. 

One thing I ALWAYS add to my pulled pork is Chef JJ's Finishing Sauce.  Doesn't matter if I'm serving it here at the house, away from home, or at a party, a plastic squeeze bottle of Chef JJ's Finishing Sauce is right there.  It gets great comments from folks who use it and they always want the recipe.  So easy to make too. 

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/122319/jjs-finishing-sauce-awesome

Noboundaries said:

 
I don't add BBQ sauce to mine any longer, but some folks in my family like a sauce on their pulled pork.  I always have a bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's on hand for those who do. 

One thing I ALWAYS add to my pulled pork is Chef JJ's Finishing Sauce.  Doesn't matter if I'm serving it here at the house, away from home, or at a party, a plastic squeeze bottle of Chef JJ's Finishing Sauce is right there.  It gets great comments from folks who use it and they always want the recipe.  So easy to make too. 

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/122319/jjs-finishing-sauce-awesome

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What he said.........heat some BBQ sauce on the side ( I make my own but good ones are out there). I "adjust" my pork with JJ's Finishing sauce. I keep a squirt bottle in the reefer all the time.

I always serve sauce on the side be it with ribs, pulled pork, or anything else. If I use a sauce for pulled pork  I've been using Blues Hog Tennessee Red Sauce. Excellent stuff.

Thanks Gentlemen...I use the above Finishing Sauce on the meat just after pulling. Got some nice tang. For a complimentary layer of flavor with sweetness, the sauce below is on the table...JJ

KC Bubba Q Juice

2C Ketchup

1/2C Brown Mustard (Gulden's)

1/4C Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2C Molasses

2C Dark Brn Sugar

1T Tomato Paste

1T Your Rub

1-2tsp Liquid Smoke

1tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Combine all and warm over low heat just until it starts to bubble. Simmer about 5 minutes, stirring very frequently, to combine flavors and to thicken slightly.

Use or pour into a sterile jar and refrigerate for up to 4 weeks.

Makes 3 1/2 Cups.

At the end of your post you say that you are looking for a nice crust so it makes me think you are wanting the sauce to give you a crust. Are you planning on putting the sauce on the meat while it is still in the smoker? If that is the case I would not recommend doing that. If you want good bark just leave the meat uncovered in the smoker until the IT reads 200-205. The bark will be awesome. 

I also recommend JJ's finishing sauce, have a bottle in the fridge now. I have also been using Lillie's Q sauces, their East NC version is also a good vinegar based sauce that goes good with PP. Picked up a bottle of the Tennessee Red mentioned earlier and will be trying that tomorrow. 

I also like to use a finishing sauce when I'm pulling a butt. Being reared in NC, my finishing sauce is a little different from JJ's. I use a little more vinegar and apple juice with ground red pepper. I don't use the ketchup, tomato paste or liquid smoke. JJ's sauce sounds good, it's just a geographical preference.

Joe Black said:

I also like to use a finishing sauce when I'm pulling a butt. Being reared in NC, my finishing sauce is a little different from JJ's. I use a little more vinegar and apple juice with ground red pepper. I don't use the ketchup, tomato paste or liquid smoke. JJ's sauce sounds good, it's just a geographical preference.

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Thats JJ's spicy sauce.  Everyone adjusts it just a little but we all give credit where credit is due.  This is pretty close to what I got as JJ's original finishing sauce. I love it. It don't really modify the flavor it just sort of perks it up a little. If I didn't tell someone that the meat had been sauced, they'd never know. I try to use a min. amount it adds a little juice of course but I don't normally need moisture. It just that little kick that drives the taste of the pulled pork over the top. I don't use my own BBQ normally on pork, its thick west Texas BBQ sauce. JJ's Finishing Sauce I hardly ever use more than maybe a Tablespoon per butt. More commonly its between a teaspoon and a tablespoon per butt. I want to taste pork, not spices.

If I am doing pulled pork, I nearly always plan to cook it at least the day before, pull it, give it a little JJ's  sauce, into a zip lock over night in the reefer. Pulled pork IMHO is like beans, chili, chicken & dumplins or stew, always better the day after. I have pulled pork in vacc bags in the freezer. Its too easy, just grab a bag, throw it in the crock pot, that help retain the moisture without diluting the meat, add some sauce on the table next to the crock pot. Seriously if ya gonna smoke who is going to smoke a 5# butt?  You get 2 butts to the cryo pack. LOL... Sister has been known to show up on a weekend day with a pack of small hamburger buns and I know what she wants!

Here's my bastardization of Chef JJ's famous finishing sauce.

JJ's Finishing Sauce

2C           Apple Cider Vinegar

2T           Worcestershire Sauce  (or more to taste)

1/4C       Brown Sugar

1T          Smoked Paprika

2 tsp      Granulated Garlic

2 tsp      Granulated Onion

2 tsp      Fine Grind Black Pepper

1 tsp      Celery Salt

1 tsp      Cayenne Pepper or Chipotle powder (Add more if you like Heat)

1/2 tsp   Grnd Allspice

As per Me :

¼ C         Honey

¼ C         Apple cider

Dash       Tony's "More" Spice

I guess it's a question of who are you serving, and what do they like? Sauce on the side is good but you don't have to limit yourself to just one sauce. You could offer something sweet, something tangy, something spicy, maybe something Asian or Mexican. The same PP would be the background that fits under any of them.