If you're looking for the best pulled pork recipe to keep in your back pocket—this is it. Extremely tender with a sweet yet tangy homemade BBQ sauce, this oven-baked pulled pork is our go-to for an easy weeknight dinner or to serve up a crowd at our summer BBQ or game day. It’s endlessly versatile: Whether you sandwich it between a soft potato bun, pile it on top of a baked potato, or even eat it on its own, pulled pork works for practically any meal, any time of year.
If you've never made pulled pork in the oven, follow our top tips for acing this easy BBQ dish every time:
What's the best cut of meat for pulled pork?
While you can totally use boneless pork shoulder if that’s what you prefer, pork butt is our preferred cut of meat for this recipe for a few reasons. Both cuts come from the pig’s shoulder, but there’s more fat and marbling with pork butt, which gives a juicier and more flavorful and tender result. This cut will also fall apart easier and can withstand hours and hours of cooking—perfect for low-and-slow, shreddable pulled pork.
What's the best method for cooking pulled pork?
It really depends on what you're looking for in your desired pulled pork. We love our slow-cooker pulled pork recipe—the meat gets deliciously tender, and you can just dump everything in at once. But it takes longer—at least 5 hours—and you'll miss out on one of our favorite things: the burnt ends. These blackened edges are a result of the fat and sauce ingredients caramelizing, and you'll only get that in this oven-cooked recipe.
Searing your meat will give you those irresistible burnt ends, and if you're using a Dutch oven, it's a quick and easy step. But, if you don't want to sear your meat and don't care about the burnt ends (we can't relate), feel free to skip.
How should I serve pulled pork?
The obvious answer would be the most delicious pulled pork sandwiches, topped with dill pickles and coleslaw and served with potato salad. But your options don't stop there. Pulled pork nachos, pulled-pork crescent rings, and green chile pork stew are just a few of our amazing pulled-pork recipe ideas. Really—the limit on this BBQ pork doesn't exist.
Storage.
Put any leftover pulled pork in an airtight container and store in the fridge for around 3 days.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
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- Yields:
- 6 - 8 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 10 mins
- Total Time:
- 3 hrs 20 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 800
Ingredients
Pork
- 4 lb.
boneless pork butt
- 3 tbsp.
packed brown sugar
- 1 tbsp.
kosher salt
- 1 tbsp.
smoked paprika
- 1 tsp.
garlic powder
- 1 tsp.
ground cumin
- 1 tsp.
onion powder
Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp.
vegetable oil
- 12 oz.
lager
BBQ Sauce & Sandwiches
- 1 1/2 c.
ketchup
- 1/2 c.
Dijon mustard
- 1/3 c.
apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 c.
packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp.
Worcestershire sauce
Toasted buns, for serving
Directions
Pork
- Step1Preheat oven to 300°. Trim excess fat from pork and cut into large pieces to fit in a large Dutch oven.
- Step2In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, and onion powder; season with black pepper. Rub all over pork. (This can be done the night before.)
- Step3In large Dutch oven over medium high heat, heat oil. Working in batches, cook pork until browned on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. (Spices can burn quickly, so don’t let it go for too long!) Pour beer around pork and cover with a lid.
- Step4Bake until pork is just beginning to turn tender, about 3 hours. Uncover and continue to bake until pork is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork, 1 to 2 hours more.
- Step5Transfer pork to a cutting board, reserving pan drippings in pot, and let rest until ready to use.
BBQ Sauce & Sandwiches
- Step1Into pan drippings, whisk ketchup, mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, and Worcestershire until combined. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Step2Shred pork with 2 forks. Add meat to sauce and toss to combine. Serve warm with buns and remaining sauce alongside.
Lauren Miyashiro
Freelance Contributor
Lauren Miyashiro is the former Food Director of Delish. She graduated culinary school in 2016 and mastered the art of the Crunchwrap in 2017.
