This pulled pork recipe is requested at every get-together we go to. It’s so fall-off-the-bone tender and packed with flavor you don’t even need BBQ sauce. It honestly makes the best pulled pork sandwich ever. Come see how easy it is to make this pulled pork oven recipe.
Remember last week when we were talking about company recipes? This pulled pork recipe is one of those recipes. I’ll never forget the first time I had this perfect pulled pork. I was a guest in someone’s home and this was their company recipe. And true to company recipe fashion, I immediately fell in love with it and begged for their recipe.
This pulled pork recipe is SO tender and packed with flavor — it just melts in your mouth. It’s so good it doesn’t even need BBQ sauce! And it really is perfect for company because everyone I’ve ever made this for has said it’s the best pulled pork recipe ever. You have to try it, at least once. You’ll be hooked on this pulled pork recipe!!
What is the best cut of pork for pulled pork?
Let’s pick out the perfect pork shoulder for your perfect pulled pork. The best piece of meat for this pulled pork recipe is a 4 to 7 pound whole boston butt.
Make sure your pork shoulder has a layer of fat on the bottom:
It should also have a bone going about halfway through it. (It doesn’t go all the way through. Just halfway.)
Pulled Pork Recipe Equipment
After you pick out your perfect pork shoulder, you may want to pick up a few other items for this easy pulled pork recipe.
Roasting Pan
For this pulled pork recipe you’ll need a 3″ deep roasting pan that’s big enough to hold your pork shoulder so that there is at least 1″ of extra room on all sides. Of course you may have a nice roasting pan at home that you can use. I just pick up one of these disposable ones at the grocery store for easier clean up.
Brining Bag
You’ll also need something LARGE to brine the roast in. I use a 2 gallon ziploc bag for this pulled pork recipe.
Meat Thermometer
The last thing is a digital thermometer with an alarm. You don’t have to have one, but I find this digital thermometer to be an extremely useful piece of equipment in my kitchen. The thermometer stays in the meat, in the oven while the digital reader sits outside on top of the stove. You set the alarm and it will go off when the meat has reached the desired temp. I LOVE it because I don’t have to constantly keep checking on the pulled pork. I just put it in and forget it!
You can pick one of these up pretty cheap (less than $20) at the grocery store (and almost anywhere- Amazon, Target, Walmart, etc). And you can use it for everything- chicken, steak, burgers, and especially this pulled pork recipe. I love it for baking chicken because you know exactly when the chicken is done and it doesn’t get dried out.
Step 1: The Pulled Pork Rub
Now that you’ve got all your equipment, let’s start out by making the special pulled pork rub that makes this pulled pork recipe so perfectly seasoned.
Dry Rub Ingredients
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground pepper
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 cup brown sugar
Mix all ingredients together well and store in an air tight container.
This smells absolutely divine. Cover it and set it aside.
Step 2: The Pork Shoulder Brine
A brine solution gives this pulled pork recipe the extra moisture it needs for a long, slow cooking process so you don’t end up with tough, dried out meat.
Brine Solution Ingredients
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 qts cold water
3 tbsp dry rub mix
2 bay leaves
Add salt to cold water and stir very well until all the salt is completely dissolved. Then add the brown sugar and dry rub and stir well to combine.
Rinse the pork shoulder in cold water and place in a 2 gallon ziploc bag (or a container big enough so the shoulder is completely covered in the pork shoulder brine solution).
Carefully pour in the pork shoulder brine solution…
And add in two dried bay leaves.
You can find these in the spice section of the grocery store.
Refrigerate the pork shoulder in the brine for at least 12 hours. For this pulled pork recipe, 24-36 hours of brining time is best. I usually brine about 24 hours. I like to clean out a spot in my refrigerator door and keep the pork shoulder there because it helps keep the pork shoulder completely covered in brine.
Step 3: Preparing the Pork Shoulder
After the pork shoulder has finished brining, preheat oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Yes, 225 degrees, that is not a typo! We cook the meat “low and slow” in this pulled pork recipe. Remove the pork shoulder from the brine solution and place in the roasting pan.
Pat the skin dry with paper towels so you’ll get a nice, crisp crust.
Generously, generously, cover the WHOLE pork shoulder in your dry rub mix.
And massage the dry rub mix into the skin really well. Be sure and get it up under any flaps you may come across.
It should look like the picture below when you’re done massaging. If you have dry rub mix left, that’s okay. We will be using it later.
Make sure the fat layer is facing UP and stick the thermometer into the thickest part of the shoulder, but not touching the bone.
Place uncovered in a 225 degree Fahrenheit oven on the middle rack.
Why 200 degrees?
Set the alarm on the thermometer for 200 degrees. For this pulled pork recipe, we don’t want to take the pulled pork out of the oven until the center of the shoulder reaches at least 200 degrees. The first time I made this, I was like what?? 200 degrees?? Are you kidding?? Isn’t a roast usually done at 170 degrees?? Won’t my meat be tough and dried out??
But here’s what I found out. The pork is finished to the point of being sliceable at 170 degrees, but to get that tender, falling apart, melt-in-your-mouth shredded pork, the ideal internal temperature should reach at least 200 degrees. The pulled pork is still just as tender, juicy and flavorful because you brined it first. That’s what makes this pulled pork recipe so amazing!
Planning Ahead
This 8 pound pork shoulder took 13 hours to reach 200 degrees. Your shoulder will reach 170-180 very quickly, but those last 20 degrees will take much longer. Plan for at least 12 hours, and maybe 15+ hours for this pulled pork recipe.
Here’s how I normally do it… Two days before I want to serve this, I prepare the brine solution and let the shoulder brine over night and all day the next day in the fridge. That night right before bed, I season the shoulder with the dry rub and put it in the oven and let it cook overnight. Even a small shoulder will take at least 10 hours to cook, so you don’t have to worry about the alarm waking you up the next morning.
Check Your Oven!
Some ovens automatically turn off after 12 hours. Note the time you put the shoulder in the oven, and you may want to set an alarm to alert you 12 hours later so you can check and make sure your oven is still on. A large shoulder could easily take 13-16 hours to cook with this pulled pork recipe.
When the thermometer alarm goes off and the pork shoulder has reached 200 degrees, turn off the oven and let the pork shoulder rest for about 2 hours before removing from the oven. Turn off the alarm, but keep the thermometer in the meat, so you can monitor the temperature. If the bottom of the pan is dry (or crusted with dried spices) cover the pan with foil to retain internal moisture of the meat during the resting period.
After a couple hours, when the temperature drops to 170 degrees or slightly lower, remove the pork shoulder from the oven.
Remove the large sheet of crusted fat on the top. Using two large forks, begin pulling the pork shoulder apart. It will fall apart very easily and it should not take you long at all to pull apart the entire pork shoulder.
The inside will be fall-off-the-bone tender, and the outside will have a deliciously seasoned crispy crust. Feel free to add any leftover seasoning if you want a little more seasoning.
How many people will this pulled pork recipe serve?
How much does your pork shoulder weigh? Multiply that by 1.5 for an estimate of how many people it will serve.
For example if your pork shoulder is 4 pounds, it will serve around 6 people. If your pork shoulder is 7 pounds, it will serve around 10.5 people.
To be more precise, you want to have about 1/3 to 1/2 pound of meat per person. But remember that a bone-in pork shoulder will only yield around 60% of its weight when cooked. So if you buy a 5-pound pork shoulder at the grocery store, when cooked it will yield around 3 lbs of meat, which will serve 6-9 people.
Calculate How Many People Your Pork Shoulder Will Serve:
Type this into Google:
What is 60% of (weight of pork shoulder)?
Multiply that number by 2 for a low estimate of how many people it will serve
Multiply that number by 3 for a high estimate of how many people it will serve
How To Make The Best Pulled Pork Sandwich
Put a little butter on some hamburger buns, toast under the broiler until lightly browned, and top with pulled pork. It’s so juicy and flavorful, you won’t even need BBQ sauce.
How to Reheat Pulled Pork
Just pop it in a 350-375 degree oven for about 5 mins. You’ll know when it’s done because the whole kitchen will start smelling so good! Pulled pork also freezes really well, just thaw it and reheat in the oven.
See how easy it is to make this Pulled Pork Recipe!
Watch the video below to see how easy it is to make this pulled pork recipe!
Perfect Pulled Pork Recipe
- Prep Time: 12 hours
- Cook Time: 12 hours
- Total Time: 24 hours
- Yield: 3-4 pounds
- Category: Pulled Pork
- Cuisine: Barbeque
Description
Ingredients
- 1 (4-7 pound) whole Boston Butt or pork shoulder (bone-in with a layer of fat on the bottom)
Dry Rub
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Brine Solution
- 1/2 cup salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 quarts cold water
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons dry rub mix
Instructions
FOR THE DRY RUB
- Mix well and store in an air tight container.
FOR THE BRINE SOLUTION
- Add salt to cold water and stir very well until all the salt is completely dissolved. Then add the brown sugar, dry rub, and bay leaves and stir well to combine.
PORK SHOULDER PREPARATION
- Rinse the pork shoulder and place in a large container, pour in the brine solution until the shoulder is completely covered. Cover the container and place in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.
- Remove pork shoulder from brine solution, pat dry with paper towels, place in baking pan that is bigger than the shoulder by at least a inch in length and width and at least 3 inches deep. Sprinkle dry rub onto the surface of the shoulder and massage in such that it adheres to the surface. Coat all sides. Make sure the fat layer on the shoulder is facing up before cooking! Place baking pan uncovered in a 225 degree F oven on the middle rack. Insert a probe thermometer into the center or thickest part of the shoulder, but not touching the bone. Monitor the temperature throughout cooking (a digital thermometer with an alarm function is the easiest way to do this). Do not remove from the oven until the center of the shoulder reaches 200 degrees.
- When the shoulder has reached 200 degrees, shut off the oven and let the roast cool for a couple of hours before removing from the oven. If the bottom of the pan is dry (or crusted with dried spices) then cover the pan with foil to retain internal moisture of the meat during the cooling period. When the temperature drops to 170 degrees or slightly lower, remove from oven. Place on a large, clean work surface such as a cutting board, and remove the large sheet of crusted fat on the top. Pull apart with two forks, it will pull apart very easily. Serve for friends and family!
Absolutely fabulous! Can’t keep my son and grandson from snacking on it!
This is the best pulled pork recipe hands down! We’ve been using this recipe for about 5 years now and it never fails. I have even skipped the brining process a couple times because I was short on time and it’s still delicious. I’ve also cooked it half way in the smoker and the other half of the time in the over, perfect every time. Definitely our go to recipe.
Hello, My question is what to do with juices in pan. Are you shredding the pork back into the foil pan with the juices (after defatted) or do you serve the shredded pork “dry” without mop or sauce mixed into it? Thank you.
I have made this recipe for over 15 years now, and it never fails to impress those that try it. I have not had much liquid if any left in the pan when its fully cooked. I never mix any sauce into the meat. The extra rub added after meat is pulled is good by itself. I always tell friends to add sauce to theirs if desired, but its good eaten as is.
We personally use the juice and pour it over the meat to add moisture. Use whatever sauce you like. We use BBQ sauce and make sandwiches or just eat it plain.
There is no wrong answer. I generally shred it back into the pan and we love it with sauces of all sorts! Pineapple Habanero Jam and a Garlic Aioli are two of our favorites!
The best! I skip the brining part and it still turns out delicious! My boys love the leftovers frozen. They pull them out and heat for topping mac and cheese.
Hi there to completely cover I would need to make a double batch of brine is that ok
Oh. My. Goodness. This is the best pulled pork I’ve ever had. I followed the instructions to the letter and it turned out amazingly delicious ! Read the whole “how to” instructions not just the recipe. It answers many questions about brining and how long to cook to get to 200 degrees. It’s moist and full of flavor. Forgot the BBQ sauce. This one stands alone!
Do you rinse the joint after brining as read somewhere if not rinsed will be too salty
I am brining now. Can’t wait. Can I cook in oven with foil over it? Or can I place foil over it at any point in time to get a crisp top?
This is my go-to recipe for pulled pork and, like Amanda said: a company favorite!!! I think I have made it several times a year since finding it in 2019 (maybe?).
I once tried it in the crock pot and it was okay and faster, but not quite the same. But in a bind I might do it again. [Crock pot: I still used my thermometer and cooked it on high until meat was about 100-130°, turned it to low until it hit 200°. Then turned the heat down to warm until it came back down to 170°. Meat was nearly as or just as tender as the slower way but only 7-8 hours!!]
This recipe is a family crown pleasing staple for many years. I slow cook in my pellet smoker and it’s the perfect mix of sweet and salt that brings the best flavor in the pork. Thank you Amanda for making me look good!
Can you clarify for “chili powder” is that the kind used to make chili or are you talking straight up chili pepper (hot pepper)?
i had the same question
Chili powder like McCormick, SpiceIsland, etc..
Can this recipe be made in a slow cooker?
The best pulled pork!
THE BEST Recipe EVER for pulled pork! I have been making this recipe since 2017,about 6years. I have made it without brining and I can tell you that is the key for moist tender flavorable pork. Because my husband is allergic to peppercorn, I deleted the pepper. It is not spicy hot to us. Actually quite mild. I highly recommend this recipe. And am so grateful the authors shared it! It is a game changer.
Love this recipe! I’ve made it several times. The longer the brining time, the more moist and tender the meat comes out. Also, I use the dry rub for lots of things — I keep a batch of it in my spice rack to pull out as needed. It’s great on pork chops in the air fryer, and added to the breading for fried chicken, or just about any time I want a bit of BBQ seasoning for something.
I used this recipe a couple of years back for a graduation party. I thought this recipe included a chart for 50 and 100 servings. If so, could you please share it again?
Thank you!!
I’ve been using this recipe for 15 years, best EVER!
I do mine in my crockpot and add a beer….YUMMY!
Do you do anything different, I’m also planning to make mine in the crockpot
Going to try in crock pot as well. Anything in particular I should do differently?
We love pulled pork BBQ and this is my go to recipe for BBQ. I’ve been making it for over 7yrs now and everyone loves it!! It doesn’t need any sauce but we serve it on the side and with coleslaw. Thank you so much for sharing this awesome recipe!! ?
This recipe is amazing! While I did take the advice of a few others and halve the pepper, the flavor of the meat was amazing without any sauce! I even used this recipe for cooing ribs. Best ribs from the oven yet. I’m anxious to try this before putting the meat on the smoker. This is my “go to” recipe for pork from now on.
Hi Andrea, we cook our pulled pork half way in the smoker and the other half in the oven and it’s delicious. We have also used this recipe on beef brisket and it’s just as good.
This is the best-pulled pork recipe ever. I can not count the number of times I have this this, but it’s always a hit!
Absolute perfection. I am about to make this for the third time. The first was a gamble for me as I was entertaining new inlaws for a graduation event for two of our children. It was a huge hit. The only problem with this recipe is that it does cook best overnight (if you want to be able to use your oven for anything else) and you won’t sleep half the night when the heavenly smell wakes you up! (I have this same problem when I cook brisket low and slow like this.)
We agree it needs no sauce, though we serve it on the side for those who want it.
I would give this recipe 100 stars if I could! It is the absolute best pulled pork EVER! It is super tender and packed full of flavor. They are correct; there is no need for any sauce, but of course that’s up to you. We eat it “as is.”
My husband and I have been making this recipe for years now. Everyone always loves it. Make ahead and freeze some.
Love it love it love it!!!
This brine & dry rub recipe is my new go-to! The meat was so well-flavored, tender & delicious! I cooked the meat using a crockpot on low with a different sauce but I included a TBSP of the dry rub in my bbq sauce while cooking. So yummy!! Thanks for sharing!!
This is so easy and delicious every time. Highly recommend. We tweaked the rub recipe to our tastes (only slightly different), But outstanding. Can do overnight and is perfectly done in a.m.
By the far BEST ever pulled pork I have EVER made and I’m making it again for Monday ( Halloween)
I’ll never make this another way
My family and I absolutely love pulled pork. We often order it from a local restaurant because theirs is so tender and flavorful. I prefer to cook at home, versus eating from restaurants and I look for recipes to make the things at home that we would order, so I searched for a pulled pork recipe.
I read through many recipes, but when I saw this one I knew it was the perfect recipe. It is well written, detailed, and easy to follow. I had a girls’ night dinner planned for a Sunday with my daughters and granddaughters. So on Thursday I got the pork butt roast, some kosher salt and bay leaves, and prepared the dry rub, and then I put the roast into the brine Friday morning. I left the roast in the brine until Saturday night and I had the oven preheated and ready. The roast went into the oven Saturday night at 10:00pmand I allowed it to slow cook until 2:00pm on Sunday. I took it out of the oven, covered it with foil and let it sit covered for an hour. I had dinner planned for 3:00pm. The roast was so juicy and tender that it literally fell cleanly off of the bone! And oh my goodness! It smelled so amazing roasting in the oven all night. I took two forks and pulled the pork apart, mixed in the juices from the cooking and we all were immensely pleased with the flavor and how the meat was so tender that it melted in our mouths. We all agreed that I would need to make that recipe again, on a holiday or for a Sunday dinner.
Two weeks later I made the pulled pork again for my granddaughter’s 13th birthday party. I also used the recipe to make pulled chicken, except that I slow boiled chicken thighs instead of roasting them. Everyone at the party loved the pulled pork and pulled chicken. There was none left after dinner, and I cooked 10 chicken thighs and a 9lb butt roast which I let slow cook for about 17 hours. It is an amazingly delicious pulled pork recipe that I plan to use often from now on. Although the roasts retail for about $22 in my area. The flavor is absolutely worth the cost.
Thank you very much for sharing your wonderful recipe! I honestly cannot thank you enough!
I would love to see your recipe for pulled chicken! I want to make a pork and chicken for NYE
Trying your recipe for the first time with a 15 lb shoulder butt placing in the bbq at 4:00 am after a 13 hr. brine taking out approximately 4:00 pm? I’ll offer a bbq sauce and coleslaw type on the side. Thanks for sharing.
I plan to start this recipe tomorrow, I believe it will be amazing. My family andI love pulled pork. This by far the best recipe I have read, both in the clear way that it is written, and also I can almost taste the flavor combinations while reading through the directions.
My only complaint is with attempting to print the recipe, it took several tries before I was able to get the page to go the print queue without the ads covering parts of the recipe. That was quite annoying.
Oh my goodness, I can hardly wait to make this! I just bought my meat, but unfortunately, the smallest one I could get was 8.92 pounds! I plan to cook it for Labor Day. My question is if you think I should mix up half-again the recipe for the brine? Or, should I mix up the initial brine quantity, first, and see if it covers the butt completely? If you suggest adding more, would I just half the original recipe and add? Looks like I will be cooking it for a while. :-) But that is OK, as it sounds like the time invested will TOTALLY be worth it!
Thank you so much for all the detail and fabulous pics!
My roasts are in the oven cooking SLOWLY for several hours but there is a lot of juice. Will that absorb by the time it is done or do I pour it off? Thanks
I modified a bit, used all the spices and brine, but i seared it and then put in a crock pot with a bit of the brine and slow cooked 8 hours…then I shredded and broiled with a little homemade bbq on top for a few mins, absolutely the best pulled pork I’ve ever made it eaten!!!
This was amazing! Can we use it on pork tenderloin?
I did! It was still amazing!
Tried this recipe and fell in love with pulled pork. Next week I had to recreate except I needed to cook two pork shoulders since last time I was left craving more! Delicious, easy to prep and cook. Definitely worth trying and highly recommend. Pork was so flavorful, tender, and didn’t miss the grill or smoker. With some Hawaiian rolls, finger licking good. Amazing recipe!
This is absolutely the best pulled pork I have EVER had (and that’s close to 60 years experience). It is so moist and so flavorful, there really is no need for sauce. It is definitely a keeper.
Mine took 13 hours and never reached 200 degrees, fell off the bone. However I had not anticipated it to be so spicy. I only used 1/2 of the cayenne powder. Also after 13 hours there was no juice left.
Ann, I agree with you about being too spicy. I love spicy food however the black pepper and cayenne pepper amount should be cut in half or more. My wife a daughter liked it but they both complained it was too peppery. I put mine in a smoker for 6 hours and then finished it off in the oven for another 6 hours. Came out perfect, pork shoulder is hard to mess up.
A fantastic recipe. I followed the directions. Tripled the recipe for my 22 pound Boston Pork Butt. I fed more than 60 hungry people at a big family party. I served it with a 30 oz bottle of Kinders BBQ sauce from Costco, rolls , a few side dishes, plus dessert. Cooked the pork in the oven overnight. The meat thermometer reached 200 degrees in less than 12 hours, next time I will leave the meat in the oven longer… just because I like the burnt ends (like YOUR photo shows). After I shredded the meat, I put it in bags and kept the bags in the refrigerator. To heat the meat up the next day, I put it in an pressure cooker with 2 cups of the saved pork broth for 6 minutes of pressure. Kept the pork warm in the cooker during the party. Everyone loved it. **Yummy** Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’ve made it 3 times, have one in the oven right now. I always share it with family & friends. They love everything about it. I love it for it’s simplicity, superb flavor & texture. It freezes very well also. I make up sandwiches, using Kaiser rolls & freeze. They can be thawed in fridge & microwaved till heated through. A winner all around!!
This looks amazing, when do you trim the fat? Also, do you need any liquid in the pot when you roast it?
I have made this recipe more times than I can remember and I always checker cut the fat down to the meat then ensure I get the rub deep in the cuts last. This seems to help get the flavor down into the meat under the fat layer
I think you wait until it is finished she says “remove the large sheet of crusted fat” when you getting ready to shred it. I assume you are to remove and discard it, though the recipe does state to “discard”.
Just made this and followed the recipe and voila, it came out perfect the first time! Unbelievable how easy this was to make and an outstanding result!
ABSOLUTELY THE BEST RECIPE FOR PULLED PORK! I had 2 Boston butts weighing 14lbs together. Followed recipe exactly and it was perfect. Literally FELL OFF THE BONES! Took exactly 13 1/2 hrs to reach 200*. After removing fat and bones the meat totaled 6lbs. Way more than I needed to feed 14 people. Glad to have enough left over to freeze. Be sure to go by weight of Boston butt as packaged in the deli to determine how many to feed. It’s safer that way. This recipe tells you how to determine that. Multiply every pound times 1.5.
I’ve made this several times now and everyone loves it! No need for barbecue sauce! I make mine in a slow cooker it is soft and tender! I did tweak it a little for my taste on the second batch, I like it a little less hot so I put in a bit less pepper and off set it with a little more brown sugar, ~approximately same amount of sugar as pepper decrease (~ same amount of content).
I want to do mine in the slow cooker as well. What adjustments did you make?
I made this exactly by the recipe. It was very easy and turned out the best pulled pork I’ve ever made. Great recipe with clear instructions and tips.
I did, however, make one addition. After pulling the pork apart, I mixed some of the drippings with liquid smoke and tossed it through the pork. Sneaking a little smokiness in there gave it that little flavor you expect in pulled pork.
Quick question, if I have a 16 pounds piece (with bone) do I need to double everything for the brine and cooking time?
Thanks for the help :)
Always delicious
Awesome recipe. It took some time (18hrs brine-12 hrs in oven-2+hrs cooling) but it was the best pulled pork I’ve ever made. So worth the wait. Thank you for the recipe.
I hosted a super bowl party and made this (thanks dad for sending this recipe). First off the instructions were on point! I cooked a 8.5lb beautiful Boston butt I got from FreshDirect (live in nyc). I brined it for 36 hours, and highly suggest placing this in a large covered mixing bowl over a xxl ziplock, we had a leak and that was not fun to clean. Anyways when it came to the rub, I rubbed and spanked the butt until it was so well blended into the meat I felt good. I placed it in the oven at 8pm Saturday night expecting it would be done by around noon the latest. I have a very good and modern oven / stove. This took nearly 19 hours at 225 to hit 200 degrees for an 8.5lb cut. All good and thank god I planned ahead. What I did was when we were not getting past 190 degrees I just covered it in foil and turned the oven up to 250 for 1 hour. Boom we got to 200. After sitting for 2-3 hours (still covered) NOT in oven (I had other things to cook). The meat legit fell apart and shredded perfectly. I quickly reheated at the start of the game and it was so moist, flavorful and good. My guests looked at me like I was a master meat maker, we had a TON of food and by the end of the night there was maybe under a 12oz of pulled pork left. It was the highlight of the party. This recipe has been printed, emailed to myself, and will be used throughout my life going forward. THANK YOU! my only advice is commit to the butt and don’t cut corners, also expect that time will be totally tbd and to maybe give yourself wiggle room if planning for event.
I just finished shredding my pork after roasting overnight in the oven… oh my goodness, so delicious! I brined it for about 30 hours and roasted it for 14 hours 200 degrees and did the cool-down in the oven to about 161 degrees. It was pull-apart tender in most areas of the roast with only a few areas that were not as easy to shred, but still amazingly yummy! Next time, I will roast for a bit longer, especially if it’s a larger shoulder like this one was. We will be doing pulled pork tacos tonight. Thank you for the great recipe! :)
Ok, this recipe is ridiculous! It is absolutely fall off the bone tender and incredibly flavorful.
My cook time was way quicker. I had a 5lb bone-in pork butt. It only took about 7 hours to get to 200 degrees. Then a little more than 2 hours to get back to 170.
I did cover it in foil at about 195 degrees and about 6 hours in.
We’re definitely doing this again though! Next time may try smoking it on the Traeger.
Can this be made with beef?
Thank you for this great recipe. Brined it for 24 hrs then cooked it with out meat temperature because all I had was the poke in and read kind. For 12 hours I didn’t look not once came back to what was a crusted 208 F pork roast. Let it rest 1 1/2 hrs temp was 166 then shred it to this juicy fall apart meat started with 8.9 lbs . cooking temp 225
Husband was having an affair with a college girl whom he didn’t know I knew about.
No need to correct. I think most minor mistakes our brain automatically corrects… I didn’t even notice it. And in today’s day and age, I think most people are used to it. I only will correct my self if the correct word is not obvious, or, the word changes the meaning of the sentence. Sooooo… Noooo worries?
Seriously? That is awful! So sorry!
We and everyone else we make this for LOVES this! Even though this is great in the oven, if you have a smoker, it brings it to AMAZING! We have tried it both ways and although it is good in the oven, it is so much better on the smoker! Thanks for a great recipe!
When we smoke it, we don’t brine. We have tried it a couple of times brined and then tried it wrapped in either foil or butcher paper(non-waxed) non-brined, and there is no reason for the brine if you smoke it, wrap it at 160, and let it finish.
Can this be made a couple days in advance?
This truly is the best pulled pork recipe that I have ever tried. I have cooked six roasts aat one time and they all turned out great. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!