Roasting pork in your oven for that perfect pulled pork we all love isn’t difficult. It takes a little time but very little effort and the rewards are exceptionally delicious!
No need for a grill or smoker, my oven-cooked pulled pork recipe makes flavorful, fork tender and amazingly delicious pulled pork and so easy to make, it almost cooks itself.
I love pulled pork! There are so many ways to use this delicious slow-roasted pork that it will become a regular item on your menu, once you see how easy it is to make.
If you love pulled pork I’ve got an amazing smoked pork butt recipe and an easy as can be Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe.
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make a Dry Rubbed Pork Roast. In Chef Speak this is called the Mise en Place which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
You’ll love the seasoning blend for the pulled pork, made with black pepper, chili powder, garlic powder and other flavorful spices.
What Cut of Pork should I use for Perfect Pulled Pork?
Most barbecue restaurants use whole pork shoulder roast for their pulled pork, but they’re rarely available in grocery stores. The shoulder roast is the entire front leg and shoulder of a hog. For home consumption, this cut is generally too large, but perfect for restaurant use. This is the cut the Famous Kansas City BBQ uses for their pulled pork.
In your grocery store, you will usually find this divided into two cuts, the Boston butt (cut of pork that comes from the upper part of the shoulder from the front leg ), and the picnic roast.
Either of these cuts are good for pulled pork, but I prefer the Boston butt also known as a pork butt.
Once you’ve got all your ingredients together the first step is mixing all the seasonings together in a small bowl. Make sure they are all well blended for the spice rub.
Then begin the dry rub process which actually means rubbing the spices into the pork butt.
Chef Dennis Tip:
To make this recipe I split the pork butt into two pieces to make it easier to control and also to help reduce the overall cooking time. A large Pork Butt can take a long time to cook, two smaller butts will cook faster.
Wrap the pork in cling wrap, double wrapping it to make sure that its completely sealed to help avoid leakage.
Place a plate under the wrapped pork and refrigerate for at least 12 hours up to 24 hours.
When the pork is ready it’s time to start the cooking process. Dice an onion and saute it in olive oil (or oil of your choice) for 2-3 minutes.
The pot you saute in should have a lid and be oven ready.
Next, add the pork and begin searing the pieces on all sides. Searing each side for 3-4 minutes until the entire roast has been seared and has a nice color.
Add your favorite beer (or Dr. Pepper, Root Beer or Cola) to the pot. Place the lid on the pot and put the pot into a preheated 300 degrees F oven for 3 hours. If you’d like a smoky flavor you can add a little liquid smoke to the cooking liquid.
Check the roast at the 90-minute mark to see if it needs more liquid. If it does add more beer or water to the pan. Mine had more than enough liquid in the pan and didn’t need any additional liquid.
Chef Dennis Tip:
Make sure to have the fat side up when you’re ready to roast the pork butts.
Do I have to use a pot with a lid to roast the pork butt?
No, you don’t. You can cover the pot with aluminum foil, or place a half sheet pan over the top of the pot when you make this recipe.
You can also place it in a baking dish that is big enough to hold the pork, onions and beer and cover it with foil.
You can also forgo the beer and onions double wrapping the pork butts in foil and placing them on a sheet pan to roast.
Depending upon the size of your pork roasts it will take 2.5 hours to 3.5 hours to cook to the desired temperature for pulled pork.
*Average cook time is 40 minutes per pound.
What temperature should I roast Pork Butts to for Perfect Pulled Pork?
For pulled pork, the ideal temperature is 205 degrees F. This goes well beyond the recommended 165 degrees F that most of us are used to cooking pork too.
The high internal temperature allows the collagen in the pork butt to break down, making the meat very tender.
When the pork reaches an internal temperature of 190 F to 195 F, the meat is ready to be pulled. Cooking the pork to any temperature below that won’t give you meat that is tender enough to pull apart properly.
Remember that the pork roast will continue to cook internally by and the temperature will increase by about 10 degrees after it’s been removed from the oven.
I absolutely love my Meater Plus | Smart Meat Thermometer It takes all the guesswork out of cooking meats in the oven, on the grill, or in a smoker.
How do I shred pulled pork?
When the roast is cool enough to handle (but still hot) begin the process of pulling the meat. The tried and true method is using your hands to pull the meat against the grain into slivers.
Here are two other ways to get perfect pulled pork.
Two Fork Method:
Cut the meat into workable pieces. Then use one fork to hold the meat stable, and the other to rake it into shreds. Or use the forks to pull the meat away from each other.
Easy Method:
Using a stand mixer is the fastest and easiest way to shred pork (or chicken). Place the cooked meat in the mixing bowl, attach the flat beater paddle to the mixer, and lock the lever. Turn the mixer to medium speed and let it run for approximately 30 seconds or until the meat has shredded.
If you’re serious about pulled pork and will be making it on a regular basis, get a pair of meat claws.
Use your favorite barbecue sauce to turn pulled pork into a masterpiece of deliciousness! And if by some chance you have leftover bbq pulled pork, try my Ultimate Pulled Pork Cheeseburger.
Can I Make Pulled Pork in a slow cooker?
Yes, you can. Use the seasoning method as described in the recipe.
If possible, sear the pork as in the Dutch oven method, but you can cook the pork without searing. Add the onion, beer, and seared pork to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, depending on your slow cooker.
Shred the pork while warm.
Recipe FAQ’s
Pork Shoulder is the best cut of pork for pulling. It has the right fat content that yields tender meat for pulled pork. Because of the nature of the shoulder, it needs to be cooked slowly to allow the protein to break down properly.
This is one of the biggest complaints with pulled pork, usually due to being exposed to a high temperature for too long and being overcooked. After pulling apart the pork, use the pan juices to moisten the meat. Adding a barbecue sauce will help add moisture to the pulled pork.
Let a cooked pork shoulder rest for 15-20 minutes, loosely tented with foil, before pulling or serving the meat. This “relaxes” the meat, which makes it juicier and more flavorful.
The rule of thumb for pulled pork is one-third to one-half pound of meat per person. With about a 40% loss while roasting a raw 10-pound pork shoulder (or two 5-pounders) will yield about 6 pounds of finished meat, which will serve 12 to 18 people.
Yes, you can. Shred the pork first, then store it with the barbecue sauce in a large resealable freezer bag. Make sure to take out as much of the air as possible before sealing the bag.
More Pork Recipes You’ll Love!
Oven Roasted Perfect Pulled Pork
Ingredients
Dry Rub
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Pulled Pork
- 4 lbs boneless pork shoulder
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 cup beer or substitute- Dr. Pepper, Root Beer or Coke
- 1 onion diced
Instructions
Dry Rub
- In a small bowl mix together all the seasonings for the rub. Mix well.
- Pat the pork roast dry using paper towels.
- Coat the pork roast with the rub. Wrap the roast in plastic wrap and place in fridge for 12 – 24 hours.
Pulled Pork
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- In a large pot heat the oil until it begins to smoke, then add the onions. Allow the onions to cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Very carefully place the pork in the pot and sear the roast on all sides (3-5 minutes per side). Be very careful during this process so that the hot oil doesn't burn you.
- Remove the pan from heat and add the beer to the pan.
- Cover and cook for 2 to 3 hours. Check the roast at the 90-minute mark to see if it needs more liquid. If it does add more beer or water to the pan.Use an oven thermometer to check the internal temperature. When the pork reaches an internal temperature of 190 F to 195 F, the meat is ready to be pulled. Cooking the pork to any temperature below that won’t give you meat that is tender enough to pull apart properly.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool until safe to handle.
- Shred the pork with two forks. Add your favorite barbecue sauce to coat the shredded pork and toss to coat the pork.
- Serve as shredded pork for tacos, sandwiches and other recipes using pulled pork.
Alvina
I would like to bake it tomorrow but only serving it on Sunday..what is the best way to reheat the pulled pork?
Chef Dennis Littley
You can reheat the pulled pork on the stove top with a little water added (or barbecue sauce) or in the oven, with water in the pan, covered with foil in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until a heated temperature of 165 degrees has been reached.
Debbie
Great recipe! Quick question though if you don’t remove the fat cap do you remove it after slow cooking before shredding? Thanks!
Chef Dennis Littley
Yes, after the roast has cooled a little, remove the fat cap.
Chef Dennis Littley
It depends on the weight but it could take up to 2- 3 hours longer. If it’s a large roast it could take even longer. To be sure you need to use an oven thermometer so you can keep track of its progress.
Vivien
This was simply fantastic. My husband wants it basically every week now. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m thrilled to hear that you’ve been enjoying my pulled pork recipe. I have great oven baked brisket and baby back ribs recipes if you’re looking for more delicious bbq recipes to try.
Pat
Don’t have pop or beer what can I sub?
Chef Dennis Littley
you can use apple juice, or beef, chicken or vegetable stock.
Debbie
Came out great, but I have a question about the onions. Should they be removed after sautéing? They burnt to a crisp and I had to scrape the bottom of the pot! The pot is still soaking!
Chef Dennis Littley
The onions will be burnt cooking that long, but if you had enough liquid in the pan, they shouldn’t have stuck. You may need to add more liquid part way through the cooking process next time you make it.
Franks
I reduced temperature to 90ºC
cook time up to 7 hours
Lori G.
OMG, amazing recipe! I’ve cooked pulled pork for many years but never felt the various rubs I made produced the desired flavor. This recipe does not disappoint. Not only is the pork tender and juicy, the flavor is wonderful.
I used an 8 lb pork butt (so doubled the recipe) and added a bit of liquid smoke to the cooking liquid (beer and chicken broth to get the appropriate amount of liquid for the amount of meat used). Cooked for six hours in a countertop roaster. Meat shredded wonderfully and the flavor was superb! Everyone loved it . . . many thanks.
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m very happy to hear you enjoyed my pulled pork recipe. I do love a good pulled pork sandwich and this is my go to recipe!
Christie R
I can’t wait to try this. I’m going to make it for my residents at our July pool party. I’m going to cook two 4 or 5 pound roasts. Thanks for this recipe it was exactly what I was looking for.
Val
I am excited to use this recipe for my neice’s grad. party next week! I will be using this recipe to make pulled pork bbq sandwhiches. I am going to have to start 2 days early since I have 65 lbs. to do! My questions are: should I sauce it up right away and store in fridge, or should I wait to sauce until ready to serve on buns? Also what is the best way to reheat?
Chef Dennis Littley
You definitely want to pull the pork while its hot. You can definitely sauce it ahead of time and the pork will absorb the flavors, or you can just pack it ziplock bags and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to serve.
For that much pork, I would put it deep baking pans or sheet pans to reheat. Add some water, chicken stock or apple juice to the meat and cover it tightly with foil. Place it in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes to reheat. Have the sauce on the stove heated and ready to go. Depending on how deep the pan is you can sauce it right in the baking pan and toss it. Or place the heated pulled pork in a big bowl and sauce it.
I wouldn’t try to do too much at a time as it will get clumpy. Smaller batches will allow you to mix the sauce into the pork more easily.
Also with the pans you can heat the pork, as needed, if you don’t need it all at once.
let me know if you have any other questions.
Valerie
Thank you so much Chef! This is very helpful!!! Val
Patricia Barron
Without a doubt the best pulled pork I have ever made. Cooked 7.5 lb shoulder (cut in half) and did exactly as the recipe stated. Worked great. Tender and juicy. I did make sure to take it out of the oven when the meat reached 195 degrees F. Thank you so much.
Paul Grimmond
Love this blog!
Adriana
Made pulled pork for me and my husband – we loved it! Paired it with homemade BBQ sauce.
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the pulled pork!
Barbara Campanella
Easy to follow directions. The pork came out so juicy and tasty! I can’t wait to serve at our next party.
Brandi
Yum
Kathy
Hello Chef, trying this recipe for a party next week….question if I have a 5lb shoulder roast, is it ok to roast whole or do I need to split it in half?
Chef Dennis Littley
You can roast it in one piece, but it’s going to take a lot longer to cook, which is why I cut the roast. If you’re pulling the pork having it in one piece really doesn’t matter. I would split in half to save cooking time.
Doug
Hello chef. Could I use a bone-in pork shoulder? Thanks
Chef Dennis Littley
You can definitely use a bone in pork shoulder. Since its going to be one piece, the cooking time is going to close to twice as long. You will want to use a probe thermometer to make sure you get the pork to 190-195 degrees before taking it out of the oven.