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Overhead view of pulled pork on a white plate with two forks in the meat. Buns and bbq sauce off to the side.

Pulled Pork

Course: barbecue, BBQ, Main, Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: barbecue, BBQ, pulled pork, slow cooker
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 hours
CHILL TIME:: 8 hours
Total Time: 18 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 513kcal
Author: Malinda Linnebur
This easy Pulled Pork Recipe is perfect for feeding a crowd. It's made with pork shoulder and some pantry staples to produce tender, juicy, and flavorful pulled pork.
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Ingredients

  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon KOSHER salt (not table salt!)
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne
  • 4 pound (1.8kg) pork shoulder or butt (bone-in and preferably with a fat cap)
  • 1 large onion; sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic; chopped
  • 1 cup (235ml) braising liquid of choice (beer, apple cider- alcoholic or non, apple juice, soda

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, salt, smoked paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, pepper, and cayenne. Rub all over pork. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours. (can skip this part but does allow the pork to "marinate" in the spices.)
  • SLOW COOKER METHOD: Place the sliced onion and chopped garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker. Top with braising liquid. Unwrap pork and place on top. Cover and cook on LOW for 10 hours.
  • OVEN METHOD: Preheat oven to 300℉. Place the sliced onion and chopped garlic in the bottom of a large dutch oven. Pour in braising liquid. Unwrap pork and cut into 3 pieces. Place in dutch oven, cover, and cook for 3 hours. Remove the lid and cook for 1.5-2 hours.
  • Transfer pork to a large bowl to cool slightly then shred into bite sized pieces, discarding some of the excess fat. Let braising liquid settle for 5 minutes then remove fat from surface with a spoon.
  • Toss the shredded pork with 1 cup of braising liquid; adding more as needed to keep the meat moist.

Notes

  1. STORAGE: Cooked meat can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  2. FREEZER FRIENDLY: Place cooled meat in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. 

Nutrition

Calories: 513kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 60g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 203mg | Sodium: 1410mg | Potassium: 1166mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 936IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 5mg