Easy Pulled Pork made in the oven (no smoker needed!) with a delicious homemade rub that tastes like it came from your favorite bbq restaurant. This’ll be the hit of the summer season!
Just like with the immediately popular BBQ Pulled Chicken, you can serve this summer favorite with KFC Coleslaw (Copycat), Three Bean Salad and Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese for the easiest and most delicious summer cookout meal made indoors!
Pulled Pork Recipe
Pulled pork doesn’t have to be a daunting recipe or something you go to your local bbq stop for. This pulled pork recipe is made IN THE OVEN and it tastes like it sat outside in the smoker all day.
There’s just two catches to this recipe (there has to be a catch with such big promises right?). I need you to let this seasoned pork sit in your fridge overnight. Let all the flavors come together in a way that will leave you with the most seasoned pork ever.
Second, please, please, please sear off the pork. The added crispness to the crust you’ll get is worth the tiny bit of smokiness you’ll end up with int he kitchen when you’re searing all the sides. Keep the ventilation on above the stovetop, there is cayenne in this recipe so the air may be a bit spicy.
Crock Pot Pulled Pork Recipe:
This recipe can be easily made in the slow cooker as well. Follow the recipe instructions completely through the searing stage. Once you’ve seared the pork add the foil to the bottom of your slow cooker and lay the pork on top of that. Cook the pork on low for 10-12 hours with no additional liquid added. Sometimes if I find the cut of pork is too big for the slow cooker and too much liquid is being released into the slow cooker I will drain some of the liquid about 6-7 hours into the cook time.
Want to top your sandwich with barbecue sauce? I highly recommend the sauce in this Tony Roma’s Original BBQ Sauce because it’s the best bbq ever.
The Perfect Pulled Pork Sandwich Recipe:
- Start with a brioche bun (extra points if you butter it and toast it.
- Top with a healthy amount of pulled pork.
- Add a bit of bbq sauce over the pork (optional)
- Put about ¼ cup of Easy Cole Slaw on top of the pork.
- If skipping slaw you can also top with pickled red onions.
- Want spice? Add some jalapenos. My FAVORITE are these candied jalapenos or spicy bread and butter pickles.
What kind of meat do you use for pulled pork?
Classically bbq experts will use a whole shoulder which is made up of both the boston butt cut of meat and the pork shoulder cut. You’re looking for either one, about five pounds or so. Bone in will always provide better flavor and cost significantly less.
Can you use a pork loin to make pulled pork?
Using pork loin is certainly a healthier choice, one that’s also quite delicious. Pork loins are better suited for recipes where the pork is sliced and tender such as Ultimate Garlic Pork Loin Roast, Slow Cooker Honey Apple Pork Loin, Slow Cooker Bacon Garlic Pork Loin and Brown Sugar Garlic Pork with Carrots & Potatoes,
What can you make with pulled pork?
- Add it to a salad (leave it cold) with corn, black beans, cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce and top with honey mustard and bbq sauce.
- Add it to a baked potato and top with Crispy Thin Onion Rings, bbq sauce and cheddar cheese
- Make it into a bbq pork quesadilla with some thinly sliced red onion and cheddar cheese.
- Top it on nachos with cheddar cheese sauce, ranch, jalapeno rings, and chopped tomatoes.
- Make it into tacos with finely shredded cabbage, pico de gallo and ranch dressing.
More fun Easy Summer BBQ Recipes:
- El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans (Copycat)
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
- Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs
- Honey Bacon Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup salt *
- 1/4 cup coarse ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup sweet paprika
- 1/3 cup smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon cayenne red pepper
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 5 pounds pork shoulder
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
Instructions
- Mix everything but the pork shoulder and the oil together in a large metal bowl.
- Add in the pork shoulder and roll it in the seasoning well, packing on all the seasoning as best as you can.
- Wrap the top with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight (optional but very highly recommended).
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Using a large dutch oven add the canola oil over medium high heat.
- Brown the pork on all sides then turn off the stovetop.
- Add in a small rack under the pork into the dutch oven (in the absence of this use foil).
- Place the pork on top then cover.
- Cook for 3-3 ½ hours (if the meat is longer rather than thicker 3 should be long enough).
- Shred before serving.
- If you want to keep the juices, skim the fat off then pour over the pork before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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I love this recipe and it comes out great every time!
I’m trying the slow cooker method today and hope it’s just as good!
When I’m feeling lazy or missing spices, I use the Badia Holy Smokes for seasoning and add brown sugar and it still comes out great.
Your recipes are wonderful and we try many of them. I have a question and suggestion. You speak constantly of “microwave” ans “slow cooker” and “dutch oven”..all of that. I’m in Europe where such things do not exist!! Could you kindly provide –in your recipes, alternative ways of cooking these things?? Please!!!
Your recipes are wonderful and we try many of them. I have a question and suggestion. You speak constantly of “microwave” ans “slow cooker” and “dutch oven”..all of that. I’m in Europe where such things do not exist!! Could you kindly provide –in your recipes, alternative ways of cooking these things?? Please!!!
Enjoyed the meal
Sabrina,
I have a question. Can I make this the day before?
Thanks, Hilary
Of course 🙂 Enjoy!
Where is the slider bar to adjust the size of the meat?
If you go to the top of the recipe card and hover over servings amount, use the slider to double the amount and it will adjust the quantities on the ingredients. Hope this helps!
I have several questions about the pulled pork recipe. I made it this weekend and it was really good. First, there was a lot of spice rub…I had a 7 pound pork butt and it was way too much to stay on the meat. I just let meat rest on remainder of spice in bottom of bowl. When I removed the spice- rubbed pork butt from metal bowl (bowl wrapped with Saran overnight) , there was a lot of moisture in bottom of bowl.
Due To the moisture and the thick coating of spices, I felt that the searing part was not successful. Most of the spice rub came off and burned in the pan. Can you comment on this because I really liked your suggestion to brown all sides. Also, I did use the slow cooker method and did not understand how to use the aluminum foil in the slow cooker. Do you line the bottom of cooker with foil? Nevertheless, the pulled pork was delicious. Thank you for assisting me with this recipe. I will be making this again soon!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, I would make sure that the pork is completely thawed before starting. I even pat mine down with a paper towel before adding the spice rub so that it’s able to stick to the meat. Hope this helps!
I can not find smoked salt in any local grocery stores. I see several types and brands online. Which brand do you like best? I found sea salt smoked salt, hickory smoked salt and many others. Thank you. Looking forward to making on Sunday. Do you think liquid smoke would work until I can find the one you recommend?
If you’re having a hard time finding it, use liquid smoke and then add sea salt. Enjoy!
How much liquid smoke and sea salt would you use for a 10 lb bone in shoulder? Couldn’t find smoke salt.
Can i use a pork loin in place of the pork butt in this recipe?
You can, however pork loin is better suited to sliced pork dishes. It’s a leaner cut of meat, so be prepared that it won’t be as juicy.
What is the serving size for this recipe?!
About 5 – 5 1/2 oz
Made recipe for Labor Day. Let the pork rest overnight with the seasoning, seared and then put in the crockpot. We were running late on time so we cooked on high for 6 hours and low for another hour or so. It was perfect. Having leftovers right now.
Yum! Love leftovers!
Love the recipe – I see this is for a 5lb pork butt. Should I double the seasoning and time for a 9lb pork butt if cooking in a slow cooker? Also is 1/4cup salt just regular table salt or Kosher?
You can either double or use the slider tool to adjust the ingredient list until it shows a 9lb pork. Also, I used a smoked salt which really adds so much flavor to it. Trust me!
I just ordered the smoked salt to make this recipe. It’s on the list for next weekend. ?
Now to patiently wait, haha!
Oh my goodness!! I made this over the weekend. It was a huge hit! My son, who is a great cook, and his family joined us for dinner. They couldn’t stop picking at the pork after we finished eating. Excellent recipe.
I’d defintiely call that a winner!!!
I made over the weekend. It was a huge hit! It made excellent leftovers. Thanks for a great recipe.
So glad to hear everyone loved it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Found your blog about six months ago. Since then have tried numerous recipes from your blog. They have all turned out fantastic. Thank you for doing what you do.
Thank you so much for letting me know how much you enjoy it!
I love a good pork recipe! Perfect for this weekend BBQ!
Bring on the pork! I am thinking dinner very soon for sure!
With you all the way ! Thank you so much !
Looks so delicious! This will be perfect for summer gatherings!
Definitely!
I love the spices you used in the rub! There are so many delicious ways you can use this! I want pulled pork nachos first!
Thanks Dorothy!
Looks so good! Perfect recipe for Memorial Day coming up. My husband would love this!
Thank you!
Just want to make sure.. Both 1/4c sweet paprika and 1/3c smoked paprika? That is a lot of paprika
Yes, it sounds like it’s a lot but those are the correct measurements for both.
Pulled pork is my husbands favorite and this looks amazing! I’ll be making this in a few days!
I hope you enjoy it!
You can make pulled pork in crock pot & not have to heat up your house in the summer. All you need is pork butt, 2 oranges & an 18ozof your favorite bbq sauce.
Set Crock pot to low. Squeeze 2 fresh oranges. Place the pork butt fat side up on top of squeezed juice. Pour the 18 oz bbq sauce on top of butt. Cover & let cook for 8-10 hrs. Once done pull off & discard fat cap & bones. Shredd pork butt. Enjoy on hamburger buns, nachos or even taco shells
I’m not sure about you, Martin, but I find crock pot pulled pork much different than pulled pork. There’s a time and place. However, there’s just something about a smoked or roasted pulled pork.
Can’t wait to try this recipe!!
Hope you enjoy it, it’s a favorite in our house!
Can aksi be nade ib a pressure cooker in one hour! Most tender pirk or beef ever! I’ve made both!
Being from the South you know we love BBQ.This sounds absolutely fabulous! I am going to our last little meat market here and shall get a pork shoulder just for this.When I try it I will share a pic of this awesome sounding pork.You know we do pride ourselves in pork bar b que in North Carolina.Maybe some hush puppies to go with this and some homemade slaw and I am a happy camper.
Sounds like a delicious meal! Enjoy!