My Pulled pork recipe is a delicious and simple-to-prepare dish that is perfect for any occasion. Whether you choose the oven preparation, a standard slow cooker, or a multifunction slow cooker, this method guarantees incredibly tender meat flavored with brown sugar and smoked paprika. Get ready to easily shred the meat and toss it in your favorite BBQ sauce to serve on buns or homemade bread!
Tom the Chef Founder
Let’s talk about important parts of the recipe before you start…
Pulled pork needs no introduction, but having a foolproof method to make it at home is essential. Most of us have a favorite restaurant that serves incredible sandwiches and tacos, but I want to show you how easy it is to achieve that exact quality in your own kitchen. I am presenting you with my delicious and simple-to-prepare recipe which has been proven many times over. I will provide you with step-by-step guidance for making this using an oven preparation, a traditional slow cooker, or a multifunction slow cooker. Using a quality boston pork butt and simple spices like brown sugar and smoked paprika, you will see how easy it is to cook and shred the meat. How you decide to prepare it is completely up to you!
Creating the ultimate flavor profile for my Pulled pork begins with a perfectly balanced seasoning rub. I combine three-quarters of a cup of brown sugar with two tablespoons of ground smoked paprika to give it a deep, sweet, and smoky foundation. To this, I add a teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper, five teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of ground pepper, and six cloves of grated, peeled garlic. I simply place all of these into a large mixing bowl and stir together with a whisk until fully incorporated. The brown sugar helps to create a wonderful glaze as the meat cooks, while the smoked paprika ensures you get that classic barbecue flavor even if you are using an oven preparation or a multifunction slow cooker instead of an outdoor smoker.
The star of the show is the meat itself, and I always recommend an eight to ten pound boston pork butt, which is also known as the top pork shoulder. It is crucial to buy the pork butt with the bone in. Not only will it be slightly cheaper, but you will benefit from much more flavor in the final product. During preparation, make sure the boston pork butt is properly rinsed under cold water. I then remove the top layer of fat, as it will not be used for cooking, though you can save it to freeze and make lard later. Importantly, do not remove the bone. It stays in during your slow cooker or oven preparation, adding rich flavor. Once fully cooked, it will be incredibly easy to remove because the Pulled pork is so tender. After trimming, I cut the meat into about eight large, even pieces and coat each piece evenly in the seasoning rub.
Before you dive into the main cooking process of the Pulled pork, there is a modification you can consider, although it is not strictly part of the base recipe. You can choose to sear the meat from all sides for a few minutes until browned using about two tablespoons of frying oil in a pan, or directly in an Instant Pot. Some believe this extra step adds extra flavor, but I personally believe it is unnecessary in terms of the final flavor of this Pulled pork dish. Whether you are using a slow cooker or a multifunction slow cooker, skipping this step still yields incredible results. It is totally up to you to decide what you like best!
One of the best things about this Pulled pork recipe is its complete versatility. For an oven preparation, I preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, place the meat in a roast pan, pour one bottle of beer around it, and bake covered with a lid or aluminum foil for about four and a half hours until tender. If I use a traditional slow cooker, I place the meat in the liner, add the beer, and stew on high for eight to nine hours. If I am short on time, I love using the multifunction slow cooker. I set it to manual high pressure for sixty minutes, let the pressure naturally release for ten minutes, and then perform a quick release. All three methods use the beer to keep the boston pork butt incredibly moist, ensuring it is perfectly ready for you to effortlessly shred the meat later.
Once the cooking is complete and the cooking liquid is drained, the most satisfying part begins. I remove and discard the bone, and then, using two forks, I carefully shred the meat until it reaches the size I prefer. After you shred the meat, place it back into your roast pan, slow cooker, or multifunction slow cooker. I then add one and a half cups of BBQ sauce and thoroughly stir until fully combined. Depending on your method, the final step involves a quick blast of heat to bring it all together: 15 additional minutes in the oven, 20 minutes on high in the slow cooker, or 1 to 2 minutes on the sauté setting of the multifunction slow cooker to slightly caramelize the BBQ sauce into the meat.
When it comes time to serve, the possibilities are wonderful. I highly recommend serving this amazing Pulled pork as a sandwich with extra BBQ sauce, mayonnaise, and coleslaw. It is absolutely fantastic when you serve it between two slices of freshly baked homemade bread or classic burger buns. If you want to build a perfect plate, oven-roasted potato wedges make the ideal side dish. The combination of the sweet brown sugar, the deep smoked paprika, and the rich BBQ sauce makes this homemade bread sandwich an unforgettable meal that you will want to make over and over again.
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