Whether you need pulled pork for sandwiches, tacos, or a meaty ragu, Pulled Pork is a meal prep maestro. Searing then slow cooking seasoned pork in a Dutch oven results in crispy, tender, melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork. Seasoned with a flexible, flavorful blend of spices, it works in countless dishes and cuisines. Plus, it freezes beautifully!
Jump to:
- Pulled Pork Seasoning
- How to Cook Pulled Pork in the Oven
- Chef's Tips
- Best Cut of Pork for Oven Pulled Pork
- How to Shred Pulled Pork
- What About Barbecue Sauce?
- Can I Make this Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker?
- Storing Oven Roasted Pulled Pork
- Serving Pulled Pork
- Sides for Pulled Pork
- Leftover Pulled Pork Recipes
- Dutch Oven Pulled Pork
- Ratings
What carnivore doesn't love a big slab of meat? To be sure, there are drawbacks to cooking such large quantities. We all love a turkey on Thanksgiving, but those Day 4 sandwiches leave something to be desired. The same goes for pork.
If you're having a good old-fashioned backyard barbecue, you know a slow cooked Boston butt or picnic shoulder will give you the most meaty bang for your buck. These relatively inexpensive, perfectly fatty, and super flavorful hefty cuts will yield the best pulled pork on the planet. And plenty of it!
But if you're not hosting a picnic, you may not want pulled pork for days, despite the fact that you can use it for tacos, BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, chili, burrito bowls, etc. This is why we're huge fans of this oven pulled pork recipe.
Several times a year I dust off this recipe for pulled pork, mix together my custom dry rub, and cook up a big batch of pulled pork in the Dutch oven. I don't need to rely on the weather being agreeable or having five more recipes on deck to use up the leftovers.
I simply freeze the pulled pork into 1-pound cooked portions and, when the mood strikes, I defrost an individual portion to make an endless variety of quick weeknight recipes that I’ve adapted from their lengthier parent versions. Crispy carnitas in 20 minutes? Yes please. Fast weeknight pork ragu? Sign me up.
All of the flavor with just a fraction of the commitment.
Pulled Pork Seasoning
My best tip for cooking a large batch of pulled pork at home? Use a ubiquitous seasoning blend like the one below to create a dry rub that's a jumping off point for a variety of different recipes. Feel free to add a tablespoon of red pepper flakes or chili powder if you prefer some heat and spice.
- Paprika: regular or smoked both work great.
- Garlic Powder
- Oregano
- Black Pepper
- Kosher Salt: NOT table salt. If using fine sea salt, halve the amount listed in the recipe card.
- Dry Rub Add-Ins: add a teaspoon of any of the following to mix up the flavor profile to your liking - onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, or mustard powder.
- Want it sweet? Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar to the dry rub.
How to Cook Pulled Pork in the Oven
Meet the gold standard of “indoor barbecue.” Slow-braised Oven Pulled Pork is practically perfect in every way. While an initial sear infuses tons of additional flavor into the pork, the fat renders beautifully during the oven braise. When that mixes with the dry rub and bastes this little pig in its own juice… my god, it may just be the best “BBQ sauce” ever.
Before You Start! A Dutch oven is the essential tool for this recipe. Whether you're using a budget-friendly Lodge or a pricier Le Creuset, keep the following in mind: a 6-quart pot is perfect for a 4-lb roast; ensure the lid fits securely to prevent too much moisture escaping.
Tip! If you love the smoky flavor of classic smoked pulled pork, add a small amount (2-3 tsp) liquid smoke along with the water.
- PREP. Mix the spices until well combined. Divide the pork into 4" chunks, then coat all sides with the dry rub.
- SEAR. Sear at least two sides of each piece if your fat of choice in the dutch oven over medium high heat. You don't need to brown all sides, but searing at least 2 sides adds great flavor and texture.
- OVEN BRAISE. Once browned, return all the pork pieces to the Dutch oven and arrange in a single layer. Pour in ½ cup of water, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise covered 3-4 hours, or until the meat easily pulls with a fork. In the last hour, remove the lid to allow the moisture to evaporate and for the pork to sizzle in its own fat (this creates unbelievably crispy edges with intense flavor).
- SERVE. Remove from oven, then shred with a fork. Serve immediately or divide into 1-pound portions and freeze.
Chef's Tips
- Use the right cut of pork (see below for more information).
- Be careful when trimming the fat. Fat = flavor, so leave some intact!
- Season generously.
- Get a good sear on at least 2 sides - you can go for more, time permitting, but 2 sides does the job well.
- Use a fat with a high smoke point - we like bacon fat, avocado oil, ghee, or refined coconut oil.
- Remove the lid in the last hour to allow the pork to render (cook down) in its own fat.
- Half a cup of water isn't a typo!
Best Cut of Pork for Oven Pulled Pork
My go-to cut for Dutch oven pulled pork is a boneless Boston butt. The pork butt usually has its fat cap still attached (see picture on the far right below), with beautiful marbling throughout.
It's readily available in most grocery stores and butchers, and relatively frugal given the portion size. Because it’s boneless, it’s much easier to cut it down into manageable chunks for searing.
We do NOT recommend using pork loin or a pork roast. These cuts simply do not have enough fat to hold up well for slow roasting in the oven.
Read more about different cuts in our guide to cooking Pulled Pork.
How to Shred Pulled Pork
When cooked properly, oven braised pulled pork will practically fall apart at the slightest prodding. But that’s not to say you don’t need to give it some elbow grease.
- The two fork method using sturdy forks. Precutting your pork butt or pork shoulder into smaller chunks should make it easy peasy.
- Purchase barbecue claws. I’m not a big fan of single-use kitchen aids but if you make pulled pork recipes regularly, people swear these are worth the investment.
- Repurpose your mixer. That’s right! You can use a stand or hand mixer to shred oven cooked pulled pork. Tutorials are available online but honestly, it’s pretty intuitive and ever so satisfying to see it live and in person.
What About Barbecue Sauce?
What about it?!? Just kidding.
What we really love about pulled pork in the oven is that as the pork cooks down, the combination of the dry rub and the pork's own rendered fat essentially creates its own barbecue sauce - right in the pot! We don't add any additional sauce when serving in sandwiches or bowls.
That being said, of course you can toss the cooked, shredded pork in your favorite barbecue sauce, whether homemade or store-bought! Add the sauce after the pork has been cooked and shredded.
Can I Make this Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker?
Sure can! But there are several modifications you'll need to make. Click to view our recipe for Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.
Need it faster? Try our Instant Pot Pulled Pork recipe!
Storing Oven Roasted Pulled Pork
Store leftover pulled pork in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium high heat until the fat melts and the pork is warmed through.
To freeze, wrap 1 pound portions of pulled pork in plastic wrap, then store in a gallon zip-lock bag. (Tip: squeeze out as much air as possible.) Cooked pork keeps well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge or in the microwave, then reheat in a skillet over medium high heat.
Serving Pulled Pork
TRADITIONAL: We like pulled pork sandwiches on brioche buns with Apple Cider Vinegar Coleslaw. The tangy vinegar slaw cuts through the rich pulled pork for a perfectly balanced sandwich.
KETO, PALEO, or WHOLE30: For a grain-free option, make pulled pork bowls. Layer shredded lettuce in a bowl, then top with pulled pork, vinegar slaw or Keto Bacon Slaw, and half a diced avocado.
Sides for Pulled Pork
In the summer we pair pulled pork with potato salad, tomato salad, ranch potatoes, or fried green tomatoes.
In cooler weather, we reach for honey cornbread, butternut squash fries, air fryer potato wedges, or baked potatoes.
Leftover Pulled Pork Recipes
We love this recipe because it yields so many leftovers. Use it to make an easy Pulled Pork Ragu, Tamale Pie, or even quick stovetop carnitas!
Did you try this recipe for pulled pork in the oven? I'd love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Dutch Oven Pulled Pork
Description
Ingredients
- 4 lb boneless boston butt
- 2-4 tablespoon bacon fat, avocado oil, or another fat with a high smoke point
- 2 tablespoon paprika, regular or smoked
- 2 tablespoon kosher salt, see Note 1
- 2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 300°F.
- Prepare the spice mixture. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano; mix until well-combined. See Note 2.
- Optional. Using a sharp knife, trim the fat cap from the pork; do leave some intact (fat=flavor!).
- Dive the pork into 4" chunks. Dunk each side of the pork into the spice mixture, covering all sides.
- Heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add your fat of choice and heat until shimmering. Add a batch of pork in a single layer (about 4 pieces). Sear until a good crust forms, about 4 minutes. Turn the pieces and brown on one more side. Remove using tongs and set aside. Repeat with the remaining pieces, searing at least 2 sides per piece. To ensure optimal browning, leave room between each piece of pork and add more cooking fat as needed.
- Transfer all pork pieces back to the dutch oven and arrange in a single layer at the bottom of the pot - for this stage it's totally fine for the pieces to be touching, and the fit will be snug. Pour ½ cup water over the pork pieces.
- Cover (see Note 3) and transfer to the oven. Braise in the oven for 3-4 hours, or until the meat easily pulls with a fork. In the last hour, remove the lid to allow any remaining moisture to cook off and for the pork to render (cook down) in its own fat.
- Remove the pot from the oven, then transfer the pieces to a cutting board or shallow bowl. Shred using two forks, discarding any intact fatty pieces. Return the pulled pork to the pot and toss in the rendered pan sauce. Serve immediately on buns with coleslaw.
Recipe Notes
- Note 1. Be sure to use kosher salt, NOT table salt. If using table or sea salt, reduce to 1 tablespoon. If you're sensitive to salt, start with 1 tablespoon kosher salt.
- Note 2. Customize the dry rub; add 1 teaspoon of any of the follow to mix up the flavor profile: onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and/or mustard powder. If you prefer a sweeter dry rub, add up to 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
- Note 3. Make sure your dutch oven has a tight seal! If there are any chips or cracks along the edge, place a piece of foil or parchment paper between the pot and the lid to ensure a tight-fitting seal.
Scott M
Gonna try this tonight!
Deglaze after searing the pork or jus toss the chunks back into the Dutch oven?
Thanks for sharing this!
Danielle
Personally I don't deglaze, just toss them back in. I find I get a crispier crust that way (which I like), and the pork will naturally release liquid as it cooks for a seasoned sauce when it's done. But ultimately it's personal preference, and you can deglaze with about a cup of beef stock or wine.
Peggy
This was incredible. I just learned we had a cast iron dutch oven in the garage and have been making some incredible beef pot roasts. This was recipe #2 I've tried in it, and my husband loves it. I wasn't sure about the small amount of liquid (since the beef roast recipe takes much more) but it turned out great. Thanks so much (and if you have any more dutch oven recipes, bring them on!)
Danielle
So glad to hear this Peggy!! I have a few other dutch oven recipes on the site - give a search for "red wine pot roast" and "red wine beef stew", and will definitely have more in the future. Cheers!
Amanda
Made this yesterday, it's incredible! I was lamenting that we don't have a smoker - but who needs one when you can do pulled pork this way. I about smoked us out of the house when browning the meat, I did not brown anywhere close to 6 minutes per side because it was so smoky, but it still turned out great. Thanks for the simple and delicious recipe!
Rylan
You had your pan too hot. You were probably smoking your oil. If the oil smokes, your pan is too hot or you need a higher smoke point oil.
Danielle
Yes, this. I like to use bacon fat to help with smoking, but you can also adjust the temperature as you cook if the dutch oven gets overheated. Cast iron can be a little temperamental.
Lynne
Very, very salty. Are you sure it’s not 2 tsp?
Trish Bonsall
I am so excited about this recipe. My son and husband challenged me to a Boston Butt "Cook Off". They are going to Smoke their butt and I am going to use this Dutch Oven recipe. I can feel the WIN already. Thanks for your help
Danielle
Ha! Can you adopt me for the day? This is a family challenge I'm ALL about.
Penelopy Skubon
Trish Bonsall, who won?
Jodi
I plan to make this recipe this weekend. What size Dutch oven do you recommend? Or can I use a 3.5 qt braiser?
Olga
It looks perfect and tasty! Can’t wait to have this anytime of the day, love it!
Sheila
Can I use a pork loin?
Anne
I wouldn't. Pork loin isn't nearly as fatty and would probably dry out.
Constance
I'll admit I speed through and skimp on the browning step, only doing 3 batches and not nearly 6 minutes a side - but even cheating, this is the best pulled pork! I always receive compliments on my slow cooker pulled pork, but when I did it in the Dutch oven, my husband said "holy $-!7 honey, you've outdone yourself!" I use my own spice blend, too, a little more heat to it. I love the minimal amount of added liquid; really makes it crispy and creates it's own BBQ sauce.
Danielle
I'm so glad you loved it Constance!
Jon
I sliced mine in I inch thick round slabs and was able to fit enough in the Dutch oven to do two batches. I only browned the flat sides of each slab and it only took me about 25 minutes total. Then continued as directed and it was the best pulled pork I’ve ever had. My wife and I decided to go vegetarian for several reasons, but I’m making this again today as my last meal of sorts.
Danielle
I hope you loved it as much as we do!!
Novak
Preparing this now! What happens if you use enough water to cover half of the meat in the pot as you do with a typical braise?
Al
Made it - loved it.
Kelly Gates
Question! I’ve made this a time or two and LOVE it! Costco had pork tenderloin on sale for super cheap. Do you think it will work with that cut? Will it shred the same??
Danielle
Hi Kelly - sorry for the delay, I was traveling! I think you could try this with pork tenderloin, but it won't be *quite* the same, and the reason is because tenderloin is so lean. You'll need to use more liquid, and I would add enough liquid to cover the tenderloin pieces by at least half, perhaps 2/3rds. And definitely double the fat to keep the cooking liquid nice and moist. Tenderloin won't release liquid and fat like pork shoulder does, so you're basically adding those elements in at the beginning to compensate. If you try this, please report back! I'd love to know how it turns out.
Danielle
Oh! And yes, it should shred, as long as you cook it in enough moisture.
Amanda
Can you add potatoes, carrots, celery, onion to make it as a roast?
Thank you
Henry
I’ve made this 3 times since seeing this post about a year ago. Best pulled pork recipe.
Though, I do want to try it in the Instant Pot after browning it in cast iron. Thoughts?
OZ
Specifics work well for me, but the braised results were very tender. I had 3.9# boneless butt. Cut it up into 9 pieces and seasoned. Used bacon fat, but the spices soaked up the fat and slugged off. Mine was done in 3 hours, and tasted very salty, but fell apart and was very moist.
I’ll keep searching for a braising recipe that works for me, thanks for helping me learn this technique.
Tracy Boyer
I can't wait to make this! I just bought a dutch oven and trying to find a lot of recipes...And I like the fact you can freeze some! I've made a few roasts so far, YUM, and I wonder...Why it took me so long to buy a dutch oven lol!! (which I hit a sale and was planning on getting my sister one for Christmas, and I got 2 dutch ovens (5 qt & 7 qt) for a very good deal!! Thank You so much..fingers crossed 🙂
Danielle
I hope you enjoy it Tracy! I love braising meats in the dutch oven 🙂
Angie
Very easy and the meat was so tender. My family gave this a 10 out of 10 and want me make it again next week.
Danielle
I'm so glad this was a hit Angie!
Jay
Looks really yummy. May I know what camera did you use to take these photos?
ELLEN FRIES
Amazing! Going into my favorites recipe binder.
Issac
Aside from it being way too salty, I thought everything else about this recipe was fantastic. The meat had a nice crust, but was also super tender and juicy. I think next time I’ll use about half the salt it was called for.
Brian
Just wondering, did you use kosher salt? If not, you should always half the Kosher salt called for in a recipe if you are using table salt.
Issac
Yeah, I used kosher salt. I might use pink Himalayan salt this time.
Steven Pugs
Yes, it’s slow cooked braised pork. If you want something fast, this isn’t your preparation.
LAURIE BARRANCOTTO
Excellent 👍👍
Kelly Radinsky
I'm finally using my Dutch Oven for what it was clearly made for! I've virtually never made pork (except for bacon) and I succeeded beautifully on my first try, thanks to your recipe! We are a family of 4 (who reeeeally enjoy incredible food) and we ate 2/3 of it in one meal! Carnitas tonight and I already used the rest for tomorrow night's pasta sauce (I simmered that for another 4 hours!) Thank you for the great recipe. I am no longer intimidated by making something like this and will try more of your recipes!
Mary
Super salty, but otherwise delish. I used Kosher salt. Will cut in half the next time.
Emily
Perfect recipe! It’s my go-to for pork butt. After shredding I lay it out on a sheet pan and crisp it up in the oven for carnitas enchiladas. SO GOOD!
Linda
I used for pork and noodles.
Thyme instead of paprika for seasoning.
Make gravy from the pan drippings.
Serve over buttered noodles.
Thanks for the process explanation- I never thought of cutting up the meat first, and was always stymied by previous tries!