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Pulled pork may be a barbecue classic, but you don’t need a smoker to make a rich, flavorful version at home. This easy recipe relies on low and slow oven cooking to create tender, fall-apart meat with smoky, sweet, and savory notes. With just a few minutes of hands-on prep, your oven takes care of the rest – perfect for barbecue lovers who want a satisfying homemade version without the fuss.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
If you’re like us and enjoy the flavor of barbecue but don’t want to get involved with wood chips, smokers, and hours of outdoor cooking, this easy, oven roasted version of pulled pork is your best option. Slow cooking in the oven develops rich bbq flavor that’s great for pulled pork sandwiches and a variety of other dishes (see below for ideas). For those of you who prefer the crockpot, you’ll find directions in the printable recipe below.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
This is an overview of the key ingredients for this recipe. Please see the printable recipe card below for the complete listing, including quantities.
- PORK BOSTON BUTT ROAST (BONELESS): A Boston butt roast is a well marbled cut of pork that’s perfect for slow cooking recipes like this one. Despite its name, this cut actually comes from the upper portion of a pig’s shoulder and has a rather square shape. It’s available bone-in or boneless, with the boneless version sometimes being tied to hold its shape. We recommend buying boneless for pulled pork because it can easily be cut into pieces for more even cooking.
- PORK RUB: We have an easy, 8-ingredient recipe for pork rub that we use for this recipe, grilled pork chops, and more, but store bought is fine too.
- BARBECUE SAUCE: Our savory, homemade bbq sauce flavored with bourbon is our choice for finishing pulled pork, but you can use your favorite bottled brand if you prefer.
Overview
How To Make Pulled Pork In the Oven
This is an overview of how this recipe is prepared. Please see the printable recipe card below for detailed step-by-step instructions.
PREP THE PORK BUTT: Trim any excess fat from the pork and cut the roast into a few evenly-sized pieces. Coat each piece with the spice rub, then place them in a Dutch oven with some apple juice.
SLOW ROAST THE PORK: Cover and roast low and slow for four hours, then uncover and continue cooking until the pork is fork-tender.
SHRED/PULL THE PORK: Once done, let the pork rest before shredding, then toss the pulled pork with barbecue sauce and serve.
Tips for Success
Here are a couple of important tips for perfectly cooked pulled pork:
- GET THE PROPER INTERNAL TEMPERATURE: Even though it sounds high, the internal temperature for pulled pork needs to reach 200°F for the collagen and connective tissue to break down fully for easy shredding and tender texture.
- REST THE PORK BEFORE PULLING: Once the pork is done, remove it from the oven, tent with foil, and let it rest for 30 minutes before pulling. This helps the juices to redistribute for better texture.
- STORE LEFTOVERS PROPERLY: Always let leftover pulled pork cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. You may want to reserve a little of the cooking liquid to keep the pork moist when reheated.
- TAKE CARE WHEN REHEATING: If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge. To reheat, warm gently on the stove over medium-low heat.
Ways To Serve Oven Roasted Pulled Pork
Once shredded and combined with barbecue sauce, the pulled pork can be served in a variety of ways. Here are some creative ideas for you to try:
PULLED PORK SANDWICHES: Classic pulled pork sandwiches are served on soft hamburger-style buns, and topped with extra bbq sauce and a spoonful of homemade coleslaw. Serve with pickles, and fries or chips on the side.
PULLED PORK PLATTER: Plate a serving of pulled pork and add side dishes of cornbread, coleslaw, and baked beans or corn on the cob.
PULLED PORK NACHOS: Build layers of tortilla chips, diced tomatoes, chopped fresh cilantro, warm queso, and pulled pork. Top with a dollop of guacamole and some sour cream.
PULLED PORK TACOS: Layer some pulled pork in a crispy corn tortilla, top with pickled red onions, and a drizzle of Mexican crema.
Do you have some ideas for serving pulled pork? Leave a comment and let us know your favorite!
Oven Roasted Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 lb Boston butt pork shoulder roast
- 6 tablespoons BBQ Spice Rub, (or store-bought)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup apple juice or cider
- 2 cups Bourbon BBQ Sauce, (or store-bought)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 225°F. Trim any large pieces of exterior fat from the pork, then cut it into 3 or 4 evenly-sized pieces.
- Pat the pork rub liberally onto all sides of the meat, then place the pieces in a Dutch oven and add the apple juice. Cover with a tight-fitting lid or heavy duty aluminum foil.
- Roast the pork for 4 hours, then remove it from the oven and use tongs to turn the meat in the juices. Return it to the oven uncovered, and continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches 200°F, 60 to 90 minutes longer.
- To test for tenderness, use two forks to pull one of the pieces of pork apart in the center. If it separates very easily, it's done. If you find some resistance, pop the pan back in the oven and check again after another 20 to 30 minutes.
- Once the pork is done, transfer it to a large cutting board, tent with foil and let it cool for about 30 minutes. Use two dinner forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large chunks of fat you run across in the process.
- Transfer the shredded/pulled pork to a bowl, stir in the barbecue sauce and serve as desired.
Notes
Slow Cooker Instructions
You can cook the pork in a slow cooker instead of the oven if desired. Simply add a layer of sliced onion to the bottom of the cooker, put the rub-coated pork on top and add the water. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours (depending on the size of your roast), or until the pork is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.Pulled Pork Storage
You can freeze the leftover pork in airtight containers. It will keep for up to 6 weeks in the coldest part of the freezer.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
i am thinking of dicing peeled apples and putting them on top of the roast do u think this will be a good idea.
Hi Jeff,
I think the apples are a fantastic idea. They’ll blend in with the pork when you pull it and add a nice, natural sweetness. Thanks for sharing the idea with us.
Making this ASAP! I’m gonna use the slow cooker method so the pork can cook overnite. Reading the instructions for the slow cooker, I don’t see when to brush on the olive oil. Do I brush it on after the meat has cooked for an hour? Thanx.
You can just brush a little olive oil on the top of the pork after you’ve applied the rub. That way you won’t need to remove the lid during cooking.
I used your rub and it was delicious…one variation I did was I put a good bit of apple juice in the bottom of the pan, but with the spill over rub and by the time it was done the juices from the pork combined with apple juice and extra dry rub that spilled over and pretty much made a great bbq sauce all by itself. It did take much longer than I thought it would. I actually had to pull it out before it was quite ready to pull. Do you think that the apple juice slowed down my cooking time? BTW it still turned out wonderful and it was my first attempt.
Hi Luke,
I do think the apple juice may have caused a need for increased cooking time, but every roast is different too, so it could have been a combination of factors. You saved yourself a step in making that bbq sauce though. Good thinking!
The pulled pork just came out of the oven and it’s so tender & fall off the bone! The aroma is mouth-watering and the taste I sampled is delicious. This will make a wonderful meal tomorrow for my friends…but a super dinner for me tonight…who can wait!!!
How funny!!! I am making this tonight for my friend’s family tomorrow and for my family tonight too!!! Just like you did.
This was such a great recipe! All the flavours came together so nicely. I am looking forward to making it again!
I made this today for my family. (including a 3 and 6 year old) It was LOVED by all! Thank you for this delightful recipe!
I didn’t have a dutch oven, so I used a roasting pan and double wrapped it with foil on top.
Wow. This looks absolutely, amazingly wonderful. Great photo!!
WOW
WOW
I love pulled pork…I have a recipe that I made at both my kids birthdays. It was a huge hit.
I should post the pics. I made a spicy slaw (My husband made a sign calling it “Manly Slaw”) and a reg. slaw (He called it “Wimp Slaw”)
haha…
IT was fun
Drooling here!
This is a great sandwich!