Roasting pork in your oven for that perfect pulled pork we all love isn’t difficult. It takes a little time but very little effort and the rewards are exceptionally delicious!
No need for a grill or smoker, my oven-cooked pulled pork recipe makes flavorful, fork tender and amazingly delicious pulled pork and so easy to make, it almost cooks itself.
I love pulled pork! There are so many ways to use this delicious slow-roasted pork that it will become a regular item on your menu, once you see how easy it is to make.
If you love pulled pork I’ve got an amazing smoked pork butt recipe and an easy as can be Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe.
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make a Dry Rubbed Pork Roast. In Chef Speak this is called the Mise en Place which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
You’ll love the seasoning blend for the pulled pork, made with black pepper, chili powder, garlic powder and other flavorful spices.
What Cut of Pork should I use for Perfect Pulled Pork?
Most barbecue restaurants use whole pork shoulder roast for their pulled pork, but they’re rarely available in grocery stores. The shoulder roast is the entire front leg and shoulder of a hog. For home consumption, this cut is generally too large, but perfect for restaurant use. This is the cut the Famous Kansas City BBQ uses for their pulled pork.
In your grocery store, you will usually find this divided into two cuts, the Boston butt (cut of pork that comes from the upper part of the shoulder from the front leg ), and the picnic roast.
Either of these cuts are good for pulled pork, but I prefer the Boston butt also known as a pork butt.
Once you’ve got all your ingredients together the first step is mixing all the seasonings together in a small bowl. Make sure they are all well blended for the spice rub.
Then begin the dry rub process which actually means rubbing the spices into the pork butt.
Chef Dennis Tip:
To make this recipe I split the pork butt into two pieces to make it easier to control and also to help reduce the overall cooking time. A large Pork Butt can take a long time to cook, two smaller butts will cook faster.
Wrap the pork in cling wrap, double wrapping it to make sure that its completely sealed to help avoid leakage.
Place a plate under the wrapped pork and refrigerate for at least 12 hours up to 24 hours.
When the pork is ready it’s time to start the cooking process. Dice an onion and saute it in olive oil (or oil of your choice) for 2-3 minutes.
The pot you saute in should have a lid and be oven ready.
Next, add the pork and begin searing the pieces on all sides. Searing each side for 3-4 minutes until the entire roast has been seared and has a nice color.
Add your favorite beer (or Dr. Pepper, Root Beer or Cola) to the pot. Place the lid on the pot and put the pot into a preheated 300 degrees F oven for 3 hours. If you’d like a smoky flavor you can add a little liquid smoke to the cooking liquid.
Check the roast at the 90-minute mark to see if it needs more liquid. If it does add more beer or water to the pan. Mine had more than enough liquid in the pan and didn’t need any additional liquid.
Chef Dennis Tip:
Make sure to have the fat side up when you’re ready to roast the pork butts.
Do I have to use a pot with a lid to roast the pork butt?
No, you don’t. You can cover the pot with aluminum foil, or place a half sheet pan over the top of the pot when you make this recipe.
You can also place it in a baking dish that is big enough to hold the pork, onions and beer and cover it with foil.
You can also forgo the beer and onions double wrapping the pork butts in foil and placing them on a sheet pan to roast.
Depending upon the size of your pork roasts it will take 2.5 hours to 3.5 hours to cook to the desired temperature for pulled pork.
*Average cook time is 40 minutes per pound.
What temperature should I roast Pork Butts to for Perfect Pulled Pork?
For pulled pork, the ideal temperature is 205 degrees F. This goes well beyond the recommended 165 degrees F that most of us are used to cooking pork too.
The high internal temperature allows the collagen in the pork butt to break down, making the meat very tender.
When the pork reaches an internal temperature of 190 F to 195 F, the meat is ready to be pulled. Cooking the pork to any temperature below that won’t give you meat that is tender enough to pull apart properly.
Remember that the pork roast will continue to cook internally by and the temperature will increase by about 10 degrees after it’s been removed from the oven.
I absolutely love my Meater Plus | Smart Meat Thermometer It takes all the guesswork out of cooking meats in the oven, on the grill, or in a smoker.
How do I shred pulled pork?
When the roast is cool enough to handle (but still hot) begin the process of pulling the meat. The tried and true method is using your hands to pull the meat against the grain into slivers.
Here are two other ways to get perfect pulled pork.
Two Fork Method:
Cut the meat into workable pieces. Then use one fork to hold the meat stable, and the other to rake it into shreds. Or use the forks to pull the meat away from each other.
Easy Method:
Using a stand mixer is the fastest and easiest way to shred pork (or chicken). Place the cooked meat in the mixing bowl, attach the flat beater paddle to the mixer, and lock the lever. Turn the mixer to medium speed and let it run for approximately 30 seconds or until the meat has shredded.
If you’re serious about pulled pork and will be making it on a regular basis, get a pair of meat claws.
Use your favorite barbecue sauce to turn pulled pork into a masterpiece of deliciousness! And if by some chance you have leftover bbq pulled pork, try my Ultimate Pulled Pork Cheeseburger.
Can I Make Pulled Pork in a slow cooker?
Yes, you can. Use the seasoning method as described in the recipe.
If possible, sear the pork as in the Dutch oven method, but you can cook the pork without searing. Add the onion, beer, and seared pork to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, depending on your slow cooker.
Shred the pork while warm.
Recipe FAQ’s
Pork Shoulder is the best cut of pork for pulling. It has the right fat content that yields tender meat for pulled pork. Because of the nature of the shoulder, it needs to be cooked slowly to allow the protein to break down properly.
This is one of the biggest complaints with pulled pork, usually due to being exposed to a high temperature for too long and being overcooked. After pulling apart the pork, use the pan juices to moisten the meat. Adding a barbecue sauce will help add moisture to the pulled pork.
Let a cooked pork shoulder rest for 15-20 minutes, loosely tented with foil, before pulling or serving the meat. This “relaxes” the meat, which makes it juicier and more flavorful.
The rule of thumb for pulled pork is one-third to one-half pound of meat per person. With about a 40% loss while roasting a raw 10-pound pork shoulder (or two 5-pounders) will yield about 6 pounds of finished meat, which will serve 12 to 18 people.
Yes, you can. Shred the pork first, then store it with the barbecue sauce in a large resealable freezer bag. Make sure to take out as much of the air as possible before sealing the bag.
More Pork Recipes You’ll Love!
Oven Roasted Perfect Pulled Pork
Ingredients
Dry Rub
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Pulled Pork
- 4 lbs boneless pork shoulder
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 cup beer or substitute- Dr. Pepper, Root Beer or Coke
- 1 onion diced
Instructions
Dry Rub
- In a small bowl mix together all the seasonings for the rub. Mix well.
- Pat the pork roast dry using paper towels.
- Coat the pork roast with the rub. Wrap the roast in plastic wrap and place in fridge for 12 – 24 hours.
Pulled Pork
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- In a large pot heat the oil until it begins to smoke, then add the onions. Allow the onions to cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Very carefully place the pork in the pot and sear the roast on all sides (3-5 minutes per side). Be very careful during this process so that the hot oil doesn't burn you.
- Remove the pan from heat and add the beer to the pan.
- Cover and cook for 2 to 3 hours. Check the roast at the 90-minute mark to see if it needs more liquid. If it does add more beer or water to the pan.Use an oven thermometer to check the internal temperature. When the pork reaches an internal temperature of 190 F to 195 F, the meat is ready to be pulled. Cooking the pork to any temperature below that won’t give you meat that is tender enough to pull apart properly.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool until safe to handle.
- Shred the pork with two forks. Add your favorite barbecue sauce to coat the shredded pork and toss to coat the pork.*You can add the pan juices to the pulled pork to help keep it moist, or mix it into your bbq sauce.
- Serve as shredded pork for tacos, sandwiches and other recipes using pulled pork.
Gabriella says
I have a large pork loin that I would like to cook in my roaster to turn into pulled pork for a gathering. Will this work with your recipe?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Some people say that as long as you cook it low and slow you can use a pork loin, but unless there is enough fat in the loin, it could come out a dry. It all depends on how much fat there is in the roast. If it comes out a little dry, just sauce it up good and you’ll be fine.
Sara says
Can I use wine instead of beer?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Yes you can. I would use a dry red wine.
Michelle Pulliam says
Best pulled pork recipe I’ve ever used! I follow this recipe exactly, and it has become my only pulled pork recipe. Thanks so much!!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thats what I like to hear! I love pulled pork and have enjoyed making it using this recipe for a very long time!
Denise Frandano says
Can I cook at a lower oven temp?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Of course you can, but that will also increase the cooking time. Make sure to use a meat thermometer to make sure it gets to the right internal temperature.
Erica says
I just used this recipe and it was fantastic. I tripled it, and used it for a big party. Will use this recipe again for sure. Thanks for sharing it!
I used beer and my own bbq sauce. I also put some of the liquid from the cooked meat in the bbq sauce for added flavor 😋
Diana Drache says
I just seasoned my pork with this spice mix, however all I had was a pork loin roast. I’m thinking of searing it in bacon fat then adding the root beer. Will this work?
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’ve never been a fan of using Pork loin as it generally does not have enough fat to make pulled pork. It all depends on the roast.
Stephanie Carlson says
Very good!!! Question though do you leave the onions in the pan while you’re searing the meat on every side? Or remove them and then sear the meat??
Chef Dennis Littley says
You can leave the onions in, just make sure not to let them burn.
Nancy Maxwell says
Any other liquid I can use if I don’t have beer or sodas on hand?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Apple juice will work
Lauren Dollenger says
I plan on sing this recipe for my sons graduation party. I already had purchased pork shoulders with the bone prior to finding your recipe. How much will the cook time alter for the shoulder with a bone versus boneless?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Bone-in should cook a little faster, by about 15 – 30 minutes, depending on the size of the roast. Make sure to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.
Caroline says
Does the beer need to cover the entire piece of meat? Do I need to flip the pork so the top portion cooks in the liquid halfway through?
Chef Dennis Littley says
No, it shouldn’t cover the pork and no you don’t flip it. Don’t use more liquid than the recipe calls for.
R says
so I have a 3lb shoulder so that’s 120 mins of cooking approx , with this recipe it’ll still come out as tender as a slow cooker recipe would,?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Too be sure you need to use a meat thermometer, but it should be in the 2 – 2 1/2 hour range. Plan on 3 hours just to be sure.
Barbara says
I got a pork loin roast. Can I use it?
Chef Dennis Littley says
You can use the pork loin, but there isn’t as much fat on it, so its going to be drier when cooked. You are going to need more sauce to compensate when served.
T says
Where does it say to put it in the oven? Cook the onions in a frying pan? And then sear the pork in there and then transfer to an oven safe dish and cover for 2-3 hours? If I don’t have a thermometer, approximately how much time does it take to reach 190-195°F?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Every oven is different along with the size and weight of the brisket. You really need a thermometer, otherwise it will come out overcooked or undercooked.
All the instructions fro cooking are in the recipe at the bottom of the post.
Yvette M Blake says
Can I use a Roaster Oven for this recipe?
Chef Dennis Littley says
It would need to be a large roaster oven so that the air can circulate.
Carole says
Wow! I followed your recipe to the very last detail. Your recipe was wonderfully simple to follow, and the results were delicious. I received so many compliments. Thank you.
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m very happy to hear you enjoyed my pulled pork recipe. If you love barbecue I have easy baby back ribs and brisket recipes.
Helen says
Made this today! Wonderful and very easy cleanup! The flavors and tenderness were amazing.Thanks so much and I will always make this when we want perfect pulled pork.
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the pork. I’ve got a great rib recipe and brisket recipe if you love bbq!
Beverly says
I tried this recipe and we loved it! Love pulled pork but never tried to cook it ..I did omit the searing part with the onions..Your recipe was easy to follow and I learned a lot from the experience..Thank you for sharing ✨
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed my pulled pork. I have some great rib and brisket recipes if you love bbq.