BBQ Pulled Pork

Flavorful BBQ Pulled Pork is slow-cooked in the oven for the ultimate in tender, melt-in-your mouth pork. You can use it to make sliders, sandwiches, tacos, and more!

I love making BBQ pulled pork – it’s so versatile and it’s so easy to make! A savory combination of spices plus BBQ sauce added when serving packs a huge flavor punch. Add BBQ pulled pork to your favorite slider recipe or come up with your own ideas for how to use this tender meat.

BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe

Inspired by Paula Deen, this BBQ pulled pork recipe is simple to put together and ready in just a few hours! A spice rub brings smoky, spicy flavor while apple juice adds a bit of sweetness and keeps the pork from drying out as it cooks.

The key to making truly juicy, tender, utterly delectable pulled pork is to cook the pork long and slow in the oven. So while the 4-hour cook time may seem like a lot, it is beyond worth it once you taste the results. I just set a timer when I pop the pork in the oven and go about my day (or make other dishes) while it cooks. You can basically forget about it once you’ve prepped the meat – let the oven do the hard work for you.

Then when the pork is done you’ll be rewarded with fork-tender, melting pork that can be used in so many ways. See my suggestions below or keep things super simple and make sandwiches with hamburger buns or your favorite bread. You could even serve a bowl of pulled pork with crisp tortilla chips and use them to scoop up this flavorful dish. It also freezes well so you can have BBQ pulled pork at the ready whenever you want it.

Ingredients for BBQ Pulled Pork

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

For the Dry Rub

• Salt and Pepper
• Dark Brown Sugar – You can use light brown sugar if that’s what you have.
• Paprika
• Cayenne Pepper – Omit if you don’t like a lot of spice.

For the Pork

• Pork Shoulder – I use boneless pork shoulder.
• Apple Juice – For natural sweetness and to add moisture to the pork as it’s cooking.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – This helps tenderize the pork as it cooks.
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Liquid Smoke – Liquid smoke adds a nice smoky note to the pork. If you are unable to find it in your grocery store, you could substitute smoked salt or omit it and the pork will still taste delicious.
• Garlic Powder
• Seeded Hamburger Buns – Or use your favorite type of burger bun.
• BBQ Sauce – As a garnish, and to taste!
• Coleslaw – This is optional, but makes for a great pulled pork sandwich ingredient.

How to Make BBQ Pulled Pork

1. Heat the oven: Preheat oven to 325℉.
2. Make the dry rub: Mix the dry rub ingredients in small bowl. Sprinkle dry rub all over the pork shoulder, pressing it into the pork.
3. Mix together the liquid ingredients and cook the pork: Combine the liquid ingredients and the garlic powder in a medium bowl and pour into a large Dutch oven. Place pork in the oven and tightly cover with aluminum foil then lid. Roast for 4 hours or until it’s fork-tender and shreds easily.
4. Brush the pork once an hour with the cooking liquid: Brush the roast with cooking liquid every hour.
5. Remove the pork from the oven and cool slightly, then shred: Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred the pork with a fork or tongs into bite size pieces.
6. Use the pork to make BBQ pulled pork sandwiches: Serve on hamburger buns topped with BBQ sauce and coleslaw.

How to Store BBQ Pulled Pork

Store leftover BBQ pulled pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze leftovers. Place the pork in a freezer-safe, sealable bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before using.

Serving Suggestions

BBQ pulled pork is such a versatile recipe! You can use the pork to make sandwiches, as I’ve detailed here, or try:

• Make sliders. Swap pulled pork for the chicken in my buffalo chicken sliders or for the bacon in these bacon BBQ pork sliders.
• In tacos. These pulled pork tacos would taste wonderful with this bbq pulled pork recipe inside! Or tuck BBQ pulled pork into my fun walking tacos recipe.
• In a burrito bowl. I love making a simple burrito bowl with rice, meat, and lots of fixings. BBQ pulled pork would be delicious. Or try it in my burrito casserole for a flavor hit and meaty texture.

FAQs

More Pork Recipe

Recipe Roundup

15 New Ways to Have Ham For Dinner

Pork

Ham Tetrazzini

Recipe Roundup

23 Perfect Ways to Use That Leftover Ham

Appetizers & Snacks

4-Ingredient Sausage Ball Recipe