Perfect Oven Pulled Pork

Our oven pulled pork recipe guarantees perfectly seasoned, melt-in-your-mouth tender pork. You’ll love our simple seasoning blend and easy method.

This oven pulled pork is pure happy food and always a crowd favorite. It’s perfect for parties, meal prep, or casual weeknight dinners. We love serving it piled onto soft rolls as sliders, tucked into tacos, or scattered over salads.

Here, the pork cooks low and slow in the oven (you can use a Dutch oven or roasting pan). The lower oven temperature and longer cooking time mean that you’ll be rewarded with tender, juicy, perfectly shredded pork every time. To use a slow cooker, see this slow cooker pulled pork recipe.

Key Ingredients

• Pork: For the best pulled pork, use boneless or bone-in pork butt (also called Boston butt) or pork shoulder. Pork butt usually has a bit more fat, which melts down as it slowly cooks in the oven, so choose that if you have the option. Both cuts are naturally tough, but become beautifully tender and juicy when cooked low and slow.
• Brown Sugar and Spices: Our simple spice rub combines brown sugar, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and cumin. It adds a lot of flavor, slight sweetness, and just enough heat to balance the richness of the pork.
• Garlic and Tomato Paste: Fresh garlic adds a lot of flavor as it slowly cooks, while tomato paste adds color, rich flavor, and an irresistible umami note to the cooking liquid.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: I love adding a splash of vinegar for a bit of tanginess, plus it helps tenderize the pork and balance its richness.
• Fish Sauce or Worcestershire: Choose one or the other. Both add a savory, umami note to the cooking liquid.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Pulled Pork in the Oven

Tip 1: Cook it low and slow. Cooking the pork at a low temperature for an extended period is the secret to tender, fall-apart pulled pork (the same goes for oven-baked ribs, pot roast, and beef stew). Using a marbled cut like pork butt means all that connective tissue and fat slowly melt and turn the meat irresistibly tender.

Tip 2: Don’t skip the sear. Before baking, rub the pork all over with our simple spice blend, then sear it on all sides in a large Dutch oven. This step builds a lot of flavor and creates a golden crust. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can use a heavy-bottomed skillet for searing instead.

Tip 3: Add liquid and scrape up the flavor. After searing, add the water and the remaining ingredients to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those browned bits stuck to the bottom. Those bits are packed with flavor and make your pork even better.

Tip 4: How long to cook pulled pork in the oven? Once everything’s in the pot, cover it with the lid and bake at 300°F until the pork is fork-tender. Depending on the size of your roast, oven pulled pork takes about 2 to 4 hours. You’ll know it’s ready when the meat easily shreds apart with a fork. If you do not have a Dutch oven, roast the pork in a roasting pan, tightly covered with foil.

Tip 5: Skim the fat and shred. As the pork cooks, the fat renders into the liquid. Before serving, skim off as much or as little fat as you like. I usually leave a little behind for flavor. Then shred the pork into chunks, toss it in some of its cooking juices, and serve however you like (I’ve shared some suggestions below).

Serving Suggestions

Whenever we make this pulled pork recipe, we jump at the chance to turn it into pulled pork sandwiches piled high on soft rolls, with a handful of dill pickles or sweeter bread and butter pickles. It’s also incredible topped with a spoonful of classic coleslaw or broccoli slaw, and if you prefer to skip the mayo, try our vinegar slaw for something lighter and tangier.

For sides, think about cold dishes like macaroni salad, potato salad, or our reader-favorite broccoli salad. If you’re craving something warm, serve your pork with mashed potatoes, a slice of homemade cornbread with honey butter, or a scoop of baked mac and cheese. You really can’t go wrong!