Perfect Oven Pulled Pork
- PREP 15min
- COOK 3hrs 30min
- TOTAL 3hrs 45min
You’ll love this easy pulled pork spiced with a simple rub, garlic, tomato paste, and apple cider vinegar. It turns out perfectly seasoned, melt-in-your-mouth tender, and is excellent served in sandwiches, wraps, tacos, and salads.
You Will Need
4 pounds boneless or bone-in pork butt or pork shoulder with any twine removed
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder or use a mild chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup water
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce or Worcestershire sauce
Directions
1Prep: Adjust an oven rack to the lower third of the oven so a large Dutch oven will fit, and heat the oven to 300°F (148°C). If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can use a roasting pan or a large baking dish covered tightly with foil.
2Make the spice rub: In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and cumin. Rub this mixture all over the pork until it’s well coated.
3Sear the pork: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the pork and sear for about 2 minutes per side, until browned on all sides. Keep an eye on it—because of the sugar in the spice rub, it can brown quickly. If you do not have a Dutch oven, use a high-sided skillet instead for this step.
4Make cooking liquid: Transfer the pork to a plate. Add the garlic and tomato paste to the pot and cook until the tomato paste turns from bright red to deep orange, about 1 minute. Pour in 1 cup of water, the apple cider vinegar, and fish sauce (or Worcestershire), then scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
5Bake in the oven: Position the pork back into the pan with the fattiest side facing up. Cover the Dutch oven with a lid, and slide it into the oven. Cook until the pork is fork-tender (the meat should easily shred apart with a fork), about 3 hours. If you do not have a Dutch oven, use a roasting pan or large baking dish tightly covered with foil for this step.
6Pull the pork: Transfer the pork to a cutting board and cool until you can handle it. Shred the pork with forks or your fingers. Discard the bone (if there is one), any connective tissue, and large clumps of fat.
7Strain cooking liquid: Remove the cooking liquid and skim most of the fat from its surface. Discard the fat, then set the cooking liquid aside.
8To finish: Return the pulled pork to the pot and moisten it with some or all of the reserved cooking liquid. Taste and season with salt, vinegar, or fish sauce. If using, stir in barbecue sauce.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Keep pulled pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: To reheat pulled pork, place it back in a saucepan and cook with a bit of cooking liquid (or water) over medium-low heat until heated through. If it seems dry, add a splash more cooking liquid or water to the pan.
- No Dutch oven: If you do not have a Dutch oven, sear the pork and make the cooking liquid in a high-sided saucepan or cast-iron pan. Transfer the pork and liquid to a roasting pan, then cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- Why won’t my pulled pork pull apart? You may need to cook the pork for a bit longer. If you used a leaner cut of pork, consider a fattier, more marbled cut like pork butt or pork shoulder, as leaner cuts like pork loin will not break down as well and will be tougher than the shoulder in this recipe.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.