Succulent, juicy, and bursting with flavor, our pulled pork recipe is a lot easier to make than you might think! Plus, It can be made in the oven, slow-cooker or an Instant Pot — whatever feels easy to you. Which ever method you choose, know that you’ll need time. Even Instant Pot pulled pork takes 90 minutes. Once it’s made, though, you’re set! Serve it on a bun, in our Pineapple Pulled Pork Sandwich, in heavenly pulled pork tacos, or even on a salad. If you want to branch out a little, try our sweet-spicy honey chipotle pulled pork recipe.
What Is The Best Cut Of Meat for Pulled Pork?
The best pork for pulled pork is boneless pork shoulder. Pork shoulder is a term that can be vague, because it refers to a “primal cut” of pork, meaning a large piece of the pig that is cut off during butchering and then typically broken down into smaller, “sub-primal” cuts, each with a different name (though all coming from the pork shoulder). The best piece of shoulder meat for making pulled pork is the “pork butt.”
Sometimes, pork butt is labeled “Boston butt” or even “pork shoulder roast.” Worth noting: In our pulled pork recipe, we ask you to cut the pork butt into quarters, but you can very nicely ask your butcher to do it for you and save yourself some work. Why? We think it cooks better that way, especially in a slow-cooker or Instant Pot. You’ll get more crispy edges—thanks, surface area!—and it’s just one of those little things that makes our recipe the very best pulled pork recipe ever.
Our Pulled Pork Seasoning Mix
- Brown sugar. A hint of sweet to caramelize those crispy pulled pork edges.
- Mustard powder. A BBQ-flavor classic, a little zingy!
- Garlic powder. You know we do not cook without garlic.
- Onion powder. A hint of sharpness!
- Chili powder. A slightly smoky kick!
- Cayenne pepper. Nothing but a hit of heat!
- Salt & pepper. Always.
How To Make Pulled Pork In The Oven, Crock-Pot Or Instant Pot
Combine stock and cider vinegar in your vessel of choice. The cider vinegar will help to break down the pork and ensure that that tough pork shoulder becomes totally juicy and tender.
Put the pork butt pieces into the Dutch oven, slow-cooker or Instant Pot.
Time for the pulled pork seasonings! Rub that quartered pork butt with a whole mess of slightly smoky, spicy, sharp and sweet spices.
Cover and cook! Cooked in the oven, pulled pork takes four hours. Instant Pot pulled pork will take a little over an hour. Crock-Pot pulled pork will take 8-10 hours on low, or 4-6 hours on high.
Now, watch for doneness! The official pulled pork done temp is 205°F on an instant read thermometer, and you’ll know that it’s done when the pulled pork is fork-tender, meaning just a hint of pressure from the tines of a fork causes it to absolutely fall apart.
Serve! Get some really good-quality buns. You can douse the pulled pork with either BBQ Sauce or Teriyaki Sauce (homemade or store-bought), depending on your mood, and squish all that goodness between the buns.
Serve pulled pork with classic BBQ side dishes, like:
How To Freeze + Store Leftover Pulled Pork
Leftover pulled pork is the best! It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in the fridge. Swap leftover pulled pork place of carnitas in Hash, Quesadillas, or this juicy Pineapple Pulled Pork Sandwich!
Yes, you can freeze pulled pork! Frozen pulled pork will keep for 3-4 months. It’s best to store the meat in portion sizes that work for your household, and to make sure that they are as airtight as possible so the meat stays as fresh as possible.
More Essential Pork Recipes
Even More Delicious Ideas Ahead
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