Pulled Pork
Buttery shreds of tender pork in a sublime, smoky sauce. If you’re a fan of pulled pork, this will be your go-to recipe moving forward. It’s easy, crowd-pleasing, and downright finger-licking good. Serve this juicy, savory pork by itself, or pile it onto soft rolls, or heap it over nachos – it’s pure perfection no matter how you dish it up.
This recipe was written for the Arizona Republic.
Pulled pork is the quintessential party food. I say this because most recipes for pulled pork yield a decent amount of meat, making it an ideal choice for bigger gatherings. That said, this pulled pork is equally fabulous when enjoyed as leftovers, especially because you can serve it a gazillion different ways.
Here’s what you need for this pulled pork
- Pork. Purchase a boneless pork shoulder (also called pork butt) that’s about 4 to 5 pounds. This may sound like a lot of meat but the pork cooks down significantly during cooking (a 5-pound pork shoulder will yield about 3 pounds of meat). Why pork shoulder? Pork shoulder is the meat of choice for “pulling purposes” because its marbling (fat content) melts during the slow cooking process, yielding tender, buttery-soft meat.
- Seasonings. This recipe utilizes a sweet, savory, aromatic blend of brown sugar, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. And this homemade seasoning blend gets double duty because we use it two ways – first as a rub on the pork, and second as flavoring for the BBQ-style sauce.
- Vegetable oil. Vegetable oil is used to sear the pork before transferring the pan to the oven. Some recipes for pulled pork skip the searing process, so why do we do it here? Searing caramelizes the meat’s natural sugars and proteins (as well as the sugar in the dry rub), which creates new flavor compounds, elements that produce richer, more complex flavor.
- Soda. Soda is the only liquid needed to braise the pork during its long visit to the oven. The soda not only adds sweetness, but it also has an uncanny ability to tenderize the meat to the point where it almost melts. You need 7.5-ounces, or a mini can, and you can use Coca Cola, Dr. Pepper, or root beer.
For the sauce:
Take note, once the pulled pork is shredded, it’s delicious enough to eat as is. But adding a sweet, smoky, delightfully complex barbecue-style sauce takes things over the top. I highly recommend you try it.
- Ketchup. Adds thickness and sweetness.
- Molasses. Adds a sweet, smoky, earthy essence.
- Cider vinegar. Balances the sweetness of the ketchup and molasses. You may also use red wine vinegar.
- Worcestershire sauce. Adds definitive punch and umami notes.
- Liquid smoke. Brings a true BBQ nuance to the sauce. Both hickory and mesquite flavors work.
- Dijon mustard. Adds a little kick and pungency to the sauce. You may substitute yellow mustard.
- Chicken stock or water. Helps thin the sauce so it coats every inch of the pork.
How much pulled pork do you need per person?
As mentioned above, pork shoulder cooks down significantly during cooking. A 5-pound raw pork shoulder will yield about 3 pounds of cooked meat. Plan on about 1/3 to 1/2 pound pulled pork per person. That means, a 5-pound raw pulled shoulder, cooked down to 3 pounds, will feed 6 to 8 people. You can increase or decrease the size of the pork shoulder (and other ingredients) to suit your needs. Just remember, leftovers are fabulous, so it’s better to make too much than too little. Pro tip: If you have extra pulled pork, store the pork and sauce separately. Add the sauce only to the portions you’re planning to serve right way.
What pan do you need for this pulled pork? A Dutch oven is ideal for pulled pork because it’s heavy and can go from the cooktop to the oven with ease. Plus, a Dutch oven heats from all sides, allowing browning to occur on all edges of the pan (and the food), which yields superior flavor.
Can you make this pulled pork in a slow cooker?
As mentioned above, a Dutch oven is ideal because it heats and browns the meat on all sides (including the top). A slow cooker, on the other hand, only heats from the bottom and cooks by simmering/steaming. That said, if you want to use your slow cooker, skip the searing step, place your pork pieces in the pot, and pour the cola all around them. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, until the pork shreds easily with a fork.
How should you serve your pulled pork?
- Piled onto soft rolls for pulled pork sandwiches
- Spooned over mashed potatoes, couscous, and risotto
- Stuffed into/onto tortillas for tacos, tostadas, burritos, and quesadillas
- Served with a salad, baked beans, potato salad, and/or macaroni salad
- Spooned over tortilla chips for nachos
- Spooned into a bag of corn chips
How should you store your pulled pork? If possible, store the pulled pork and extra sauce separately. Store both in airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
How should you reheat your pulled pork? The best way to reheat pulled pork is in a 250-degree oven. Combine the pork and sauce and place in a shallow baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until warmed to 165 degrees. If desired, you may also reheat the pork and sauce in the microwave – place in a microwave-safe container, cover with a damp paper towel and cook in 1-minute increments until warmed to 165 degrees.
Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 4 pound boneless pork shoulder, also called pork butt
- 5 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 7.5 ounces Coca Cola, or Dr. Pepper, or root beer
For the Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or water
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke, hickory or mesquite flavor
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Trim excess fat from the pork and cut the meat into 4 equal pieces.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Remove 2 tablespoons of the mixture and set it aside. Rub the remaining mixture all over the pork pieces, coating all sides. You can do this up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate the pork until ready to cook.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy, oven-proof pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the pork to the hot oil and cook until browned on all sides and edges (the meat will brown quickly from the brown sugar, so keep a watchful eye on it).
- Pour the cola all around the meat in the pan.
- Cover the pan and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 3 hours.
- Remove the lid and cook for 1 to 2 more hours, until the meat is tender enough to shred with a fork.
- Meanwhile, to make the sauce, in a medium bowl, whisk together the ketchup, chicken broth, molasses, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, Dijon mustard, and reserved spice mix. Reserve for the pulled pork.
- When the pork has finished cooking, shred the meat with two forks. Add the barbecue sauce and toss to coat and heat through.