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side view shot of a pulled pork sandwich topped with coleslaw on a plate
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4.86 from 7 votes

Pulled Pork

This Perfect Pulled Pork is so simple. It's seasoned to perfection with a dry rub mix and slowly roasted in the oven.  Perfect for tacos, burritos, sandwiches or hoagies, this dish is always a crowd pleaser. 
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time12 hours
Total Time12 hours 20 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pulled pork, pulled pork recipe
Servings: 8
Calories: 503kcal

Ingredients

  • 6 pound pork shoulder

Dry Rub

Brine Solution

  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
  • 8 cups water cold
  • 3 tablespoon dry rub mix
  • 2 bay leaves

Instructions

  • The night before you want to serve the pork, prepare the dry rub mix. In a big pot prepare the brine solution and add the pork shoulder to the brine, throw in a couple bay leaves, cover the pot and put in the fridge overnight. You can also place the brine solution and pork in a big ziploc bag.
  • In the morning, take the meat out and pat it dry. You'll need a big deep roasting pan. Put the meat in the pan, and start rubbing in the dry rub all over the meat. Make sure you put plenty of rub, and massage real well. Now, you'll need a thermometer and you need to stick it in the thickest part of the meat, not touching the bone.
  • Place uncovered in a 225 F degree oven on the middle rack. It will take about 12 hours, the meat needs to get to an internal temperature of 200 F degrees.
  • Once it reaches 200 F degrees, take it out of the oven and let it rest for another 1.5 to 2 hours.
  • Using two large forks, begin pulling the meat apart. It will fall apart easily and it should not take you long at all to pull apart this whole roast. 
  • Serve on sandwiches with coleslaw, hoagies, tacos, burritos, tamales, etc.

Notes

  1. For the meat, you'll need a 5 to 7 lb pork shoulder with bone in and a layer of fat on the bottom. 
  2. This pulled pork will keep fresh for 3 - 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. To freeze just wrap the whole shoulder, unpulled, in plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing for 3 - 4 months. Just be sure to thaw overnight in the fridge before warming in the oven and shredding.
  3. INSTANT POT PULLED PORK: For instructions on how to make pulled pork in the instant pot check out my recipe and video here.
  4. CROCKPOT PULLED PORK: Follow the first 2 steps the same, then place the pork shoulder in your crockpot. Add about 1/2 cup of water to crockpot, close the lid and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 6 hours.
  5. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 77g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 204mg | Sodium: 1092mg | Potassium: 1402mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1000IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 4.2mg