Easy Oven-Cooked Pulled Pork
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This pulled pork recipe delivers pit-worthy flavor—no smoker required! Slow-cooked until fall-off-the-bone tender, it has a crusty bark and tangy-sweet sauce that rivals your favorite barbecue spot.
This oven-cooked pulled pork recipe yields plenty of juicy, fall-apart meat with rich, smoky BBQ flavor—perfect for feeding a crowd! It’s simple to make—just rub the pork with barbecue spices, pop it in the oven, and let the magic happen over six hours of low, slow cooking. As the irresistible BBQ aroma fills your kitchen, the hardest part of the recipe is waiting—and then trying not to eat all the pork as you’re pulling it apart! The sauce is a mix of a sweet BBQ sauce and a tangy Carolina-style vinegar-based sauce, combined with the rich pan juices for extra depth of flavor and smokiness. It takes this pulled pork recipe over the top!
Pulled pork is one of those dishes that actually gets better with time. It keeps for up to 4 days in the fridge and freezes well for 3 months—perfect for easy meals later!
“Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. Great flavor, beautiful bark, delicious sauce. The whole family enjoyed it!”
What You’ll Need To Make Pulled Pork
- Bone-in Pork Butt (Boston Butt): This is the meat used for pulled pork. Despite the name, it comes from the upper shoulder of the pig, not the rear. Thanks to its rich marbling, it becomes ultra-tender and flavorful when slow-cooked. The bone adds extra moisture, but if you can only find boneless, no worries—just use a 4 to 5-pound roast and expect a slightly shorter cook time.
- Spice Rub: This blend of seasoning and spices—salt, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, dry mustard, dark brown sugar, and black pepper—creates a balanced and flavorful BBQ crust on the pork during cooking.
- Ketchup: Serves as the base of the BBQ sauce, providing a rich tomato flavor and a smooth texture.
- Cider Vinegar: Adds a tangy, fruity acidity that balances the sweetness of the sauce.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Contributes a deep, molasses-like sweetness to the sauce and helps create a thick, sticky consistency.
- Spicy Brown Mustard: Adds a tangy, spicy element that complements the sweetness of the sauce.
- Garlic: Provides a savory, aromatic flavor for the sauce.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, preheat the oven to 300°F and set an oven rack in the lower-middle position.
Before seasoning, pat the pork dry with paper towels. This helps the spice rub stick better and ensures a nice crust as it roasts.
Next make the rub by stirring together the salt, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, dry mustard, brown sugar, and pepper in a small bowl.
Place the pork in a roasting pan. Rub your spice blend all over the pork, turning it to coat evenly.
Roast the pork for 6 to 6-1/2 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender. A thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork should register 195°F.
While the pork is roasting, get the barbecue sauce going. In a saucepan over medium heat, mix together the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, garlic, and a pinch of cayenne. Let it simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens slightly. Then, take it off the heat and let it sit until the pork is ready.
When the pork is done, take it out of the oven and place it on a cutting board or platter. Loosely tent it with foil and let it rest for about 10 minutes. This helps the juices redistribute, keeping the meat tender and juicy.
Carefully pour off and discard the fat from the roasting pan (just don’t forget the handles are hot!). Add ¾ cup of water to the pan and set it over medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those browned bits stuck to the bottom. That’s where all the flavor is. Let it simmer for a few minutes, stirring often, until the liquid reduces by about half. It’ll turn really dark, but that’s exactly what you want—it’s packed with rich, concentrated flavor!
Pour the pan juices into the saucepan with the barbecue sauce and set it over medium heat. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the flavors meld and the sauce gets even richer.
While the pork is still warm, grab two forks and start shredding—just pull the meat apart into large, juicy shreds. As you go, toss out any big pieces of fat or sinew so you’re left with only the good stuff.
Transfer the shredded pork to a large bowl or dish and pour about two-thirds of the barbecue sauce over it. Give it a good toss so it’s evenly coated. Taste and, if you want it saucier, add more little by little until it’s just how you like it.
My starting point for this recipe was Tyler Florence’s Pulled Pork Barbecue recipe. I used my own spice rub and barbecue sauce, but the cooking method is identical to the original recipe.
Video Tutorial
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Ingredients
For the Pork
- One 5- to 6-pound bone-in pork butt (sometimes called Boston butt; see note)
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Tangy Barbecue Sauce
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons ketchup
- ¾ cup cider vinegar
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¾ cup water, for deglazing the roasting pan
For Serving
- 12 hamburger buns (lightly toasted and buttered, if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F and set an oven rack in the lower-middle position.
- Pat the pork dry with paper towels.
- Mix the salt, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, dry mustard, brown sugar, and pepper in a small bowl. Place the pork in a roasting pan. Rub the spice blend all over the pork, turning to coat evenly (don't leave any of the spice blend in the bottom of the pan; keep turning the meat until it all adheres).
- Roast, uncovered, for 6 to 6½ hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 195°F.
- While the pork roasts, make the barbecue sauce. Combine the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, garlic, and cayenne pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer gently, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about ten minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit until the pork is done.
- When the pork is done, take it out of the oven and set it on a cutting board or platter; tent with aluminum foil and let rest for about 10 minutes.
- Pour off and discard the fat from the roasting pan (remember the handles are hot). Add ¾ cup water to the roasting pan and set it over a single burner on medium heat; scrape with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the liquid is reduced by about half. (The liquid will be very dark; that's okay.) Pour into the saucepan with the barbecue sauce and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- While the pork is still warm, use two forks to pull the meat away from the bone into large shreds. Remove and discard any large pieces of fat or sinew. Put the shredded pork in a large bowl or dish and pour about two-thirds of the barbecue sauce over it. Toss so that the pork is evenly coated with the sauce. Taste and add more sauce, little by little, if desired.
- To serve, spoon the pulled pork onto the bottom half of each bun. Pass the remaining barbecue sauce on the side.
- Note: Pork butt (which is also sometimes called Boston butt) is misleadingly named; it does not come from the rear end of the pig. Rather, it comes from the thicker, well-marbled upper shoulder. It is not to be confused with a picnic roast, which comes from the lower end of the shoulder and is a bit leaner. If you can only find a boneless butt, that's okay.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The pork can be made entirely ahead of time and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat just a few servings of pulled pork, toss the pork in a microwave-safe bowl. Add a bit more sauce if the pork seems dry, and cover the dish with a plate or lid. Microwave the pork for one to two minutes, or until hot. To reheat a larger quantity, place the pork in a baking dish and add a bit more sauce if the pork seems dry. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in a 250°F-oven for about 30 minutes, or until hot.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Place the pulled pork in a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 485
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Sugar: 23 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Sodium: 691 mg
- Cholesterol: 89 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Another Excellent Recipe that is easy to prep and very tasty. It was my first oven pulled pork as I normally use the crockpot. I will give a slight edge on flavor/texture to this oven method.
Lastly, you can add liguid smoke to the BBQ sauce for enhanced flavor, but using the brown bits from the pan, per the receipe, worked great.
Thanks Jenn
Hi- I have 2 lbs of uncooked pulled pork (not one big piece, lots of smaller pieces). What would you suggest for cooking times? Your website is always my go to!! 🙂
Hi Chithra, It’s really hard to say as it depends on the size of the pieces. I’d still use the rub and bake it at 300°F until it’s fork-tender.
Absolutely Delicious, thoroughly enjoyed it for 2 days. VERY SPICY.
Will definitely make again. Thanks for the recipe.
Was only help to find pork tenderloins at the store. Are there different cooking suggestions? Help!
Unfortunately, pork tenderloin won’t work here — sorry!
Hi Jenn,
I bought a 9+lb Pork Butt, how much longer should I cook it?
I’m thinking 9hrs, like an hour per pound?!
Oh yeah, I also read somewhere that it should be room temp when placed in oven…
Your thoughts needed, asap, thanks much!
Hi Gigi, I would guesstimate you’ll need to cook it for 8 to 8.5 hours, but to be sure use a thermometer and insert it the thickest part of the pork. When it registers 195°F, it’s done. BTW, if you find that it’s getting too browned during that extra time in the oven, feel free to cover it loosely with foil. Hope you enjoy!
Welp, Jenn, your reply came in after I cooked it, but not a problem. I Cooked this for about 8.5 hours, plus made that fabulous bbq sauce, and maaaaaan was it GOOD!!! I had every intention of freezing half of it, i mean 9+ lbs is a whole lotta butt for two people!! As I pulled it apart, I thought oMG this is enough for 20 people!!
But…guess what, me and my husband DEVOURED IT…in like 3 days, I couldn’t stop myself!! First in the bun, then opened-faced…then just this wonderful pork butt!! 🙂 Just hoping MY butt, doesn’t turn into a pork butt!!! LOLOLOL!!
Thanks again for this great recipe!!
😂
How about a beef version?
I’ll add it to my list of recipes to potentially develop! 🙂
Really good! But I made the mistake on the piece of meat! I only printed the recipe and I didn’t not read the details on the website, so between the translation English-German and the butt piece without the bone and the shoulder piece with the bone, I choose the butt piece without the bone…it is only when I decided to start the recipe that I read the website and found out that there was trouble with the name. It would be great if you indicate the details about the pork piece to use in the paper recipe…;-)…
Even with the butt piece, it was excellent and so easy to do!
Sorry for any confusion, Fabien! I just added a note to the actual recipe. Glad you enjoyed it regardless! 🙂
Wonderful and easy dish. With life at normal pace I probably wouldn’t have taken the time but I had 6 hours to spare this was well worth the wait.
I made this yesterday, sooo delicious! Thank you Jenn for another fabulous recipe! I didn’t like the sauce much, but I’m not a fan of BBQ sauce, so I just ate it on its own and also made them into tacos-so tender! My whole family loved it!
Hi Jenn – We cannot wait to try. Would you mind linking your roasting pan and sauce pan? Thanks!
Hi Chad, This is the roasting pan (I have both sizes, but I used the small one here). This is the saucepan (I have the 3-qt). Hope that helps! 🙂
Bought both pans. Made the BBQ over the weekend and loved it. Thank you so much.
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂