Pulled Pork
Meat that melts in your mouth, coated in a flavorful homemade BBQ sauce. A slightly smoky, sweet and tangy flavor, with juicy meat that stays tender for several days. This recipe is absolutely perfect for meat lovers. It’s classic comfort food that’s ideal for cozy autumn afternoons. Is it healthy? Probably not, but it’s delicious and satisfying.
Pulled pork is a simple one-pot dish that will last for several days. You can serve it differently every time. Enjoy this pulled pork with groats or potatoes, or serve it in burgers or tortillas.
You can prepare it several days in advance, for example, for a party or whenever you want to have a warm snack ready to reheat quickly.
A recipe for delicious, juicy pulled pork without a slow cooker. In this recipe, I use homemade plum jam – check out my blog to see how to make it!
All you need to make the best pulled pork is an oven and an ovenproof dish, preferably cast iron, to retain heat for a long time. Simply sear the meat, add the remaining ingredients, and put it in the oven. The meat will cook itself.
Recipe modifications:
- Fat: First, you need to sear the meat. You can use the fat trimmed from the meat for this purpose, rendering it in the pan first. This is a zero-waste option that delivers maximum flavor. However, if you don’t have the time or feel like doing this, you can, of course, sear the meat in any cooking fat, such as rapeseed oil.
How do you make pulled pork without a cast-iron pot?
Cast iron retains heat for a very long time, so even when the oven is switched off, the pot will remain hot for many hours. For this recipe, I roast the pork for 2 hours and then leave the pot in the closed oven for another 4 hours, and the cast-iron pot is still hot. If you don’t have a pot like this, you can use a glass ovenproof dish, for example. Glass heats up faster, but it also cools down more quickly. In that case, I would roast the pork for longer, for example, an additional 30–60 minutes, and leave it in the oven until it cools down.
What cut of pork is best for pulled pork?
Large boneless cuts of meat are best for pulled pork, as they are more convenient to work with. The more fat the meat contains, the juicier the pulled pork will be. I recommend using pork shoulder (Picnic Shoulder) or pork neck (Boston Butt). I usually go for pork shoulder. You can also make pulled pork with pork leg (ham), although it contains less fat and may turn out drier. If the piece of pork you buy is very fatty, you can trim off the thicker pieces of fat from the outside. Pork cooks for a long time, so the fat renders well. However, if the meat has thick layers of fat, you may find pieces of unrendered fat after shredding it. My family and I don’t like this, so I always trim off the excess fat.
Although I list 1 kg of meat in the recipe, this is only an approximate amount. If I buy a larger piece of pork, for example, 1.5 kg, I don’t change the quantities of the other ingredients. Think of it more as one piece of meat rather than focusing on its weight. You don’t need to change the cooking time either. The meat cooks slowly at a low temperature, so it will definitely be cooked through.
What to serve with pulled pork?
Pulled pork is an excellent choice for lunch, dinner, or a snack. Here are a few ideas for serving pulled pork:
- Tacos: Fill small tortillas with pulled pork. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, add a dollop of sour cream, and top with vegetables such as pickled onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, and tomatoes. You can also add lime juice or slices of mango. It’s worth seasoning the portion of pulled pork you use for tacos with Mexican seasoning for extra flavor.
- Burrito: Add pulled pork to a large tortilla. You can season the meat with Mexican seasoning if you like. Add cheese, beans, corn, tomatoes, rice, guacamole, or salsa. Fold the tortilla and fry it in a pan or toast it on an electric grill.
- Burger: Place a portion of pulled pork in a burger bun and add toppings such as red cabbage slaw or pickles.
- Cheeseburger: Slice the bun in half and place it in the oven for 1–2 minutes using the grill function on the upper rack. Place a portion of pulled pork and a slice of cheese on the toasted bottom half of the bun. Add another slice of cheese to the top half. Return both halves to the oven until the cheese melts. Put the burger together, and it’s ready! You can also use a contact grill or a pan.
- Sandwich: Warm a slice of rye sourdough bread in a toaster or in a pan. Top it with a portion of pulled pork. You can sprinkle it with chopped cilantro or parsley.
- Panuzzo or pinsa: Use pinsa, panuozzo, schiacciata, or another type of Italian-style bread. Warm the bread. Prepare a honey mustard sauce by mixing honey, mustard, and mayonnaise. Spread the sauce over the bread. Add pulled pork, jalapeño, red onion, pickled or brined cucumber, and mozzarella. You can also toast the sandwich in the oven.
- Open-faced baguette melts (Polish Zapiekanki): Cut baguettes in half lengthwise. Add pulled pork, corn, and cheese. Bake until the cheese melts, and they’re ready to serve.
The quantities listed below make approximately 17 servings of pulled pork, each weighing about 100 g.
Follow the step-by-step recipe to learn how to make the best pulled pork, and watch the video below the recipe for extra guidance.
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Pulled Pork
Video
Pulled Pork Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kg pork shoulder (1 piece)
- 2 onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 150 g ketchup
- 170 g plum jam
- 50 g sugar (preferably dark muscovado)
- 1 tbsp wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 150 ml beef stock (or water)
- 1 tsp starch
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- salt
- black pepper
- oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Dice the onions or slice them into thin strips. Rinse the meat, pat it dry, and season with salt. Pour a few tablespoons of oil into a roasting pan. Once the oil is very hot, sear the meat on all sides until browned. This helps seal in the juices and keeps the meat tender and juicy. Transfer the seared meat to a plate.1 kg pork shoulder, 2 onions, salt, oil
- Add the onion to the roasting pan, season with salt, and sauté until golden. Add the garlic, spices, tomato paste, soy sauce, sugar, mustard, ketchup, plum butter, and vinegar. Stir the starch into the broth until dissolved, then pour the mixture into the pan. Stir well and bring to a boil.Place the meat back into the pan and coat it with the onion sauce. Cover the pan with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven.4 cloves garlic, 150 g ketchup, 170 g plum jam, 50 g sugar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mustard, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 150 ml beef stock, 1 tsp starch, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp cinnamon, black pepper, 1 tbsp wine vinegar
- Roast the meat for 2 hours at 150°C (
300 °F). Then turn off the oven and leave the meat inside for another 2–4 hours. This allows the meat to finish cooking gently and become wonderfully tender.After this time, remove the meat from the oven and shred it using two forks, mixing it with the sauce as you go.Enjoy!
Nutrition
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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