Pulled Pork Recipe
Make Pulled Pork Recipe in just 5h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Pulled Pork
Barbecue Sauce (pan sauce + finishing)
Sandwich Assembly
Method
Pulled Pork
- 1
Trim and rub
Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Trim any excessively large exterior fat caps, leaving a thin layer for flavor. In a small bowl combine kosher salt, black pepper, sweet paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, and chili powder. Rub olive oil evenly over the pork, then massage the dry rub all over the meat, covering all sides. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate up to overnight (if refrigerating, bring to room temperature for 30–60 minutes before cooking).
- 2
Sear (optional)
Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add a bit of oil and sear the pork on all sides until deeply browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. This step adds flavor but can be skipped if short on time.
- 3
Braise
After searing, add apple cider vinegar and stock to the pot, scraping up any brown bits. The liquid should come up about 1–2 cm (not covering the whole roast). Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook until the pork is fall-apart tender, about 3.5–4.5 hours for a 2 kg shoulder (internal temperature will be ~95°C/203°F and a fork should slide in easily). Check once halfway and baste with the cooking liquid if the top is drying.
- 4
Rest and shred
Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the pork to a large cutting board or tray. Let rest, loosely tented with foil, for 15–20 minutes. Reserve the braising liquid. Using two forks (or meat claws), shred the pork into bite-sized strands, removing any large pieces of fat as you go.
- 5
Moisten
Place the shredded pork into a large bowl. Spoon 60–120 ml of the reserved braising liquid over the meat, tossing to moisten but not make soupy. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt or a splash of vinegar if needed.
Barbecue Sauce (pan sauce + finishing)
- 6
Make sauce
Pour the reserved braising liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a small saucepan, pressing to extract flavor. Add prepared barbecue sauce, additional apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce if using. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook 5–8 minutes until slightly reduced and glossy. Taste and adjust sweetness, acidity, or heat.
- 7
Combine
Pour most of the warm sauce (about 160–200 ml) over the shredded pork and toss to coat evenly. Reserve some sauce to serve on the side. If the pork seems dry, add more of the sauce or braising liquid a tablespoon at a time until desired juiciness is reached.
Sandwich Assembly
- 8
- 9
Build sandwiches
Pile 120–150 g of sauced pulled pork onto the bottom half of each bun. Top with coleslaw and pickles if using, then place the top bun. Serve immediately with extra barbecue sauce on the side.
- 10
Storage
Refrigerate leftover pulled pork and sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan with a splash of stock or braising liquid, or in the oven at 150°C (300°F) covered until warmed through. For longer storage, freeze pork and sauce up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.