Pork Butt (fresh) Recipe

Trim and dry

Pat the pork butt dry with paper towels. Trim any excessive thick fat caps, leaving about 1/4-inch for flavor and moisture.

Make spice rub

In a small bowl combine kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, brown sugar, and cumin. Mix until uniform.

Rub oil over the pork to help spices adhere, then evenly coat the entire pork butt with the spice rub, pressing it into the surface. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to overnight (if refrigerating, bring to room temp 1 hour before cooking).

Preheat and sear

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot over medium-high heat and add olive oil. When oil is shimmering, sear pork butt 4–5 minutes per side, turning with tongs, until a deep brown crust forms on all sides. Remove pork and set aside.

Build braising base

Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onion and smashed garlic to the pot and cook 3–4 minutes until softened and fragrant, stirring and scraping up browned bits. Add apple cider vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze, then add the stock. Stir to combine.

Return the seared pork butt to the pot, nestling it into the onions and liquid. Add fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs and sliced apple if using. The liquid should come up about 1/3 to 1/2 way up the meat—not fully cover it.

Braise

Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise until the pork is fork-tender and an internal temperature of about 195–205°F (90–96°C) is reached, about 3.5 to 4.5 hours for a 4-lb roast (time will vary with size). Check once halfway and spoon pan juices over meat. If the liquid reduces too quickly, add up to 1/2 cup hot stock or water.

Rest and shred

Remove pot from oven. Transfer pork to a cutting board or large dish and tent loosely with foil. Let rest 20–30 minutes to let juices redistribute. Meanwhile, skim excess fat from the top of the braising liquid and optionally simmer liquid on the stove to reduce and concentrate flavors into a sauce.

Serve

Using two forks or meat claws, shred the pork into bite-size pieces. Mix in some of the reduced braising liquid or barbecue sauce to moisten and flavor to taste. Serve warm with remaining sauce on the side.

Store leftover pork in an airtight container with some braising liquid for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or freeze up to 3 months.