I really enjoy smoking a pork shoulder for hours; smelling the smells, tending the fire, and of course that taste at the end. But not everyone has a smoker, so this blog is all about how to cook pulled pork in the oven.
With the homemade seasoning and a few other tricks, this pork butt will take on a smoky flavor and will be very close to traditional pit barbecue. In fact, the pulled pork sandwiches you’ll get from this pulled pork recipe will have all but the most discerning of BBQ enthusiasts convinced it came off a pit.
If you enjoyed this blog, be sure to check out my recipe for smoky beef ribs in the oven as well.
To cook pulled pork in the oven quickly, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook the pork for approximately 30 minutes per pound (0.45 kg) of meat, or until the internal temperature reaches 195°F (90°C) for tender and juicy pulled pork.
What Is the Secret to Moist Pulled Pork?
There are a number of tricks to get extremely moist pulled pork. Anywhere from injecting the pork with liquid, to wet brining it for a couple of days before cooking it.
The easiest way to ensure moist pork though, is to cook it at a low temperature — start to finish. Don’t follow the advice so prevalent on the internet about starting a pork shoulder at a high temperature (350°F or more), then finishing it at a lower temperature.
It’s suggested this high to low technique helps with browning, etc. As you can see by this shoulder cooked start to finish at a low temperature, it will get plenty of browning.
If you’re cooking a skin-on piece of meat, it makes sense to start at a high temperature in order to crisp the skin. But pork shoulder without skin doesn’t benefit from high temperatures. Don’t do it.
In fact, the high temperatures are detrimental to the pork. High cooking temperatures cause pork to contract. This contraction squeezes the juices out of it, making it dry.
Add to that, the brown sugar and paprika in most barbecue rubs will burn at high temperatures. So, in short, a slow roast is a key secret to moist pulled pork.
Why is Pork Shoulder Called Boston Butt?
The pork shoulder is called a few different things. Pork butt, Boston butt, and sometimes just “butt.” What confuses people is that this cut of meat isn’t a hog’s butt at all, it’s the front shoulder.
To make a long story short, waaaaay back in the day these large chunks of meat were shipped from Boston all over the country. They were packaged in large wooden barrels, and those barrels were called “butts.”
So, the term Boston butt, or pork butt started being used to refer to the meat inside the barrel. Today, all these years later, pork shoulder is still referred to as a “butt.”
The Best Slow Cooker Pulled Pork | Keep It Simple
FAQ
How to make pulled pork faster?
How do you speed up slow cooked pork?
How do you cook pork in a slow cooker?
For Oven Pulled Pork: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Pour coke around the pork in the Dutch oven pot. Cover pot with lid and cook for 3 hours. Remove lid and cook for an additional 1-2 hours, until pork is tender and easily pulls apart with a fork. For Slow Cooker Pulled Pork: Place pork in slow cooker and pour coke around it.
Can you cook pulled pork in the oven?
Making pulled pork in the oven is the key to the most tender, juicy, shredded pork. This oven roasted pork shoulder is cooked low and slow and makes the perfect BBQ pork for sandwiches, potlucks, and great leftovers! No smoker or grill needed. For the easiest pulled pork, make it in the oven!
Should you cover pulled pork when making it in the oven?
You always want to cover pulled pork when making it in the oven! If the lid has a vent hole, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil. Now place it in an oven preheated to 300° (F) for 3 hours. Ready to Pull! After the 3 hour cooking time is complete, it’s time to see and taste the results. Carefully remove the pot from the oven and remove the lid.
How to cook pulled pork in a Dutch oven?
With the pan or Dutch oven deglazed, add the chicken broth, Worcestershire and liquid smoke. Now add the pork and cover with the lid. We want the lid to be as secure and air tight as possible. You always want to cover pulled pork when making it in the oven! If the lid has a vent hole, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil.