This post may contain references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Oh Sweet Basil may receive compensation when you click on links to such products.
Make the perfect Carolina pulled pork with this easy and delicious recipe. Impress your friends and family with this mouth-watering dish, complete with a step-by-step video tutorial.
Want to make the best pulled pork from your own kitchen? The key to making this Carolina pulled pork recipe is the brine. You’re actually going to start this recipe two days ahead of time with the brine, and it takes time to make tender, juicy pulled pork in the oven. So plan your schedule accordingly, and get ready for the best pulled pork of your life!
Make a batch of our very best macaroni salad and toss together a fresh fruit salad, and it’s party time!!
Table of Contents
- Watch How This Pulled Pork Recipe is Made…
- Creating the Best Pulled Pork Recipe
- Carolina Pulled Pork Ingredients
- What’s the Best Pork for Pulled Pork?
- How to Make Pulled Pork in the Oven
- How Long to Cook Pulled Pork
- Can I Make Pulled Pork on a Smoker?
- Can I Make This Pulled Pork Recipe in the Slow Cooker?
- How to Prep Carolina Pulled Pork in Advance
- Tips to Making the Best Pulled Pork
- What to Serve with Carolina Pulled Pork
- Storing and Reheating
- More PORK DINNER RECIPES You Must Try:
- World’s Best Carolina Pulled Pork Recipe
Watch How This Pulled Pork Recipe is Made…
Creating the Best Pulled Pork Recipe
When I think of BBQ, I can’t help but think of slow and low style, the Carolina way. In order to cook the best pulled pork, it’s essential that you plan ahead and spend some time prepping and cooking that delicious meat at those lower temperatures. This helps bring out all those flavors that melt in your mouth and allows that pork to literally fall apart. I know, we are all lazy and don’t want to, but trust me, this Carolina pulled pork recipe is so easy your dog could do it.
This recipe may seem like a process, but here’s the deal: you really just plop the pork in the fridge to marinate, and then transfer it to the oven. Although it takes a long time, you’re just going about your everyday life so it’s really not extra work on your part.
These idea for this pulled pork recipe come from watching Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Shout out to Guy, who gets to eat for a living! We occasionally watch his show on Netflix at night, and first of all, it makes us so hungry, but we also feel like we can totally guess when he doesn’t really enjoy something. We wish we could find out what he really thinks are the best and the worst of the places he has tried.
Anyway, I got a little off topic. Here are the secrets to the world’s best Carolina pulled pork.
Carolina Pulled Pork Ingredients
There are three main components to this pulled pork recipe: the brine, pulled pork rub, and the homemade BBQ sauce. Here is what you will need for each component:
- 5-8 Pound Pork Shoulder (or Butt)
Pulled Pork Brine
- Water
- Apple Cider
- Note that you’ll be using apple cider, NOT cider vinegar, in the pork shoulder brine. But many of our readers have missed that and added pure vinegar and so we had no choice but to try it since so many of you loved the results. Sure enough, it was great! So we prefer the juice but hey, vinegar is fun too! Apple cider adds a little more flavor without ever tasting like apple, and all you have to do is dump it in.
- Kosher Salt
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Dry Rub (see below)
- Bay Leaves
- Red Pepper Flakes
Pulled Pork Dry Rub
- Onion Powder
- Smoked Paprika
- Garlic Powder
- Chili Powder
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- Cayenne Pepper
- Dry Mustard
- Cumin
- Brown Sugar
Homemade BBQ Sauce
Of course, you’re welcome to use a store-bought sauce, but if you’re looking for the best pulled pork recipe ever, well, you need to use homemade barbecue sauce.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Brown Sugar
- Chili Powder
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt
The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
What’s the Best Pork for Pulled Pork?
To make the best pulled pork, you’ve got to start with the best cut of meat. Most barbecue restaurants use whole bone-in pork shoulders, but they’re rarely available in grocery stores. If you find a whole shoulder, use it. Otherwise, we recommend a Boston butt, which is half of the shoulder, the other half being the picnic shoulder.
How to Make Pulled Pork in the Oven
This pulled pork recipe looks lengthy, but each step of this recipe is incredibly easy. Here’s a quick overview of how to make pulled pork in the oven:
- Mix all the ingredients for the dry rub in a small bowl.
- Stir together the pork shoulder brine and let the pork soak in it for 12 to 24 hours.
- Remove the pork from the brine and place it in a large baking dish, then pat it dry with paper towels.
- Rub the pulled pork seasoning all over the meat, saving just a little of the dry rub for later.
- With the fat facing up, bake the pork at a low temperature until it registers 200ºF at the thickest part.
- Turn off the oven and let the pork rest for a couple hours.
- Take the pork out of the oven and remove the fat from the top. Then, shred the meat with two forks.
- Drain half the juices from the pork, then add the remaining dry rub and toss in the homemade bbq sauce.
- Serve with buns or hoagies to make pork sandwiches or just serve the meat plain with some coleslaw and all your favorite sides.
How Long to Cook Pulled Pork
If you’re southern, you know this isn’t just a secret but practically a law in the south — LOW AND SLOW. I always laugh when people tell me they can’t make bbq, “I let it cook for over an hour and it was dry and hard as a rock!”
BBQ is very relaxed, just like southerners. It wants to hang out all day, and while you may think you’re overcooking it, you’re not! Our pork cooks for at least 12 hours, sometimes more if it’s a bigger butt (I feel like there should be a joke in there). Do not rush it.
Can I Make Pulled Pork on a Smoker?
If you’d rather make smoked pulled pork instead of oven pulled pork, we recommend following our Smoked Pulled Pork Recipe. It gives step-by-step instructions on smoking pulled pork on a Traeger.
Can I Make This Pulled Pork Recipe in the Slow Cooker?
Yes this can be done in the slow cooker, but we’ve found that it doesn’t do it justice. It is also hard to fit the size of pork butt you need into a crock pot. If you decide to try it, it will cook for the same amount of time on low. Follow the brining instructions as written, and no need to add any liquid to the slow cooker. There’s enough juice in the pork to keep cooking properly.
How to Prep Carolina Pulled Pork in Advance
Reader Kate says:
“I’m heading up to my cabin and need a dinner for a large crowd a few hours after we arrive, wondering if I can cook the pork and then finish it off in the grill when we arrive? Or if it’s better to do all steps and then reheat it on arrival? Looks delish.”
Great question! We do this ALLLLLLL the time. Go ahead and make this pulled pork recipe, and then you have two choices. Pull it out of the oven and put it straight into the car and it will rest on the way to the cabin and be ready to eat two hours later.
Or make it, rest it, cool it and place in freezer bags, or to be honest, we use this Foodsaver and just suck the air out and freeze pork for use over the next three months. It’s super easy, and tastes perfectly fresh when we reheat. We just place it in the fridge to defrost and then reheat in a large pan with foil in a low oven or stove top with a little oil in the pan and a lid to keep the steam in so it’s juicy.
Tips to Making the Best Pulled Pork
The key thing to remember when making this pulled pork recipe is to let the meat rest after it’s finished cooking. I told you, it’s lazy. Letting it rest redistributes the juices, and because it’s big and cooked for a long time you’re going to want to let it rest longer — like an hour or even two — before shredding.
Perhaps the biggest secret of all, and one that I cannot claim as my own as this is where Triple D (Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives) comes in, is to sprinkle a little more of the rub onto the meat before serving. We noticed many bbq joints weren’t just slathering on the sauce, but actually sprinkling that dry rub all over the shredded meat and tossing to let it sink it. You won’t believe what a difference it makes!
You can also use another type of bbq sauce in this pulled pork recipe! Carrian likes a thick, sweet sauce or a Carolina vinegar bbq, and I love this Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce on my homemade pulled pork.
What to Serve with Carolina Pulled Pork
We recommend firing up the grill and making grilled corn to go with this Carolina pulled pork. It is so dang good every time! And just for pure comfort, add a side of Southern mac and cheese. A few other pulled pork sides we love are:
Storing and Reheating
Leftover pulled pork should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 3-4 days. This meat also stores great in the freezer. Let it cool completely and then place in ziploc bags (or better yet, use a Food Saver!). It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Use leftovers in pulled pork pizza or pulled pork nachos! If you want to just reheat it, turn on your oven and set the temperature to 250°F. Then, cover your meat with foil and put it into the oven when it’s ready. After you put it into your oven, let it heat for 30 minutes or until reaching an internal temperature of 165 °F.
Get ready for the juiciest and most flavorful pulled pork you’ll ever try! This recipe for Carolina pulled pork is a crowd-pleaser!
More PORK DINNER RECIPES You Must Try:
- Pork Chop and Rice Casserole
- Classic Pork Carnitas
- Copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
- BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos
- Pineapple Braised Pork
- Classic Pork Roast (+ Pan Gravy)
- Grandpa’s BBQ Pulled Pork
- Pork Chops with Apple Chutney
- Country-Style Pork Ribs (in an Instant Pot)
- …All of our MAIN DISH recipes!
Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 5-8 Pound Pork Butt, bone in and fat pad on top
For the Dry Rub
- 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika, heaping
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 ½ Tablespoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Pepper
- 2 teaspoons Cayenne Powder
- 2 teaspoons Dry Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Cumin
- ½ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
For the Brine
- 4 Cups Water
- 4 Cups Apple Cider, or eliminate the water and use 8 cups of apple cider
- ½ Cup Kosher Salt
- ½ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Dry Rub, heaping
- 1 Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 Bay Leaves
For the BBQ Sauce (Optional)
- ½ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ Cup White Vinegar
- ¼ Cup Brown Sugar, up to 1/3 Cup
- ½ teaspoon Chili Powder
- 2 Pinches Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- NOTE: This recipe should be started 2 days ahead of time as you need 24 hours in the fridge, 12-14 in the oven and 2 hours of resting.
Prepare the Dry Rub:
- Mix all of the ingredients together in a ziploc bag. Set aside.1 Tablespoon Onion Powder, 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika, 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder, 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder, 1 ½ Tablespoon Kosher Salt, 1 Tablespoon Pepper, 2 teaspoons Cayenne Powder, 2 teaspoons Dry Mustard, 1 Tablespoon Cumin, ½ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
For the Brine
- In a large stock pot, add the water, apple cider, salt, sugar, 3 tablespoons dry rub, pepper flakes and bay leaves.4 Cups Water, 4 Cups Apple Cider, ½ Cup Kosher Salt, ½ Cup Dark Brown Sugar, 3 Tablespoons Dry Rub, 2 Bay Leaves, 1 Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
- Rinse off the pork and add to the pot making sure it is completely covered in the brine and add the lid.5-8 Pound Pork Butt
- Place in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours.
For the Sauce
- In a glass jar, add the ingredients and place the lid on then shake to combine. Set aside.½ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar, ½ Cup White Vinegar, ¼ Cup Brown Sugar, ½ teaspoon Chili Powder, 2 Pinches Red Pepper Flakes, Salt
To Cook
- Heat the oven to 225 degrees F.
- Remove the pork from the brine and place in a roasting dish or 9×13" baking pan as long as the sides don't touch the pan.
- Pat very dry with paper towels.
- Remove 2 tablespoons of the dry rub to another ziploc and set aside for after it is cooked.
- Rub the remaining seasoning all over the pork and in any cracks or flaps.
- With the fat facing up, place the pork in the oven with a meat thermometer.
- Bake for 12-14 hours or until 200 degrees F registers on the thickest part of the pork with a meat thermometer. *Remember to watch your oven, ours turns off automatically at 12 hours so I have to turn it back on.
- At this point you can turn off the oven and leave the pork in there to rest for two hours or if you have more baking to do place foil over the meat and allow to rest on the stove.
- Once the meat has rested, remove the fat from the top and using two forks, shred the meat and remove the bone.
- Drain half of the juices out and add the remaining dry rub to taste, toss to coat and drizzle a little vinegar sauce over everything.
- Serve immediately as is or on buns.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have made this recipe, along with serving the Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce, Vinegar Sauce, and the optional BBQ sauce in this recipe. These are amazing recipes, and when serving the pork with all the different sauces the flavors turn the pork into completely unique dish! The flavors are so vastly different, but yet soo soo good! 3 dishes in 1 !
I do want to ask about the optional BBQ sauce noted above, where there isn’t any black pepper in the ingredients. In comparison to the vinegar sauce, was there a reason why black pepper was committed? For consideration, how much (if any) and what type (fine/fresh ground) would be recommended?
Thanks again for all the wonderful recipes !!
I would do fine ground pepper just to taste. Start with a pinch and go from there. I don’t really do spicy so I wouldn’t add much more.
And thank you so much for the support! We love this recipe too!!
Hi,
I bought your book and wanted to try this and it looks delicious. I have never done this kind of cooking before. Do you brine it one day, cook it the next and reheat to serve the next? Is that why you start 2 days before serving? Or are you up cooking in the middle of the night to be able to have a 5pm dinner? Also does it stay reasonably hot when resting even out of the oven? I am concerned because food is not supposed to be kept between 40-139 degrees for more than 2 hrs because it can developer food poisoning. I am wondering if you have information that can help me put the temperature and time in perspective regarding this recipe?
Beautiful book by the way.
Thank you for your help.
Hi Lisa! If you want to have a 5pm dinner, 2 hours of rest time takes you back to 3pm for pulling it out of the oven. So you are looking at putting it in the oven between 1am and 3am. Then you will want to have it in the brine for at least 24 hours, so you’ll want to put it in the brine late the night before. So let’s say you want dinner at 5pm on Saturday…on Thursday night, put it in the brine around 11pm. Pull it out of the brine on Friday night around 11pm and stick it in the oven. It will cook until around 11am-1pm on Saturday. Let it rest for a couple of hours and then shred it. That will take you until 3-4pm on Saturday. Cover it will foil, and it should stay plenty warm until your 5pm dinner. I hope that makes sense. I can brine for a little longer if needed. You can also always cover it with foil and stick it in the oven on warm until serving. All the hours are flexible and can bend to your schedule. Enjoy!!
Do you think a pork loin would work? I made it before with a pork butt and it was excellent!
A pork loin won’t work correctly. Pork loins are too lean and won’t shred.
This is by far the best pulled pork I’ve ever had, and I’m including some great bbq spots in there. I made it exactly as written, but I didn’t bother with the vinegar sauce on that last step, it was so incredibly perfect on it’s own. The bark on the pork was so scrumptious, I ended up scraping the fat off and then tearing the bark and putting it back in with the shredded meat. I brought this to a party- it was a huge hit. This will be my go to pulled pork recipe for life!
Yahoo!! Love to hear this Meghan! We love sure love it!!
Excellent recipe!! – but I do have a question on the optional BBQ sauce. You have sauce recipe under “Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce and Vinegar Sauce”, where the eastern vinegar recipe calls for the following:
For the Vinegar Base BBQ
• 1 Cup White vinegar
• 1/4 Cup Ketchup
• 1/4 Cup Apple Cider
• 1 1/4 Teaspoon Texas Pete’s Hot sauce or Franks is fine
• 3 Tablespoons Brown sugar
• 2 Teaspoons Salt
• 1 1/4 Teaspoons Crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon Black pepper
How would this recipe for this dish be in comparison? Was there a reason this was not used in the cooking recipe noted here?
Thank you !!
The recipe listed in the recipe card is a purely vinegar based sauce so it is really runny and delicious for drenching the pork in. The Carolina Vinegar Base Sauce you have listed is more of a traditional bbq sauce with the ketchup in it. It is thicker and also has a little more heat. It is perfect for dipping the pulled pork in and putting on top for a sandwich. We absolutely love both! It just depends on what flavor and style of BBQ sauce you want! Enjoy!
Hi! I’ve made this before and it was so amazing I’m making it for Thanksgiving….we are not traditional people. Haha. My question is, I’m making a 5lb butt and need to check the timeframe due to work schedules. I want to serve at noon Thursday so I’m thinking in brine 5am Wednesday and in the oven at 10pm Wednesday.
Hey Kristen! I love non-traditional Thanksgivings! I would start the brine a little earlier so it can brine for 24 hours. Maybe through it in brine late Tuesday night? Otherwise, I think your plan sounds perfect!
Hi! Will be making this starting tmw (brining) and then in the oven Friday. As far as the thermometer, is it something that sticks in the meat the whole time it’s cooking? Sounds like a silly question but I just don’t know what’s the ‘right’ thermometer for that is? Can I just check after say 12-14 hrs? And I’ll also be doing 2 at the same time…do I need to rotate sides in the oven 1/2 way through or for a longer time? Both are 7.9 lbs. excited for the end results, thank you for this recipe.
Hey Shar! No, don’t leave the thermometer in the whole time. Just use it to check the temperature after 12 hours and periodically afterward until they reach temperature. You shouldn’t need to rotate the two pork butts, unless your oven has known hot spots, but it will probably take closer to 14 hours for them both to come to temperature. Can’t wait to hear what you think! Enjoy!
This recipe is amazing. It’s worth every minute of prep, and makes enough to serve a crowd of people (who will be your new best friends!).
Question: is soaking in the brine for more than 24 hours recommended? If so, how much longer? I’m doing the math for how long it would soak before putting it in the oven for the 12-14hrs, and then 2hr resting period, for it to be ready at the proper time 😉
Brining for much more than 24 hours isn’t recommended. Brining for too long starts to have an adverse effect on the meat. So glad you enjoy this! It is one of our very favorites!
So quick question… I am making a 2lb with no bone because it was on sale, how long would I cook it?
Love this recipe, I’ve made it a couple times so far and like everyone else is saying rave reviews from all that eat it! Thanks for a wonderful recipe!!! ❤️🥰
Hi Georgia! I would go with 6-8 hrs! Enjoy!
Do you cover with foil to cook of open
Yeah!
Can this be made in a crockpot? and if so how long?
Hey Alex! Yes this can be done in the crockpot, but we’ve found that it doesn’t do it justice. It is also hard to fit the size of pork butt you need into a crock pot. If you decide to try it, it will cook for the same amount of time.
Hello, I will be making this for my kids birthday party this weekend. Can I cook two 7 lbs each at the same time in the oven? I don’t know if I should do one on Friday and the other on Saturday or doing both together. Also is a thermometer actually needed?
Yes, you can totally do two at a time. You will just need to cook them for an extra hour or so. The thermometer will be pretty crucial to make sure they both come reach the correct temperature. Enjoy!