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.
If you’ve ever wanted to make perfect pulled pork at home, this is the recipe! It’s incredibly juicy, fall-apart tender, and packed with bold, savory flavor with no smoker required.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Pulled Pork
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- What’s the Best Pork for Pulled Pork?
- How to Make Pulled Pork in the Oven
- What to Serve with Pulled Pork
- How Long to Cook Pulled Pork
- How to Make Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Can I Make Pulled Pork on a Smoker?
- Can I Make This Pulled Pork Recipe in the Slow Cooker?
- Tips to Making the Best Pulled Pork
- Can You Make This Ahead of Time?
- More PORK DINNER RECIPES You Must Try:
- Watch This Video Tutorial!
- Pulled Pork Recipe
This easy oven pulled pork is our go-to for feeding a crowd, meal prepping, or piling high onto soft buns for the ultimate pulled pork sandwich. It does take time, but the process is mostly hands-off and completely worth it. Trust me, once you make pulled pork this way, you won’t go back!
The Secret to the Best Pulled Pork
The magic of this recipe comes down to two simple things:
- Low and slow cooking – This breaks down the meat until it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- Layered flavor – We use a brine, a dry rub, and sauce to build deep, rich flavor in every bite.
The key to making this 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!
Why You’ll Love This Pulled Pork
- Texture: Fall-apart tender and incredibly juicy
- Flavor: Packed with sweet, smoky, and savory flavor
- Versatile: Perfect for pulled pork sandwiches, tacos, bowls, and more
- No Expensive Equipment Needed: Oven method = no smoker needed
- Budget-Friendly: Great for feeding a crowd or meal prep for cheap
- Freezer-Friendly: Stores well and reheats beautifully
Ingredients You’ll Need
There are three main components to this pulled pork recipe: the brine, dry rub, and BBQ sauce. Each layer adds flavor and helps create that perfectly tender, juicy result.
- Pork Shoulder: The best cut for pulled pork thanks to its fat content, which keeps the meat juicy and tender during long cooking.
Pulled Pork Brine
- Water + Apple Cider: Adds moisture and a subtle sweetness (you can also use apple cider vinegar for a tangier flavor, but we prefer apple cider).
- Kosher Salt: Essential for tenderizing the meat and enhancing flavor.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Balances the salt and adds a hint of sweetness.
- Dry Rub: Adds bold flavor as the pork brines.
- Bay Leaves + Red Pepper Flakes: Add depth and a mild, warm spice.
Pulled Pork Dry Rub
- Onion Powder: Adds a subtle, savory onion flavor that blends seamlessly into the rub without any texture.
- Smoked Paprika: Brings a rich, smoky flavor and deep color that gives the pork that classic BBQ taste.
- Garlic Powder: Adds bold, savory depth and enhances all the other flavors in the rub.
- Chili Powder: Delivers mild heat and a warm, slightly earthy flavor that builds complexity.
- Kosher Salt: Essential for seasoning the meat and helping tenderize it as it cooks.
- Black Pepper: Adds a gentle heat and a little bite to balance the sweetness in the rub.
- Cayenne Pepper: Gives a touch of heat that you can adjust based on your spice preference.
- Dry Mustard: Adds a subtle tang and sharpness that enhances the overall flavor.
- Cumin: Brings a warm, slightly smoky, earthy flavor that deepens the rub.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create a caramelized, flavorful crust on the pork.
Homemade BBQ Sauce
You can use your favorite store-bought sauce, but homemade takes it over the top.
- Apple Cider Vinegar + White Vinegar: Create a tangy, slightly sharp base that balances the sweetness and gives the sauce that classic BBQ bite.
- Brown Sugar: Adds rich sweetness and helps thicken the sauce while balancing the vinegar.
- Chili Powder: Brings warmth and a mild smoky flavor that ties the sauce together.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Add a little kick of heat and extra depth to the sauce.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweet and tangy elements.
If you want to go Carolina style, make Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce or Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce! You won’t regret it! They are Cade’s favorite!
What’s the Best Pork for Pulled Pork?
For the best results, use a pork shoulder (Boston butt). It has enough fat to stay juicy and shred beautifully after cooking.
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:
Brine the Pork (12–24 hours): Let the pork soak in the brine overnight for maximum flavor and tenderness.
Season: Pat the pork dry and rub it generously with the dry rub.
Cook Low and Slow: Place in a baking dish, fat side up, and bake at a low temperature until the internal temp reaches 200°F.
Rest: Turn off the oven and let the pork rest for 1–2 hours.
Shred: Remove excess fat, then shred with two forks.
Finish with Flavor: Toss with reserved juices, extra dry rub, and BBQ sauce.
What to Serve with Pulled Pork
If you’re making pulled pork sandwiches, serve with buns or hoagie rolls and a side of coleslaw.
For sides, stick with classic BBQ favorites like:
- Mexican Street Corn – Elote
- Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
- Macaroni Salad
- Potato Salad
- Broccoli Salad
- Baked Beans
How Long to Cook Pulled Pork
Plan for 10–12+ hours depending on the size.
Pulled pork is done when:
- It reaches 200–205°F internally
- It shreds easily with a fork
Low and slow is the key—don’t rush it!
How to Make Pulled Pork Sandwiches
This is where things get really good.
Pile the warm pulled pork onto:
- Hoagie Rolls
- Hawaiian Rolls
- Soft Brioche Buns
Top with:
- Coleslaw (classic!)
- Extra BBQ sauce
- Pickles – if desired, it’s a hard pass for me!
👉 Pro tip: Add a little extra dry rub to the shredded pork before serving—it makes a huge difference in flavor.
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.
Tips to Making the Best Pulled Pork
- Always let it rest before shredding (at least 1 hour)
- Cook to temperature, not time
- Don’t skip the brine if you want maximum flavor
- Add extra rub after shredding (game changer!)
- Save the juices and mix them back in
Can You Make This Ahead of Time?
This pulled pork is a dream for making ahead, which makes it perfect for parties, trips, or feeding a crowd.
Once the pork is finished cooking, you have a couple easy options:
- Serve it later the same day:
Remove it from the oven, cover it, and let it rest. It will stay hot for quite a while—perfect if you’re traveling or finishing up the rest of your meal. We’ve even taken it straight in the car, and it’s ready to shred and serve a couple hours later. - Make it ahead and store:
Let the pork rest, then shred and cool completely. Store it in airtight containers or freezer bags (We love our Foodsaver for this!) and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat:
Thaw in the fridge overnight, then warm in a covered pan in the oven (at 250°F, covered with foil) or on the stovetop. Add a little of the juices or extra sauce and keep it covered so it stays nice and juicy.
👉 Pro tip: Repurpose the leftovers in pulled pork pizza or pulled pork nachos!
This pulled pork recipe is everything you want…tender, juicy, packed with flavor, and incredibly easy to make at home. Whether you’re serving it as a classic pulled pork sandwich, feeding a crowd, or meal prepping for the week, this recipe delivers every single time.
More PORK DINNER RECIPES You Must Try:
- Hawaiian Pulled Pork
- Apple Chutney Pork Chops
- Apple Cider Braised Pork
- Stuffed Pork Chops
- Roasted Pork Loin
Watch This Video Tutorial!
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.
Looking forward to making this but wondering if I can use a slowcooker vs the oven. If yes, do I just use some of the brine or just add water to the slow cooker? Any flavoring?
Hello! 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. If you have a smoker, you should definitely try that. Then it’s outside and not heating up your house and it is absolutely heaven! (https://ohsweetbasil.com/smoke-pulled-pork-on-a-traeger/)
I had a last minute crisis and left the pork in the brine for 48 hours. Can it be saved?
Hi Terri! Oh no, I’m so sorry! It should be okay. The meat just might be a little tougher than it should be.
Thoughts on using this recipe for pulled pork tacos instead of BBQ?
It makes amazing pulled pork tacos! Just add the meat and use whatever toppings you want! It’s one of our favorite ways to use leftover pulled pork.
I bought a 5 lb Boston butt for this recipe a few months back when I saw it on sale and I froze it. I thawed it out yesterday and plopped it into the brine this morning straight out of the package. Just now tonight I took it out of the liquid and started patting it dry when I realized that it is not a whole piece of meat. It is sliced up in 5 long pieces. I put the dry rub on all the pieces and stacked them close together in the baking pan with the fat side up. Fingers crossed this still works.
Hi Santana! It should have worked just fine. It probably just got done more quickly than the recipe says. I hope you enjoyed it!!
Oh, yes. it was definitely overcooked but it had an incredible flavor. We reheated it in the oven with all the rest of the vinegar sauce. It moistened it a little more and it was pretty tasty.
Oh good! I’m so glad it worked out! Thank you for the update!
I put my roast in the oven covered when I went to bed last night, but uncovered 8 hours later. Was the roast supposed to be uncovered the entire time?
Yes, it should have been uncovered the whole time, but you should be fine!
Hi there! So you don’t cover this while it is in the oven?
Thanks!
No, cook it uncovered.
I was second guessing myself, I have a total of 23.5 pounds of meat so I tripled everything, and I think I had to because I needed that extra brine to cover all the meat in the stockpot, any suggestions, or just go with my tripled recipe. I am really excited about this. I don’t see a problem with slow cooking in the oven, I have a smoker, but I don’t have the time to man, and my daughter doesn’t like the smoke flavor
You should be good to go with your tripled recipe! The cook time shouldn’t change too much. It will most likely be done at the same time listed in the instructions. Slow cooking it in the oven is a great way to go! Enjoy!!
Thank you, my issue is this with cooking so much meat I don’t know how I cannot have the meat touching the sides of the pan what will happen if it is touching the sides do I just made them keep them rotated
Just keep your eye on it throughout the cooking process. Usually if the meat is touch the side, it will get overcooked in that area. You could try cooking them in separate pans if you can fit multiple pans in your oven. You can even put pans on multiple racks and rotate the pans periodically.
This turned out soooo good, can’t wait to share it at the party tomorrow, 23 1/2 pounds in a huge roaster, after 8 hours when I got home I was going to switch the pan so that the sides weren’t touching, but they had already pulled away from shrinkage. Even with all that meat I had it only took 12 hours. I followed everything else to the tee, except tripling the Brine and the dry rub because of all the meat I had. Thank you so much for the recipe and your help
Yay!! This is the best news! I hope your party is wonderful!
Making the worlds best (again)! I did however have a question on the optional sauce, where both white and apple cider vinegars are used in equal parts (1/2 cup each). Is there an interaction where an enhanced or new flavor is created, or is this to change the acidity? How would the taste change if using just 1 cup of Apple Cider or just 1 cup of white on their own separately and without combining the 2 types at all?
Many thanks as always!!
Tony
Hey Tony! Great question! We like the combination of both. When we’ve tried all apple, we thought it was too overpowering. When we’ve tried all white, we miss the apple flavor. It’s all about the flavor. Feel free to experiment and see if you like one over the other! Thank you for the support!
I am super excited to use your recipe. I have already purchased pork loin roasts. Can I use these for your recipe? How would I adjust the cooking instructions?
Hi Michelle! A pork loin roast will work just fine for this recipe though it will not “pull” like a pork butt/shoulder would just because the fat content is so different. The time it takes to roast it will depend on it’s size. It will range from 2-4 hours for roasting time. I would keep the brining time and resting time the same.
Thank you so much for sharing such an amazing recipe. I made this 2 years ago, I waz going crazy looking for tbe recipe. I wrote in 1 of many notepads around my home. Anyway, DEE-LISH. I was wondering. Your sauce recipe for the Carolina recipe vs. The Traeger Smoked is a little different as far as ingredients? Just wondering. I only made the Carolina sauce, do you have a preference?
No preference! We love both! Thank you so much for the support!
I tried this recipe last week and we loved it. I do have a couple questions. First, do I need to add any water to the pan before I start baking it? Second, the recipe says to add half of the liquid into the pulled pork. It seemed to be mostly grease. Is that what I’m to add back in? Then I was wondering after I brine one could I use the same brine for another pork shoulder? Thanks
Hey Joette! No water needs to be added to the pan before you stick it in the oven. You can add some of the drippings back into the pork after it is shredded if you want, but it is optional. I definitely would not use the brine again. Cross contamination of different meats, even if they are the same size and type still breed bacteria. So glad you loved this recipe!