Pulled Pork

4.39 from 13 votes
Recipe IndexJump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read myย privacy policy.

The best pulled pork recipe using oven and stovetop smoker. This pulled pork is fall-off-the-bone tender, smoky, with homemade dry rub seasonings. So easy and delicious!

Pulled pork on a serving platter.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Pulled Pork Recipe

I love pulled pork and I am so excited to share this recipe with you.

This is one of the best pulled pork recipes ever.

It’s made in oven, with fall-off-the-bone, tender and juicy meat that is packed full of delicious flavors.

The meat is smoky as I smoked the pork in a stovetop smoker. This recipe so delicious and tastes just like best BBQ restaurants!

This recipe is adapted from my friend Slap Yo Daddy BBQ.


How To Make Pulled Pork

Pulled pork recipe using bone-in pork shoulder, dry rub and apple juice.

There are many ways to make pulled pork, for example: crockpot (crock pot) or slow cooker is the easiest method.

You can also use an Instant Pot, oven or a smoker. For this recipe, I used an oven and then smoked it using a stovetop smoker.


Pulled Pork Ingredients

Pulled pork with sauce on a fork.
  • Bone-in pork shoulder
  • Homemade dry rub
  • Apple juice
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Brown sugar
  • Louisiana hot sauce
  • Liquid smoke
  • BBQ sauce

First, I marinated the pork shoulder with dry rub, apple juice, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, hot sauce and liquid smoke overnight or best for 24 hours.

The next day, I topped the marinated pork shoulder with a bit more dry rub and brown sugar. The pork shoulder should be wrapped tight with a few sheets of aluminum foil.

To make sure that the pulled pork is tender and fall-off-the-bones, it’s best to roast it on low heat at 250°F (121°C) for 6 hours.

However, if you don’t have much time, you can certainly increase the temperature to 350°F (176°C) and roast for 3 hours.

To serve, shred the pork and serve with BBQ sauce.


Smoked Pulled Pork

Tender and soft pulled pork ready to be eaten.

I love smoke pulled pork. If you have an indirect smoker, you are guaranteed to have the best results.

I do not have a smoker but I used an indoor stovetop smoker with great success.

I used oak wood chips to smoke the pork shoulder, but you can use apple wood, hickory wood or a combination of both.


Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use boneless pork shoulder?

Yes, you can. However, I strongly encourage you to use bone-in pork shoulder.
The bone infuses the pulled pork with extra flavors, making it extremely flavorful.

Can I use pork butt?

Yes. Pork butt is the same as pork shoulder. Technically, it’s called the Boston Butt, but it’s actually pork shoulder.

How to serve pulled pork?

You can serve the meat as is, with your favorite BBQ sauce.
Other than that, you can make pulled pork sandwiches with burger buns or slider buns. Top the sandwiches with coleslaw and BBQ sauce.

How many calories per serving?

This recipe is only 415 calories per serving.

Smoked pulled pork with BBQ sauce.

What To Serve With This Recipe

Serve this dish with other side dishes. For a southern-style meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on FacebookPinterest, and Instagram for new updates.


Other Recipes You Might Like

Freshly baked cod fillet with seasonings crust on a plate, garnished with lemon slices and herbs.
5 Secrets to 20-Minute Dinners
FREE EMAIL BONUS: How would it feel to have dinner DONE in 20 minutes? I’ll show you how!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
4.39 from 13 votes

Pulled Pork

The best pulled pork recipe using oven and stovetop smoker. This pulled pork is fall-off-the-bone tender, smoky, with homemade dry rub seasonings.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Ingredients  

  • 3 lbs. (1.35kg) bone-in pork shoulder, or pork butt
  • 1/3 cup homemade dry rub
  • 3/4 cup apple juice
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Wrapping:

BBQ Sauce:

  • 1 cup Stubb’s® Original Bar-B-Q Sauce
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions 

  • Score both sides of the pork shoulder to allow the marinade seasonings to penetrate the meat.
    Pulled pork seasoning.
  • Rub the dry rub all over the pork shoulder, including inside the slits.
  • Add apple juice, apple cider vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, and liquid smoke. Transfer the pork shoulder and all the liquid marinade into a plastic bag. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight, or preferably for 24 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 250°F (121°C). Transfer the pork shoulder onto a few sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil and discard the liquid marinade. In a small bowl, combine the dry rub and brown sugar, then rub the mixture all over the pork. Wrap the pork tightly with the aluminum foil, ensuring there are no leaks. Place the pork shoulder in a roasting pan with a rack (preferred) or a deep baking pan, with the aluminum foil opening side up. This will prevent the pork jus from leaking out.
  • Slow roast the pork shoulder in the oven for 6 hours, as recommended. (If you're pressed for time, you can bake it at 350°F (176°C) for 3 hours.) In the meantime, heat the BBQ sauce in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir to mix well. Set aside.
  • Remove the pork shoulder from the oven and unwrap the aluminum foil. Broil each side for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly charred. Close the foil and let it cool for 30 minutes. Discard the bone and shred the pork with your hands or two forks. Reserve all the pork jus and spoon it over the pulled pork.
  • How to Make Smoked Pulled Pork?
    Smoked pulled pork in a smoker.
  • To smoke the pulled pork, heat a stovetop smoker and add 1 tablespoon of wood chips in the center. Place some pulled pork on aluminum foil, cover it, and place the smoker on a burner over medium heat. Smoke for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and take the pulled pork out of the smoker after 10 minutes.
  • To serve, drizzle the BBQ sauce generously over the pulled pork. For pulled pork sandwiches, stuff a slider or burger bun with pulled pork, then top with BBQ sauce and coleslaw.

Notes

Recipe source: Slap Yo Daddy.
Click the link for homemade dry rub.
I use this Stovetop Smoker which is only $19.99.

Nutrition

Serving: 8servings, Calories: 415kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 114mg, Sodium: 553mg, Potassium: 746mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 34g, Vitamin A: 196IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 94mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Please rate and comment below!

About Bee Yinn Low

Bee is a recipe developer and best-selling cookbook author, sharing easy, quick, and delicious Asian and American recipes since 2006. With a strong following of almost 2 million fans online, her expertise has been featured in major publications, TV and radio programs, and live cooking demos throughout the United States and Asia.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





9 Comments

  1. Anthony says:

    Can a boneless pork tenderloin be used instead

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      I wouldn’t recommend it as they are cut from different parts of the animal and cook differently.

  2. Veronics says:

    Rasa Malaysia, what BBQ sauce brand in Malaysia can you recommend to substitude the Stubb’sยฎ Original Bar-B-Q Sauce?

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      I think you can get Stubb’s in Malaysia. If not, any brand is fine.

      1. Huey says:

        Do you have the recipe of pulled pork using slow cooker?

  3. Lilly says:

    Thanks Soooo much for the delicious recipe and clear directions ;)

  4. Julian says:

    5 stars
    I love pulled pork.

  5. Harry says:

    5 stars
    OMG the best pulled pork ever!