Making a big batch of Dutch oven pulled pork is especially convenient when you don’t have a smoker. It turns out so juicy, fall-apart tender and delicious, slowly braised in the oven with BBQ sauce, beer, aromatics, and a smoky dry rub.
I love using my Dutch oven here because it allows for browning and caramelization before braising, creating that richer flavor from the start with steady heat retention.
Quick Look: Dutch Oven Pulled Pork
- Prep Time: 30 minutes, Cook Time: 3 to 3.5 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Method: Dutch oven, braising in the oven
- Main Ingredients: Pork shoulder, BBQ sauce, beer, smoky dry rub
- Flavor Profile: Savory, smoky, sweet, savory, and so fall-apart tender!
- Ideal for: Family, dinners, cookouts, potlucks make-ahead and freezer friendly
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Ingredient Notes
- Pork shoulder: I use about 6 pounds to fit in my large 7-quart Dutch oven. This cut has better fat marbling, which makes it better for slow cooking when it comes to texture and flavor. Avoid lean cuts like pork loin or tenderloin since they will come out dry.
- Light beer: I like using a light lager since it acts as a subtle tenderizer while also adding to flavor without overpowering. Don’t use strong beers, as they can be too bitter.
- Apple cider vinegar: Cuts through the richness and balances out flavors.
- Sliced onions and garlic for flavor. Use either minced or smashed garlic cloves, either way works.
- Dijon mustard, BBQ sauce and brown sugar all blend together to make a tangy, sweet, and smoky braising liquid. Use your favorite BBQ sauce.
- Dry rub for pulled pork: Smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion flakes, ground mustard, black pepper and Kosher salt.
- Vegetable oil for searing
Substitutions and Variations
- Boneless or bone-in? If you can find boneless, that’s ideal for ease. If there’s only bone-in, you can either cut it up and remove the bone, or include a piece with the bone for extra moisture.
- Prefer not to use beer? Swap with chicken stock.
- BBQ sauce: Use your favorite brand here or try it with my apple cider BBQ sauce.
- Slow cooker: Try my easy, hands-off crock pot pulled pork version!
- Also try my recipe for baby back ribs in the oven! It has similar flavors and it’s great for potlucks.
- Fall variation: My Apple Cider Pulled Pork!
Our Dry Rub
The recipe is included in the recipe card below, but basically for about 6 pounds of pork, here are the spices I use and proportions.
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Customizations: Add any of your favorite spices. For example, I like to add a little bit of cayenne and cumin for extra spice. I also like to use my homemade chicken taco seasoning and it turned out great.
How to Make Dutch Oven Pulled Pork
- Season pork: Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Mix the seasoning ingredients and apply to the pork evenly, pressing so it sticks.
- Sear in the Dutch oven (7 or 8-quart) over medium heat in batches, then remove. Tip: For this Dutch oven pulled pork recipe, use medium heat for searing, as higher heat can cause the spices to burn.
- Sauté aromatics: In the same pot (do not wipe clean), cook the onions until soft, then add garlic and cook until fragrant. If needed, add a little splash of beer or broth to deglaze any burning spots.
- Add beer and deglaze: This is our main braising liquid. As you add it, deglaze all those delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pot to release even more flavor.
- Add the remaining braising liquid ingredients: Stir in the apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, BBQ sauce and brown sugar until combined.
- Return pork and cook in oven: Return the seared pork until they are about ¾ of the way covered. If there’s too much liquid, it will boil and not braise. Cover and cook in the oven at 300ºF for 3 hours.
- Shred and serve. Once ready, let it rest for a few minutes then shred. It should be very tender. If it’s still tough, cook for another 20-30 minutes. Serve your Dutch oven pulled pork on sliders, sandwiches, or anything you like! I love it with a side of watermelon feta salad.
Tips for Success
- Portioning the meat: Cut up the pork into medium-size pieces for the seasoning to cover more surface. This also helps it cook more evenly, get tender quicker, and the fat has time to melt properly for texture.
- Searing in batches prevents dropping the pan temperature. Since the pork is generously coated in spices, use medium heat to avoid burning the crust.
- Braising liquid level: The liquid should almost cover about ¾ of the pork. Submerging it completely boils it instead of braising. If you’re short on liquid, add some chicken broth or beer as needed.
- Oven pulled pork cook time: I find that the 3 or 3.5-hour mark is ideal. If you’d like to get precise, the center should be about 195°F-205°F in the center, considered the sweet spot for perfect, effortless pulling.
- Let your finished Dutch oven pulled pork rest for like 10-15 minutes before shredding so the juices redistribute for more tender and moist results.
Recipe FAQs
What if I don’t have a Dutch oven?
You can use a baking pan. After searing and deglazing all the liquid on your stovetop, transfer everything into a large baking dish. Make sure the liquid is covering the pork. Cover tightly with several layers of foil and cook in the oven as directed.
What can I use instead of beer for pulled pork?
Substitute with chicken broth.
Why is my pork tough?
Most likely, it just needs more time in the oven. It will get fall-apart tender when the center reaches 195-205°F to melt the collagen and render the fat. Another reason could be that the oven was too hot, you want to braise at a low oven temperature of 300ºF.
Can I use pork loin or tenderloin to make pulled pork?
I’ve tested this recipe with those cuts and it doesn’t turn out very well. Because those cuts are lean, it will be tough and dry.
Make Ahead, Freezing, Reheating
- Make ahead: Fully cook the Dutch oven pulled pork and shred it up to 2 days in advance. Store it covered in its cooking juices in the refrigerator to keep it moist and flavorful until ready to serve. It will last in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Allow to cool completely. Store in Souper Cubes or freezer-friendly bags (removing any excess air), then freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm up in a skillet with a splash of broth, in the oven at 350ºF for 20-30 minutes, or in the microwave oven.
How to Serve with Pulled Pork
Make pulled pork sliders or sandwiches: The classic way! I love serving these at potlucks with creamy coleslaw or Mexican coleslaw, and also briny pickles.
BBQ sauces: Try with either my delicious Apple Cider BBQ Sauce or my homemade Sweet BBQ Sauce.
Starchy comforts: White Cheddar Mac and Cheese, Smashed Potato Salad or these Baked Potato Wedges are perfect at absorbing the juices. Or baked beans!
Cornbread! I LOVE serving pulled pork with my cast iron skillet cornbread! SO GOOD.
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Dutch Oven Pulled Pork
This Dutch oven pulled pork is slowly braised in the oven in a rich braising liquid made with BBQ sauce, beer, aromatics, and a smoky rub until it's fall-apart tender.
Servings 7 people
Calories 638kcal
Equipment
- 7-quart Dutch oven or 8-quart
Ingredients
- 6 pounds boneless pork shoulder - excess fat trimmed, cut into medium-sized portions
- Vegetable oil for searing
- 1 large onion - sliced
- 5 garlic cloves - pressed
- 1 cup light beer
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 cup your favorite BBQ sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- Salt and pepper - to taste
Dry rub for pork:
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300ºF.
- Season pork with dry rub: In a bowl, mix the ingredients for the dry rub for the pork. Rub the pork shoulder pieces evenly with the dry rub, pressing to adhere.
- Sear: Heat a few drizzles of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. In batches, sear the seasoned pork until golden on two sides. Remove from the Dutch oven and set aside. Tip: Don’t use high heat because the spices can burn.
- Saute aromatics: In the same pot, heat more oil and saute the sliced onions until softened for about 5 minutes, deglazing with the moisture from the onions. (or if needed, add a splash of beer or water to release any burning spots). Then, stir in the garlic for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Deglaze and add braising liquid: Add beer, scraping to release the brown bits. Let it simmer over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes until somewhat reduced. Then, add apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, BBQ sauce (1 cup), and brown sugar. Combine and bring back to a simmer.
- Braise in the oven: Return the seared pork, making sure it’s about 3/4 of the way submerged in the liquid. If you're short, top it off with a little more beer (or broth). Bring back to a simmer and cover. Transfer to the oven and let it braised for 3 or 3.5 hours at 300ºF.
- Shred and serve: It's ready when it's tender, it should fall apart easily (if not return to the oven for another 20-30 minutes). Before shredding, let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Serve over sliders, sandwiches, or any way you'd like with more BBQ sauce.
Video
Notes
- Use pork shoulder with good marbling, but not too fatty either. Avoid lean cuts like pork loin or tenderloin, as they will turn out dry and tough.
- Why cut up the pork: This increases the surface area for the dry rub and ensures the meat cooks evenly, so it gets to that fall-apart tenderness quicker.
- Searing: Use medium heat to avoid burning the delicate spices, and do it in batches so it sears instead of steaming.
- Which type of beer to use: A light beer that’s not so bitter. I use Modelo.
- Liquid level: The braising liquid should only come ¾ of the way up the pork. Submerging the meat completely will boil it instead of braising it.
- When is oven pulled pork ready? After about 3-3.5 hours, or when the center reaches an internal temperature of 195°F-205°F. If it’s still tough, return to the oven for another 20-30 minutes.
- Make ahead: You can fully cook and shred the pork up to 2 days in advance. Store it covered in its own cooking juices in the fridge to keep it from drying out.
- Storage: Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3–4 days.
- Freezing: Let cool completely. Freeze in smaller freezer bags or in Souper Cubes for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm the pork in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of broth, microwave it, or wrap it tightly in foil and heat in a 300°F oven.
- No Dutch oven? Use a stovetop pot to sear and deglaze, then transfer everything to a large baking dish. Cover tightly with several layers of foil and cook in the oven as directed.
- Slow cooker version: Season and sear first. Transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4.5–5 hours.
- No beer? Swap the light lager with chicken stock or broth.
- If you can’t find boneless, you can either cut the meat off the bone beforehand, or leave the bone in during cooking to add extra flavor and moisture.
- Dry rub variations: Customize the dry rub by adding cayenne and cumin for extra heat, or swap it entirely for a chicken taco seasoning.
Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.
Nutrition
Calories: 638kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 89g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 233mg | Sodium: 1666mg | Potassium: 1693mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 757IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 4mg
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Patricia says
This recipe was so delicious! We served it with rice to make pulled pork bowls with some summer toppings for our backyard dinner. Froze the leftovers. Looking forward to more!