Dutch Oven Pulled Pork

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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.

Prep Time30

Cook Time3

Total Time3 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 638kcal

Author: Tania

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.

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.

Substitutions and Variations

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