Perfect for feeding a crowd, this pulled pork cooks overnight in the oven - no smoker required!
Full disclosure...this recipe takes about 2 days to make, but is TOTALLY worth it. It requires very little hands-on time, but you'll have to plan ahead a bit. You'll brine in the fridge, then cook low and slow in the oven for over 12 hours. Let the meat rest, then shred and serve on buns or tortillas. This is my go-to meal when we're feeding a crowd!
You'll use a bone-in pork shoulder roast for this recipe. It's sometimes called a butt roast or a picnic roast. Both cuts come from the shoulder of a hog. Adjust the size of your roast to fit the number of people you're feeding. If you're serving pulled pork sandwiches, assume about 1/3 - 1/2lb per person.
Let's Go!
Start with a well-marbled, pasture raised pork roast. Hogs that are raised on pasture instead of in confinement produce beautifully marbled, dark red pork. Making the absolute best pulled pork starts with having the best quality cuts of meat. I like to use a 3-4 lb roast.
Step 1: Make your Dry Rub
Less than 5 minutes
For the Dry Rub:
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1T Cumin
1T Garlic Powder
1T Onion Powder
1T Chili Powder
1T Salt
1T Ground Pepper
1T Paprika (smoked or regular)
1-3 tsp Cayenne Pepper (depending on your spice level)
Combine all in a small mason jar. I don't typically use all of the seasoning, so I keep the leftovers in a jar for next time!
Step 2: Brine your Roast
Hands on: Less than 5 minutes
Total Time: 12-36 hours
For the Brine:
1/2 cup salt (I use sea salt)
1/2 cup brown sugar
3T Dry Rub
Cold Water
Place your roast in either a large brining bag or a pot/dish large enough for it to be fully submerged. I use my large stock pot and lid. Add the dry ingredients, then enough cold water to submerge the roast. If you use a brining bag, stick it in another dish, in case it leaks. Let your roast brine in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours, up to 36 hours. I usually brine for at least 24 hours.
Step 3: Cook
Hands on: Less than 5 minutes
Total Time: 12-15 hours
Preheat your oven to 225 degrees F
Remove your roast from the brine and place in a casserole dish. I like to your the foil roasting pans. Pat it dry so you get a nice crust.
Coat liberally with the dry rub. Cover all sides and under any flaps. If there is a fat layer, make sure it is facing up.
Put a temperature probe in the center of the roast, making sure it's not touching the pan or bone. Bake, uncovered, until the probe reaches 200 degrees F. This usually takes about 12 hours for a 4lb roast. Make sure you check your oven! Mine turns off automatically after 12 hours. The roast will reach 180 degrees pretty quickly, but if you want fall off the bone tender pulled pork, you need to cook it to 200! I typically cook my roast overnight, and everyone wakes up ready for lunch because the house smells so good!
Turn off the oven and let the roast rest until it reaches 170 degrees. If we are taking this recipe to a party, we'll pull it out of the oven, cover it with foil, and store it in a small cooler. This will keep it warm until you're ready to shred and serve it.
Step 4: Shred, Serve, and Enjoy!
Hands on: Less than 5 minutes
Pull your beautifully crusted pork roast out of the oven. Discard the bone - it should remove easily. If there is a lot of grease in the bottom of the pan, you can drain some of it. Pasture raised pork is less fatty than conventionally raised pork, so I don't typically have to drain my roast.
Using two forks or shredding claws, shred your pork. This should be super easy because of how tender the meat is! When you're ready to serve, top it with another layer of dry rub. Seriously, this is a game changer! You can serve with BBQ sauce, but it is so delicious on its own, it doesn't need it.
Step 5: Store the Leftovers (If there are any!)
Leftovers can be stored for about 3 days in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer. We love to switch it up a little when we serve leftovers. We'll do a pulled pork taco night, or serve it with scrambled eggs!
Best Ever Oven Pulled Pork Recipe
This recipe may take a little bit of planning, but it is totally worth it! This pulled pork is our go-to recipe for large gatherings. It's great served on its own, on a bun, or as tacos.
Shop Pasture Raised Pork
About Prairie Grove Farm
We are a small-town family with the crazy dream of being first-generation farmers. We are passionate about producing quality food for our community using methods that improve our land and allow our animals to be raised as naturally as possible.
Our heritage breed pigs are raised on pasture, producing some of the best flavored grass fed pork available. They are on our farm from farrow to finish, allowing us complete control over how they are raised. We offer pork by the cut, sampler box, or custom processed by the half and whole.
We are located in Farmersville, TX, northeast of Dallas.
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