BBQ pulled pork
Non-vegetarian
Pork shoulder rubbed with a sweet, smoky spice mix and cooked low and slow until it falls apart, then tossed with a tangy tomato barbecue sauce and piled into soft buns.
BBQ pulled pork is a Southern US sandwich from United States, ready in about 6 hours 5 minutes and made with pork shoulder and apple cider vinegar. It serves 8 and is rated easy to cook.

- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 5 h 30 min
- Rest
- 20 min
- Total
- 6 h 5 min
- Serves
- 8
- Level
- Easy
- Calories
- 680
Ingredients
For the rub
For the barbecue sauce
Method
Step 1
Heat the oven (opens in a new tab) to 150 °C. Mix all the rub ingredients and massage them over every surface of the pork.
- 10 min
- 150°C
Food safety: Wash hands, boards and knives after handling raw pork.
Step 2
Set the pork in a Dutch oven (opens in a new tab), pour 60 ml of the vinegar and the water around it, cover tightly and roast until the meat is very tender and shreds easily with a fork.
The meat is ready at about 90–95 °C inside, when the connective tissue has melted.

How it looks · Photo: locrifa on Pexels Step 3
Uncover and roast 30 minutes more to darken the crust. Meanwhile simmer the ketchup (opens in a new tab), molasses (opens in a new tab), worcestershire, mustard and remaining 80 ml vinegar in a small pan for 5 minutes.
- 30 min
- low heat
- Saucepan (opens in a new tab)
Step 4
Rest the pork 20 minutes, then pull it into shreds with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Skim the fat from the pan juices and stir a few spoonfuls of the juices and half the sauce through the meat.
- 20 min
Step 5
Pile into toasted buns with slaw and pickles, and pass the remaining sauce at the table.
- 5 min
About this dish
- Origin
- Southern United States, United States · Well documentedSlow-smoked, hand-pulled pork shoulder is a pillar of Southern US barbecue, especially in the Carolinas and Tennessee. This is an oven version.Also popular in Canada, United KingdomMore food from United States
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Sandwiches · Main courses
- Cooking method
- Slow-cooked, Roasted
- Taste
- smoky, sweet & savoury, tangy
- Diet
- Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-proteinWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Non-vegetarian · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Beef-free · High-protein - Good for
- Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly · Batch cooking · Festive & celebration
- Cook more with
- Pork shoulder · Apple cider vinegar · Brown sugar · Paprika · Garlic powder · Onion powder
Allergens
- May contain: Milkfrom hamburger bun
- May contain: Eggsfrom hamburger bun
- Contains: Fishfrom worcestershire sauce
- Contains: Wheatfrom hamburger bun
- Contains: Glutenfrom worcestershire sauce, hamburger bun
- May contain: Soyfrom hamburger bun
- May contain: Sesamefrom hamburger bun
- Contains: Mustardfrom tomato ketchup, prepared mustard, dill pickles
- May contain: Celeryfrom tomato ketchup, worcestershire sauce
- May contain: Sulphitesfrom worcestershire sauce, prepared mustard
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
680 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 331 g · recipe makes 8
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 24%
- Carbohydrate 25%
- Fat 51%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 680 kcal | 206 kcal |
| Protein | 40 g | 12.1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 41.9 g | 12.7 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 40.3 g | 12.2 g |
| Sugars | 16.7 g | 5 g |
| Added sugars | — | — |
| Fibre | 1.6 g | 0.5 g |
| Fat | 38.2 g | 11.6 g |
| Saturated fat | 12.9 g | 3.9 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 142 mg | 43 mg |
| Sodium | 1325 mg | 401 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 3.3 g | 1 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 875 mg
- Calcium
- 129 mg
- Iron
- 4.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 65 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 51 µg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin D
- 3.4 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.6 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 80 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
- Optional ingredients are not included: cabbage, dill pickles.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Shoulder (also sold as Boston butt) has the fat and collagen this method needs; leaner cuts dry out.
Common mistakes
- Pulling the pork too early — if it resists the fork, give it longer.
Serve with
- Serve with coleslaw, cornbread and baked beans.
Food safety
- The pork is safe from 63 °C but only pulls apart at 90–95 °C.
- Cool leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours.
Storage
- Refrigerate pulled pork with some juices for up to 4 days, or freeze for 3 months.
Reheating
- Warm covered in a low oven or in a pan with a splash of the juices or water.
Variations
- Carolina vinegar sauce (United States): Swap the tomato sauce for cider vinegar seasoned with chilli flakes, sugar and salt.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.
What the dish is built around
Main ingredient
- Pork shoulder, boneless, in one piece1600 g
- Hamburger bun, split and toasted8 piece · 400 g
- Cabbage, finely shredded, for a quick slaw (optional)200 g
- Dill pickles, sliced (optional)2 piece · 70 g
Reviews & corrections
Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.
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