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Southern US · American

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.

Start cooking
Mouth-watering BBQ pulled pork sandwich with fresh lettuce and red onion.
Photo: Renzo Viacava / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
15 min
Cook
5 h 30 min
Rest
20 min
Total
6 h 5 min
Serves
8
Level
Easy
Calories
680

Ingredients

8 servings

For the rub

For the barbecue sauce

Method

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

    A tray of food roasting in the oven
    How it looks · Photo: locrifa on Pexels
  3. 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.

  4. 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
  5. 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-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Beef-free · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly · Batch cooking · Festive & celebration
Techniques
Roasting · Simmering · Pickling

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

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 331 g · recipe makes 8

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 24%
  • Carbohydrate 25%
  • Fat 51%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy680 kcal206 kcal
Protein40 g12.1 g
Carbohydrate41.9 g12.7 g
Net carbohydrate40.3 g12.2 g
Sugars16.7 g5 g
Added sugars——
Fibre1.6 g0.5 g
Fat38.2 g11.6 g
Saturated fat12.9 g3.9 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol142 mg43 mg
Sodium1325 mg401 mg
Salt equivalent3.3 g1 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

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

Used in steps 1, 5

Reviews & corrections

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