Best Pulled Pork Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to pulled pork? ›

Apple cider vinegar: Adds a little tanginess and helps to tenderize the pork. Without it, the pork tastes flat. Adding the vinegar wakes everything up. Fish sauce or Worcestershire: Seasons our cooking liquid and adds a nice burts of umami, which makes the pulled pork even more delicious.

Transfer everything to a large slow cooker and add a splash of liquid — water is great, but so is broth, apple juice, or beer if you have them handy. Cover and cook on low until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily.

Pork shoulder is ideal for pulling purposes. It has an optimum fat content that yields to create tender, melty meat, but it's essential you cook it slowly to allow the protein to break down properly.

Additionally, spray chicken broth or apple juice on the meat to prevent it from losing more moisture in the crockpot. To add a strong flavor during the process, white wine can also be sprayed.

The acid from the apple cider and apple cider vinegar help to tenderize the meat while also keeping it juicy and flavorful. The low and slow cooking method makes it fall apart as soon as your fork touches it and shreds beautifully.

This easy Pulled Pork recipe is made with pork shoulder (or butt), pantry spices and co*ke to tenderize the meat and add sweetness to the seasonings. The result if perfect, tender and juicy pork cooked in the oven, slow cooker or instant pot!

Wet rubs are fantastic when you are cooking low and slow – again, brisket and pulled pork. This allows your food to develop a unique bark and allows the sugars to caramelize instead of burn.

Pour 1 1/2 cups liquid, such as low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, tomato juice, light or amber beer, white or red wine, orange juice, or a mix of several liquids (and optional liquid smoke) over the pork. The pork should be only partially submerged, with some of the pork remaining above the surface of the liquid.

Close the Proofer and allow the pork to cook for a total of 10 or 11 hours. Midway during the slow cook process you can turn the pork over once. After 10 hours check the interior of the pork with a thermometer. We recommend a temperature of 195-200 °F / 90-93 °C for tender, juicy pork which pulls apart easily.

On low heat, cook for 8-10 hours; on high heat, cook for 5-6 hours. The pork should be fork-tender and easily shredded. Can you overcook pulled pork in a slow cooker? Yes, overcooking can lead to dry, tough meat.

Is pulled pork better the longer you cook it? ›

Cooking pulled pork for a longer time can help to break down the collagen and connective tissue, making the meat more tender, but there is a point at which the meat can become overcooked and dry out.

Many competition barbecue teams will wrap briskets and pork butts in aluminum foil during the final stages of cooking and add broth, juice, or other flavorful concoctions to the foil package.

Namely, if you accidentally incorporate too much sauce, the flavor and texture of the pork are going to be completely overwhelmed by the sauce — meaning you'll have a soggy mess, including buns that are potentially too soaked to hold, that is also missing the complex flavors of the slow-roasted pork.

Once finished, drain all of the juices from the slow cooker and remove the fat. Shred the pork with two forks into bite-sized chunks. Add the juices back into the meat and mix.

The congealing and hardening of fat and connective tissue will make pulling more difficult as the temperature drops. Pulling while the meat is still hot allows you to serve it with the least amount of fat that drains away and the meat that has been neatly separated from fat, tissue, and skin.

If you have reserved juices then pour that evenly over the top of the pulled pork. I often use these juices when I first serve the meat so it's common to now have any juice left when it's time to reheat. No problem! Add a stick of butter to the top of the meat.

Slow cooked pork in the oven will make its own pan juices. So, there is no need to add liquid. In fact, you will need to drain off the liquid pan juices into a container to save for later so that they do not dilute any BBQ sauce. These pan juices can also be added back later to keep it moist.