Oven Roasted Pulled Pork

By
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich is a food writer, recipe video producer, and culinary school instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry.
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Updated on 11/29/21
Oven Roasted Pulled Pork on a bun

LauriPatterson / Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 12 hrs
Total: 12 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Yield: 2 1/2 pounds pulled pork
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
634 Calories
43g Fat
5g Carbs
53g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 634
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 43g 55%
Saturated Fat 16g 79%
Cholesterol 195mg 65%
Sodium 968mg 42%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 53g
Vitamin C 2mg 10%
Calcium 82mg 6%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 829mg 18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The term "fork-tender" was invented for slow-roasted pork shoulder. Sure it takes half a day, but the building anticipation makes that first bite into the sticky, succulent pulled pork meat even better.

Ingredients

For the Dry Rub:

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

  • 1 tablespoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon paprika

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder

  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder

  • 2 teaspoons onion powder

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon cayenne

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Trim off any large pieces of excess fat.

  3. Mix the rub ingredients together and thoroughly coat all sides of the pork, and into any folds in the meat

  4. Preheat oven to 215 F.

  5. Place the pork, fattier side up, in a large Dutch oven.

  6. Pour 1/3 cup water into a small, ovenproof ramekin, and add the liquid smoke.

  7. Place this ramekin in the Dutch oven next to the meat. As the pork roasts, this will introduce moisture to the cooking environment, as well as add a subtle smokiness to the meat.

  8. Cover tightly with the lid, and place in the center of the preheated oven.

  9. Roast pork for 12 hours, or until fork tender. If you're using a thermometer, the internal temperature will be around 200 F. Turn off the oven and allow the pork to rest for 1 hour before removing.

  10. Place the pork on a cutting board and use forks to pull it apart into small pieces.

  11. Taste for salt and spice level, and adjust the seasoning.

  12. Serve warm or room temperature on soft rolls splashed with some of your favorite barbecue sauce.

  13. Enjoy.