The Very Best Pulled Pork

An easy way to make a crowd of 50 plus (or just your family) very happy!

This pulled pork recipe is a keeper — reliably flavorful, moist and tender. It freezes and reheats beautifully, so once you try it you’ll be reaching for it again and again. It’s forgiving for large batches and scales well whether you’re cooking for your family or a crowd. Expect recipe requests.

Overview — It’s easy. Here’s how.

Start with Boston Butt (also called pork shoulder or pork butt). Plan about 4 pounds of raw Boston Butt per 10 servings. This cut comes from the upper part of the front shoulder and often contains the blade bone; a 6–7 pound roast will yield plenty for a family with leftovers.

You can use bone-in or boneless — both cook the same based on weight. I prefer a roast with some fat on one side; the fat renders during the long cook and adds flavor and juiciness.

For larger gatherings I often cook several roasts and freeze portions of the shredded pork. Helpful items: large freezer bags for brining, disposable aluminum roasting pans, a fat separator for the cooking liquids and heat-resistant gloves when shredding hot meat. A digital probe thermometer is extremely useful when cooking overnight.

Three simple steps

1. Brine the pork
2. Apply a flavorful dry rub
3. Cook low and slow until fall-apart tender

Step #1 — Brine the pork

A brine is salt water that helps the meat retain moisture and become more tender. This recipe uses a brine spiked with cider vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaves, garlic and a little of the dry rub to carry flavor into the meat. Place the roast in a large freezer bag or container, cover with the brine and refrigerate at least 8–12 hours, preferably 24. The recipe makes extra brine for larger batches — as long as the roast is covered you’re fine.

Why brine pork?

• Juicier meat
• More tender texture
• Better flavor throughout

Step #2 — Flavorful dry rub

Layers of flavor make great pulled pork. After brining, remove the roast, pat dry and press the dry rub all over the surface so no meat shows. If you can, make extra roasts and freeze portions of the finished pork for quick meals later — pulled pork freezes exceptionally well.

Step #3 — Cook low & slow

Set a conventional oven to 225°F (about 107°C). Roast uncovered on a middle rack. The shoulder cooks slowly — plan about 1.5 to 2 hours per pound depending on the roast size and how many roasts are in the oven. Insert a probe into the thickest part of the meat (not touching bone) and cook until the internal temperature reaches 200°F; this is when the meat becomes tender enough to shred easily.

Your pulled pork game plan (recommended)

Two nights before serving: make the dry rub and brine; brine overnight and all day. The next night: remove roast from brine, pat dry, coat with rub and roast overnight (10–16 hours depending on size and oven load). Set a digital thermometer alarm to 200°F. When it hits 200°F, turn off the oven but leave the roast inside to rest until it cools to about 170°F for easier shredding (about 1–2 hours).

Reserve the cooking juices: pour them into a fat separator and keep every bit. Mix some juice back into the shredded pork for serving or freeze juices separately to add when reheating.

Key tips

• Use a thermometer — it removes the guesswork and prevents overcooking or undercooking.
• Let the roast rest in the oven until it cools to about 170°F before shredding.
• Save and defat the pan juices — they keep the pork moist when reheating or serving.
• Make ahead: shredded pork can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.

Family-sized Pulled Pork (4–7 lb roast)

Ingredients for one roast:

• 1 (4–7 lb) Boston Butt or pork shoulder (bone-in preferred)
• Dry rub: ground pepper, ground cumin, onion powder, chili powder, kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar
• Brine: salt, water, cider vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaves, garlic, plus a couple tablespoons of the dry rub

Basic instructions: mix dry rub and brine, brine the roast 8–24 hours, pat dry, press on dry rub, roast uncovered at 225°F until the internal temp reaches 200°F, rest until 170°F, shred and mix in reserved pan juices. Serve on toasted buns with your favorite barbecue sauce and coleslaw.

Pulled Pork for a Crowd (example: 50 servings)

Plan about 4 ounces of cooked pulled pork per serving (1 pound of finished pulled pork feeds about 4 people). Expect approximately 65% yield from raw to cooked pulled pork (e.g., 10 lb raw ≈ 6.5 lb finished). For 50 servings you’ll need roughly 20–40 pounds raw depending on portion sizing and sides — erring on the generous side leaves you with leftovers.

Shopping and serving tips for large groups

• If serving other mains, reduce the pork requirement by about one-third.
• For kids or seniors plan for smaller servings (about 3.2 oz each). For big eaters plan larger portions (about 5+ oz each).
• Consider assigning batches to volunteers or cooking several roasts yourself and freezing portions for easier handling.

Serving ideas

• Classic pulled pork sandwiches: toasted buttered buns, your favorite BBQ sauce, and coleslaw.
• Hawaiian coleslaw for a bright, tropical contrast.
• Loaded barbecue pulled pork potato casserole or pulled pork nachos — great for game day or potlucks.

Is your mouth watering yet? Let’s get started — this pulled pork is a reliable, crowd-pleasing recipe you’ll return to time and time again.

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