{"id":276449,"date":"2025-06-06T05:20:03","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T05:20:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/recipes\/category-a-b\/barbecue\/the-best-pulled-pork-recipes\/"},"modified":"2025-06-06T05:20:03","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T05:20:03","slug":"the-best-pulled-pork-recipes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=276449","title":{"rendered":"The Best Pulled Pork Recipes"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Over the years, I have smoked hundreds of pork shoulders and have perfected the\u00a02-step<\/strong>\u00a0method<\/strong>\u00a0that will guarantee\u00a0tender, juice and flavorful classic pulled pork every time<\/em>. Master the classic and start making some of The Best Pulled Pork Recipes<\/strong> this summer!<\/p>\n

Looking for more BBQ classics, check out The Best BBQ Ribs Recipes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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What is Classic Pulled Pork?<\/h2>\n

A classic pulled pork recipe consists of any pork meat smoked low and slow until the meat is tender enough to easily shred. Usually mixed with BBQ sauce, this recipe is an American BBQ classic. When done right, the tender and flavorful meat just melts in your mouth.<\/p>\n

Traditionally pulled pork is made from the pork shoulder or pork butt. Both are the same cut of meat. The word \u201cbutt\u201d comes from the colonial era when butchers would pack less desirable cuts of pork, like the shoulder, into large barrels called \u201cbutts\u201d for storage.<\/p>\n

A bone-in pork shoulder <\/strong><\/em>is the ideal cut of pork to make pulled pork because of it\u2019s shape. An even cube, that cooks evenly on the grill for hours. Stay away from the boneless ones.<\/p>\n

The pork shoulder is a very large cut of meat ranging anywhere from 7-10 lbs. It is also a cheaper cut because of all the fattiness making it very economical since 1 shoulder can feed 10+ people and makes meals for days.<\/p>\n

Making pulled pork for dinner or a friendly gathering is not a last minute decision. Because of it\u2019s size, you should estimate 8-10 hours before it\u2019s ready to eat.\u00a0So\u00a0PLAN AHEAD!<\/strong><\/p>\n

For exact ingredients and steps, check out my Classic Pulled Pork recipe here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How to properly prepare a pork shoulder.<\/h2>\n

To get started,\u00a0 remove the large pork shoulder from its packaging and pat it dry. Do NOT wash it. Take a few paper towels and make sure to pat the sides. Patting it dry will make it easier to handle and work with.<\/p>\n

Fat Cap Prep Work<\/h3>\n
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Take a look at the fat cap. It should be no more than a 1\/4<\/em><\/strong> inch thick<\/strong><\/em>. Slowly trim off any extra layers of fat. Take your time and remove a little bit a time. This fat will not render down making for one unpleasant fatty bite.<\/p>\n

When the fat is trimmed, we can now score the fat cap in a checkered pattern.<\/strong><\/em> Do not go too deep, just enough to cut through the fat. Scoring allows the seasoning and smoke to penetrate deeper into the meat locking in those amazing BBQ flavors.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Binder and Seasoning<\/h3>\n
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Coat the entire bone in pork shoulder with a binder of choice before applying any seasoning.<\/strong><\/em> This will help keep the seasoning on during the long cook. Remember, whatever sauce you use, you will not taste it unless it has heat, salt or citrus.<\/p>\n

Yellow mustard<\/em> is a standard binder in BBQ. For a more savory and vinegar based binder, use Worcestershire Sauce<\/em>, or hot sauce<\/em> for a little kick at the end.<\/p>\n

For the seasoning<\/strong><\/em>, an All Purpose seasoning is best. It has the perfect balance of classic savory BBQ flavors that compliment the natural flavor of pork. If you are looking to spice up the flavors add heat in the form of a seasoning or more honey and sugar to sweeten each bite.<\/p>\n

DON\u2019T BY SHY<\/strong> with the seasoning. This is a very large piece of meat. You don\u2019t want bland pulled pork, coat heavily. Make sure to season all sides of the pork shoulder.<\/p>\n

Pat the seasoning down vs. rubbing to avoid any of the spice from falling off.<\/p>\n

Set aside the seasoned pork shoulder in room temperature for about 30 minutes and allow it to sweat which opens up the meat to absorb all those wonderful spices.<\/p>\n

2 Step Method for Making the BEST Classic Pulled Pork<\/h2>\n

In order to make the best classic pulled pork, the cooking process requires most of the day to achieve tender, juicy and flavorful meat. The first step will give us that delicious smokey flavor and the next will get it fall apart tender.<\/p>\n

The pork shoulder has a lot of fat and connective tissue that needs to render down. This takes time. Patience is key here.<\/p>\n

Step 1 \u2013 Smoke low and slow<\/h3>\n

Preheat your grill or smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and set it for indirect heat. <\/p>\n

How to create an indirect heat zone on grills<\/h3>\n
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Indirect heat zones are created differently depending on the type of grill you have.<\/p>\n