Dutch Oven Pulled Pork
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Dutch Oven Pulled Pork is an easy way to make fork-tender BBQ in half the time of a smoker. This simple recipe turns a boneless pork shoulder into juicy and tender meat that's perfect by itself, or delicious when drizzled with your favorite barbecue sauce.
If this is your first time making barbecue, don't fret. Baking a pork shoulder in a dutch oven couldn't be easier. All you need is a 6 quart dutch oven, a good Boston butt, and a great BBQ rub. If you've got those three things, you're ready to make some magic!
Jump To
- Recipe at a Glance
- What is Pulled Pork?
- What is the Best Method for Making BBQ?
- What Cut of Pork is Best?
- Start With a Great Dry Rub Recipe
- How To Make the Dry Rub
- How to Cook Pulled Pork in a Dutch Oven
- How to Pull Pork
- What BBQ Sauce is Best?
- What to Serve with Pulled Pork
- Storage and Freezing
- Recipe FAQ
- More BBQ Recipes
- Recipe Card
- Reviews
Recipe at a Glance
- no need for a smoker, slow cooker or fancy equipment
- easy recipe creates fork tender pork BBQ in half the time of a smoker
- simple method doesn't require searing, cutting or trimming
- great recipe for pork sandwiches, barbecue plates, taco meat and more
- perfect meal for Game Day, picnics, tailgates, cookouts and potlucks
What is Pulled Pork?
BBQ pulled pork is made from a Boston butt, or pork shoulder, and cooked for long periods of time at a low temperature until the meat pulls easily with two forks. This method is the preferred way to serve barbecue in the south where the process of pulling pork began years ago.
This recipe is for Carolina BBQ in honor of the state where I was born and raised. I've been making barbecue in a dutch oven for years and it turns out perfectly every time!
What is the Best Method for Making BBQ?
There are many ways to prepare barbecue, such as smoking a pork butt, baking it in a dutch oven, or using the sous vide method. Some folks use this recipe for slow cooker bbq pulled pork.
But, I've found that a dutch oven creates the best pulled pork recipe if you don't have a smoker since it retains heat and braises barbecue to perfection in half the time. My dutch oven method produces juicy meat that pulls apart with a fork and melts in your mouth. It's as delicious as any you'll find in a southern BBQ restaurant!
What Cut of Pork is Best?
The most popular type of meat to use for pulled pork is a Boston Butt (or pork shoulder). You'll need about a 4 to 5 pound pork shoulder roast for this recipe.
Pork butt has the right amount of fat content to make sure the meat is tender when cooked. Be sure to use the low and slow cooking process to allow the meat time to tenderize.
Since there's a lot of fat in this cut of meat, it yields about 3 pounds of finished product, which serves around 8 people if plating the barbecue, or 12 folks if making sandwiches. Use a large dutch oven that holds at least 6 quarts and has a tight fitting lid.
Start With a Great Dry Rub Recipe
Before you can cook the meat, you'll need to slather it with a really great dry rub. My homemade recipe uses seasonings you probably have in your spice cabinet or can find easily in a grocery store.
This Dry Rub recipe is both sweet and spicy...with a secret ingredient! It contains instant coffee granules which add an earthy flavor and also act as a tenderizer.
How To Make the Dry Rub
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside until time to rub the meat. See recipe card for quantities.
- brown sugar - provides sweetness which is essential when cooking pork
- black pepper - adds a nice kick
- onion powder - gives meat an onion flavor without the tears
- garlic powder - balances out the onion powder
- dry mustard - gives the rub a nice bite
- chili powder - adds a little heat without being overpowering
- smoked paprika - provides the smoky flavor of authentic barbecue
- instant granulated coffee - the secret ingredient that tenderizes the meat and provides an earthy flavor
How to Cook Pulled Pork in a Dutch Oven
Make this EASY pulled pork recipe in just 4 steps:
- Slather dry rub on both sides of the Boston butt with your hands. Work it in generously until meat is covered.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees, and place the roast in a large dutch oven.
- Add one cup of water (or beer) and 2 tablespoons of liquid smoke (or worcestershire sauce) to the bottom of the dutch oven.
- Place lid on the pot and bake for 4 hours at 300 degrees. Check a few times to make sure there is enough liquid in the pot. If not, add extra water.
How to Pull Pork
After the roast comes out of the oven, let it rest on top of the stove top for about 30 minutes. Place pork roast on a sheet pan or cutting board to start the pulling process.
Take two forks or a set of tongs and pull the meat away from the fat side. It's okay to leave a little fat in the mix, but it's best to remove as much as you can. There's plenty of fat in the meat without adding extra.
Continue pulling until meat is completely shredded. You can also use BBQ Claws if you wish, but they're not necessary. Be sure to shred the burnt ends (or bark) with the rest of the barbecue! The bark is considered to be a delicacy since it has an intense smoky flavor.
Drizzle some of the remaining liquids left in the dutch oven onto the meat. At this point, you can serve it as is, or use a large butcher knife to chop it into smaller bites.
What BBQ Sauce is Best?
Some southerners wouldn't mess up this delicious meat with sauce, but others wouldn't eat a bite without it!
In my state of North Carolina, there's a great debate about which type of barbecue sauce to use. Eastern Carolina likes a vinegar based sauce, while Western Carolina prefers a sweet tomato based version.
I'm a Western Carolina sweet tomato-sauce kind of girl. My favorite sauces include this Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce Recipe, and a unique Blueberry BBQ Sauce that's lip-smacking good!
What to Serve with Pulled Pork
Down south, there are two main ways to serve barbecue...
- As a sandwich topped with coleslaw and a side of fire and ice pickles.
- As a plate with a side of slow cooker cowboy beans, southern slaw and this recipe for White Lily cornbread.
Pulled pork is also delicious on a taco or a tostada! It makes a great topping for nachos and salads too. I love it in a rice bowl with beans and cheese, or as a base for hearty chili.
If you're planning a cookout or tailgate party for game day, here are some great sides to serve with BBQ pulled pork...
Storage and Freezing
It's easy to store barbecue after it's been cooled. Just place it in an airtight container and keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave in 30 second intervals until warm throughout.
Barbecue also freezes well when vacuum packed. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, wrap leftovers in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before microwaving to the proper temperature for serving.
Recipe FAQ
If you use dry rub, all you need is a little bit of water or beer added to the dutch oven before baking. Some folks like to also rub the meat with mustard or bbq sauce before adding a rub, but it's totally optional.
I like to drizzle the juice left in the pot over the Boston Butt to keep it moist. Others like to sprinkle extra dry rub on the meat. It's fun to experiment with your own special techniques.
When cooking a Boston Butt, the secret to making it tender is to rub it with a good bbq dry rub and cook it low and slow. When using a dutch oven, 300 degrees for 4 hours works like a charm.
More BBQ Recipes
It doesn't get any better than this! If you're a BBQ lover, check out my other delicious barbecue recipes...
Thanks for visiting Quiche My Grits! ❤️ I love making recipes for you! Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram!
Recipe Card
Dutch Oven Pulled Pork
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Equipment
- dutch oven (at least a 6 quart works best)
Ingredients
DRY RUB INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons granulated instant coffee
PORK ROAST
- 4 to 5 pound Boston Butt (pork shoulder roast)
- 1 cup water, beer or beef stock
- 2 Tbsp. liquid smoke (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Mix all dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Using your hands, generously coat pork roast with dry BBQ spice rub. Work well into the meat.
- Place pork in a large dutch oven. Add water and liquid smoke.
- Cover dutch oven with lid.
- Roast pork at 300 degrees for 4 hours, checking through the roasting process to ensure there is still enough liquid to prevent scorching. If not, add more water.
- Remove pork roast from oven and let rest for 30 minutes on the stovetop with lid closed.
- Transfer roast to a cutting board and pull meat with two forks, separating it from the fat. Dispose of fat.
- Cover with aluminum foil until ready to serve with your favorite BBQ sauce as a sandwich or a plate.
Notes
- Ingredients in dry rub yield about 1 cup. If your pork roast is bigger, you'll need to make extra rub.
- If you have extra time, slather dry rub on the pork and wrap well. Place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. While it's optional, this process adds extra flavor to the meat.
- When serving as a sandwich, add barbecue, sauce, then coleslaw on a brioche bun. Top with pickles if desired.
- If serving as a plate, add pulled pork with any sides you wish, such as Calico Baked Beans and Southern Cornbread.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
This recipe was originally published in 2022, and was updated with new information in 2026.
Excellent recipe! This turned out so much better than I hoped. I have made pulled pork in a slow cooker and it was fine, but between the spice rub and the oven method, it makes a fantastic pulled pork. I didn't have any instant coffee, but I had keurig coffee, and it is essentially instant coffee, so I torn one of those open and used it. I also seared the roast with the spice rub before cooking and it really gave it a nice char. I used beef broth for the liquid. I never checked it, but after 3.5-4 hours, it was perfect. This is a great recipe. The spice rub is very flavorful.
Wow, Jeanne. I love your review! I hope more people will try this recipe now! 🙂
I’m making this again today for the fourth time. It is wonderful and I can’t recommend it enough! My late husband used to cook /smoke this on our grill with a basket of wood chips on the side (like another person mentioned above). My first attempt, not your recipe, was a dried out epic failure. Then I researched and found your method. I’m addicted now. I’m alone now but I bought a Dutch Oven and use it with your recipe. Then I freeze my leftovers and have a BBQ pulled pork sandwich or salad whenever I wish. My husband would be so proud of me! Thank you!
Oh, Ellen! Your words warm my heart!❤️ I'm so happy you found a recipe that works for you! I also love that it's keeping your memories of your husband right there with you. Thanks so much for sharing!
I’m looking for a dish to make for a small tailgate tonight. Your post sealed the deal for me! Sending you good vibes, blessings, and a future full of delicious pulled pork sandwiches. 💕
How cool! Thanks for letting me know!! I hope you have a great tailgate party. And if you need dips, try my sister site at EasyPartyDips.com!