Juicy Tender Oven Pulled Pork
- PREP 15min
- COOK 3hrs 30min
- TOTAL 3hrs 45min
Pulled pork spiced with a 5-ingredient rub, garlic, tomato paste, and apple cider vinegar. Perfectly seasoned, melt-in-your-mouth tender, and excellent served in sandwiches, wraps, tacos, and on salads.
You Will Need
1 (4 pound) boneless or bone-in pork shoulder with any twine removed
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder or use a mild chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup water
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce or 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Prepare Pork
Adjust an oven rack towards the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 300° Fahrenheit.
Make the spice rub by stirring the brown sugar, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and cumin together.
Rub spice mixture over all sides of the pork, so it is well coated.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the pork. Cook for about two minutes per side until browned on all sides. Be careful the sugar in the spice mix does not burn. (See notes for making this without a Dutch oven).
Transfer the pork to a plate.
Add the garlic and tomato paste, then stir them around the pan until the tomato paste turns from bright red to a dull orange, about 1 minute.
Pour in the water, apple cider vinegar, and fish sauce. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any stuck bits.
Position the pork back into the pan with the fattiest side facing up. Cover the Dutch oven with a lid, and slide into the oven. Cook until the pork is fork tender, about 3 hours.
To Finish
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and allow it to cool until you can handle it. Pull the pork with forks or your fingers. Discard the bone (if there is one), any connective tissue, and large clumps of fat.
Remove the cooking liquid and skim most of the fat from its surface. Discard the fat, then set the cooking liquid aside.
Return the pulled pork to the pot and add some or all of the reserved cooking liquid.
Taste and season with salt, vinegar, fish sauce, or hot sauce. If using, stir in barbecue sauce.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- No Dutch Oven: If you do not have a Dutch oven, sear the pork and make the cooking liquid in a high-sided saucepan or cast iron pan. Transfer the pork and the liquid to a roasting pan and cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- Fish Sauce: Find fish sauce in the international aisle of most grocery stores, in international markets, or online. It has a salty-sour flavor and is something we use to elevate flavors in savory dishes or dishes with long cooking times. For example, you see us use it in our Homemade Pho recipe. If you do not have any, Worcestershire sauce is a good substitute.
- Storing Tips: Keep pulled pork in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to four days and up to three months in the freezer.
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.
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