Pulled Pork | Mama Loves Food (2024)

By: April Woods On: 9/13/18 • This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

You will adore this Pulled Pork Recipe.Savory and a little sweet, it melts in your mouth. I stand by the pot and sneak nibbles out!

Our pulled pork recipe is so ridiculously easy to make and always a crowd pleaser. It was one of the very first recipes I learned to make and it’s still a favorite!We like to serve it with homemade refrigerator pickles, our french bread recipe, and macaroni salad!

Pulled Pork Recipe

Pulled Pork Recipe Ingredients

• Pork butt roast – Butt roast is also called Boston butt or pork shoulder. This is my preferred cut for pulled pork, but if you’re looking for something a little leaner a loin will work too.
• Worcestershire sauce – Adds a savoryand sweet flavor with a distinct tang.
• Sugar – A little bit of brown sugar goes a long way to bring out the flavors in pork.
• Apple juice – Apple and pork goes together like peanut butter and jelly. If you have apple cider available, that would be awesome too.
• Salt – Everything’s better with a little salt.

How do you make pulled pork? (Step-by-step)

Pulled pork in the oven

⭐ This pulled pork recipe can be made in the oven. It’s easy, you’ll just need a dutch oven that can hold at least 6 quarts.

• Add ingredients to the dutch oven. Cover with lid.
• Then, bake until pork easily shreds.
• Enjoy with our corn bread recipe or some dinner rolls!

Pulled pork in the slow cooker

⭐ Additionally, our pulled pork recipe can be made in crock pot. Perfect for not heating up your house with the oven all day.

• Add ingredients to the slow cooker and cover.
• Then, set to low and cook until pork easily shreds.

Pulled pork in the instant pot

⭐ Our pulled pork recipe can also be made in the instant pot pressure cooker. It’s a great way to have pulled pork fast!

• Add ingredients to the instant pot and cover.
• Then, set to manual (high pressure) and natural pressure release when time is up. If pork doesn’t easily shred, set to manual for an additional 15 minutes.

Preparation

What is the best cut of meat for pulled pork recipe?

Pork butt roast, Boston butt, or pork shoulder are what we traditionally use for our pulled pork recipe in the slow cooker. All three of these are the same cuts of meat, it just has several names.

If you’re feeling ambitious or find a good sale, a whole picnic will work too.

You’ll end up with more large chunks of fat to remove at the end, but it’s a great way to make a lot and freeze some for later.

Can you use pork tenderloin for pulled pork?

You can use pork tenderloin for pulled pork. Pork tenderloin is a more lean cut of meat so it will be less fatty and a little drier. If you use tenderloin for pulled pork, make sure not to skimp on the liquid, as that is what will help make it juicy and delicious.

When we do pork loin in the slow cooker, I tend to use this Slow Cooker Balsamic Pork Loin recipe. We like to slice the loin and serve it on a bun with mayo and garlic pickles!

How long do you cook pulled pork in the slow cooker?

A four pound pork shoulder is going to take at least six hours on high in the slow cooker to become a delicious pulled pork. We generally suggest six to eight hours on high, or eight to ten hours on low.

The long and low heat is what makes the pork so tender.

Complete your meal with our recipe suggestions

Macaroni Salad |Mashed Potatoes |Mac and Cheese |French Bread Recipe |Potato Soup |Pickled Onions | Sauteed Vegetables Recipe

More like this

Italian Beef Recipe |Rack of Pork |Pork Tacos |Instapot Ribs |Baked Pork Chops

Tools we love

• 6 Quart Cook N Carry Slow Cooker – This Crock Pot is the slow cooker I use most often. It’s super basic with the knob functionality and has worked well for me for a very long time! I always recommend this as a great starter slow cooker.
• Cuisinart 3 in 1 Slow Cooker – If you’re ready for something a little fancier, step into my office. This Cuisinart slow cooker also sautes and steams, which is so super convenient for those recipes that required you to brown the meat before you slow cook it. Now you don’t have to dirty extra dishes or turn your stove on!
• Meat Shredding Claws – These meat shredding claws are a fun tool if you’re tired of shredding a giant pork shoulder with a couple of small forks. They also look super cool, like Wolverine.
• Stainless Steel Tongs – I’m a huge fan of having a good sturdy set of stainless steel tongs for serving food. Or six. I actually have six. But let’s start with one. These tongs are affordable and work great.

How to Make Pulled Pork

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