Slow-cooked pork shoulder rubbed in spices and pulled apart into tender, smoky strands — perfect in a brioche bun with coleslaw.
Pulled pork is a cornerstone of American BBQ culture, originating in the American South where whole pigs were slow-cooked over wood smoke for community gatherings. The dish became synonymous with the barbecue traditions of North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia, each with their own sauce style. At its core, pulled pork is a triumph of low-and-slow cooking: tough, collagen-rich pork shoulder transforms over many hours into silky, easily shreddable meat as the connective tissue melts. This recipe uses a bold dry spice rub and can be made in a slow cooker or Dutch oven for home cooks without a smoker.
Serves 8
Mix paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. Rub all over pork shoulder.
Place pork in a slow cooker or Dutch oven. Add cider vinegar and half the BBQ sauce.
Slow cooker: cook on low 8 hours. Oven: cover and cook at 150°C for 4.5–5 hours until falling-apart tender.
The longer the slow cook, the more tender. Overnight in the oven at 130°C is excellent.
Remove meat and shred with two forks, discarding bone and excess fat.
Mix pulled pork with remaining BBQ sauce and some cooking juices to taste. Pile into toasted brioche buns with coleslaw.
The longer the slow cook, the more tender. Overnight in the oven at 130°C is excellent.
Toast buns to prevent them going soggy from the juicy pork.
Add 1 tsp liquid smoke if you don't have a smoker for extra smokiness.
Serve over nachos or in quesadillas for a fun twist.
Use pork tenderloin for a leaner version (reduce cook time to 2 hours at 160°C).
Pulled pork keeps in the fridge for 5 days or freezes for 3 months.
Barbecue (from the Taíno word 'barbacoa') was brought to the American South by Spanish explorers, who learned the slow-smoking technique from indigenous Caribbean peoples. By the 19th century, Southern BBQ culture was well established, and pulled pork became central to the cuisine of the Carolinas and beyond.
Pork shoulder (Boston butt) is ideal — it has enough fat and connective tissue to become tender and flavourful during long cooking. Pork leg works too but is slightly drier.
Yes — cook at high pressure for 90 minutes. The result won't have quite the same depth as slow-cooked but is excellent for weeknights.
Per serving · 8 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes