What our readers are saying
Delicious, tender, and full of flavor! I made this tonight for dinner with my dad and husband. Both of them could not stop raving! Best part was how easy it was to make. Do yourself a favor and try this one.
Sarah
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How to make dutch oven pulled pork (step-by-step)
Recipe tips from an expert home chef
- Many recipes will tell you to sear the pork first but trust me, I have personally tested both ways and the end result comes out tasting the same. Trust me and save yourself some prep time :).
- Use all of the pulled pork seasoning. It may seem like a lot, but in the end, it will mix together with the shredded pork and leftover juices to perfectly flavor the pulled pork.
- Instead of apple juice, you can substitute another liquid of your choice. The other option we’ve tested is broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable).
- If you like your pulled pork with BBQ sauce, just add it in at the end after shredding the pork.
- This recipe is meal-prep and freezer friendly. It will last for about a week in the fridge or several months in the freezer. Just reheat in a pan on the stove (our favorite way from testing) or in the microwave or oven will work too.
Versatile ways to serve this easy pulled pork
Our favorite thing about this recipe is how versatile it is. You can make a big batch on the weekend and eat it all week and never get tired of it! Here are some ideas:
- Pulled pork tacos (use corn, lettuce, or grain-free tortillas)
- Stuffed in a baked potato or sweet potato
- Pulled pork sandwiches with BBQ sauce
- With some fresh chopped veggies for a quick stir-fry
- Use it to make some leftover pulled pork hash for breakfast
- Make it a bowl or salad with some greens, avocado, and pan fried plantains
- It pairs perfectly with this rich and creamy coleslaw
- With some wilted greens and topped with a dollop of chipotle aioli
We hope you love this recipe as much as we do!
Don’t forget to leave a quick star rating and review below, we read every comment and truly appreciate your feedback. Also, be sure to browse the rest of our delicious pork recipes to find some other favorites too!
Get the Recipe:
Slow Roasted Dutch Oven Pulled Pork (Juicy & Tender!)
Skip the sear, you don't need it! Just season the pork shoulder (boston butt) with a delicious homemade seasoning and slow cook it in the oven for fool-proof, juicy and tender shredded pulled pork in the oven with only 8 simple ingredients! Did I mention it only takes 5 minutes of prep time?
Ingredients
- 4 lb boneless pork shoulder, (aka boston butt)
- 3 tbsp yellow mustard, (wet mustard)
- 1.5 cups apple juice, (can sub broth or any other liquid like beer or soda)
For the pulled pork seasoning:
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar, (can sub brown sugar or omit for lower carb)
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to accommodate your dutch oven if necessary. Preheat oven to 300° Fahrenheit.
- Make the pulled pork seasoning by combining all of the seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and mixing.
- Remove the pork shoulder from any packaging. Slather the pork all over with the yellow mustard.
- Next, season the pork all over with the seasoning mixture. You should get a good amount of seasoning all over every part of the pork shoulder surface. It may seem like a lot, but the seasoning will mix up with all the shredded pork in the end.
- Pour the apple juice in the dutch oven around the pork. Place the lid on the dutch oven.
- Transfer to the oven and cook for 5 hours (1.25 hours per pound of pork you're cooking). The pork should be very tender and easily shred with a fork.
- Once the pork is done, carefully remove it from the oven and shred it with 2 forks. Mix the pork with the juices left over in the dutch oven. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition amounts noted are per serving and an estimate provided for those following a Ketogenic or low-carb diet. See our full nutrition information disclosure here.
Calories: 320kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 52g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Fiber: 1g
Did you make this recipe?Tag @realsimplegood with hashtag #realsimplegood on Instagram. We love to see what you make!
When I pulled it out of the oven, I was nervous it was going to be dry, then I started to shred it and knew that wasn’t the case. So tender and juicy!
Happy to hear that, glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Great recipe! Very flavorful and easy to follow. The ratio of cooking time by pounds was helpful, but I would tweak this even more=1 pound per hour, to prevent overcooking….which happened to me with a 9lb roast. Doubled recipe ingredients basically and used the equation of 1.25 hrs per pound,it was too long. I was able to rehydrate pork with apple cider vinegar. The coating from the mustard coating is tasty-nice brown crust. The rub has a kick, but not too spicy!
Also would place roast fat side up in dutch oven and fat side down for slow cooker.
Thanks for the feedback, we appreciate it. The larger the roast, you’re probably right that the cooking time might be better at 1hr per pound. With a roast between 4-6 lbs, 1.25 hours per pound is good.
Made this recipe today – super simple and convenient! Delicious and mixes with all the liquid and spice ingredients. Might cut back on the sea salt by 1/8 to 1/4 if you want just a bit less saltiness. You can always add some afterward if you like more salt. Otherwise – this will become a favorite!
this recipe is a keeper, so easy to make and so good! I will make this again soon after I finish our leftovers. Thank you for sharing this with us.
You’re very welcome, glad you’ll be making it again!
Do you see any negatives to using bourbon/whiskey as the liquid? I plan to make it later this week.
Thanks for the recipe!
I’m not sure how it would effect the overall flavor, but you’re welcome to try it out and report back! The recipe should still work fine.
Easy to make and excellent flavor. I had a thinner blade roast, so I appreciated the suggestions for cooking time based on weight. I subbed paprika for chili powder and rubbed a little salt onto the pork before the mustard. However, I otherwise followed the recipe and it was a big hit for the whole family! My husband asked me what kind of sauce I put on the meat because he thought I added a bbq sauce after. I did not 🙂
Sounds perfect! Glad you all enjoyed it 🙂
This was absolutely amazing. Juicy and seasoned, made excellent BBQ.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for the review!
Delicious, tender, and full of flavor! I made this tonight for dinner with my dad and husband. Both of them could not stop raving! Best part was how easy it was to make. Do yourself a favor and try this one.
Thanks for the amazing review Sarah, glad you all enjoyed this one!