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Home ยป Southern Favorites ยป Versatile Dutch Oven Pulled Pork

Versatile Dutch Oven Pulled Pork

May 20, 2020 by Kathryn 30 Comments

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Using economical pork shoulder, this easy dutch oven pulled pork recipe goes right into the oven after braising -- and makes the juiciest, moistest pork that can be used for so many meals!

Pork is one of my favorite meats. Not only is it so versatile depending on what spices you use and what you cook it with, but it's super economical for a family on a budget and can we just pause and talk about the fat on pork? It's so darn delicious I have trouble not eating all of it (hellooooo, pork chops!).

This recipe may not necessarily be so quick, but this is truly one of the easiest meals you can make. It requires about 10 minutes of "hands-on" time, where you're braising the meat on all sides to create a nice, brown sear, then you're letting the pork do its magic thanks to the dry rub, pork's natural fat, and the steam bath the pork receives in the dutch oven for 3 hours. I may not have a smoker, but oooooooh weeeeee the dutch oven can do the trick.

When the pork comes out of the oven, it's incredibly juicy and tender -- whether you use bone-in or boneless pork shoulder. And once it's cooked, you can make the pork last all week, using it to make BBQ sandwiches or sliders, throw it with some pasta, eat it plain, or freeze any remaining pork for later.

side view of dutch oven pulled pork on baking sheet with jar of barbecue sauce in the background

What Kind of Cut Do You Need to Make Pulled Pork?

Pork shoulder is the way to go for pulled pork. You'll often see pork shoulder referred to as pork butt, but the cut isn't actually from the butt of a pig. It comes from the well-used shoulder of a pig, so slow roasting is essential to making sure the meat tenderizes and is not tough.

Pork is an amazing meat -- because not only is it delicious, but it's also super affordable. I got a 3 pound pork shoulder (this one happened to be boneless) last week for $10, and it fed us for two dinners and a lunch for a family of four.

cut of pork shoulder on butcher paper to be used for dutch oven pulled pork

Ingredients You Need

  • pork shoulder (bone-in or boneless0
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • paprika, regular or smoked
  • garlic powder
  • sweet onions (I will 10 out of 10 times recommend Vidalia onions)
  • water

Pulled Pork in the Oven: Covered or Uncovered?

You definitely will want to cover the Dutch oven using your heavy lid. This makes an airtight seal that will allow the pork to steam on top of the onions.

How to Make Dutch Oven Pulled Pork

First, combine all of your spices in a small bowl. Rub spices all over the pork shoulder. Pork needs a lot of salt, so don't be shy now, ya hear? (1st picture)

Second, crank your Dutch oven to medium-high heat on the stove with olive oil. Once it's sufficiently hot, sear the pork on all sides for 3 minutes on each side. (see 2nd picture)

Next, Take the pork out, place halved onions on the bottom so it acts as a rack and adds so much flavor to your meat, place pork back on top, then cover Dutch oven with its lid and stick in the oven for 3 hours. (see pictures 3 and 4)

4 picture collage showing dry rub on pork (pic 1), seared pork (pic 2), seared pork on top of onions (pic 3) and cooked pork (pic 4)

As soon as the pork comes out of the oven, place the pork on a rimmed baking sheet and shred with a fork.

Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker vs. Dutch Oven?

This question really boils down whether or not you like the edges of the pork to be seared. You can definitely do this pork in a slow cooker, but I much prefer the taste of the pork in the Dutch oven after having seared the meat. You get random bites that are deliciously crunchy and mimic a slow-roasted pork you'd find in a Southern barbecue pit.

Tips for the Juiciest, Tenderest Pork

  • Don't trim too much fat. Unless your pork shoulder is riddled with fat, I don't really do a lot of trimming to my pork shoulder. Most pork shoulders you'll buy at the grocery store are already sufficiently trimmed. Keeping some of the fat on is essential for the pork to remain juicy and tender.
  • Shred pork while its still hot. This is more to make it easy on you, but you'll want to shred the pork right away. It falls apart so easy when it's still piping hot.
up close picture of shredded pulled pork with two messy forks

Ways to Use Your Pulled Pork

  • BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches or Sliders. Clearly, one of my favorites is to use this pork to make BBQ pulled pork sandwiches or sliders. Simply combine the pulled pork with your favorite warmed BBQ sauce, mix and combine. The pulled pork on a brioche bun is just incredibly delicious.
  • Italian Pork Ragu. Go Italian with this Pork Ragu with Semolina Gnocchi. While I wouldn't do this on a normal weeknight, it's an awesome quarantine meal or weekend meal.
  • Pulled pork tacos. Self-explanatory -- they're delish.

Freezing Your Pork

Want to triple this recipe because you found a 9 pound pork shoulder? Great! (Side note: you can also cut your pork into segments if the whole thing doesn't fit in your dutch oven).

This Dutch oven pulled pork is one of the best meats to freeze. When the pork is cooled off, stick the pulled pork in freezer-safe plastic bags (I usually do as much in each bag as I would want to heat up for a family dinner) and stick in the freezer for up to 3 months.

aerial view of shredded pulled prok with two forks and blue and white napkin

xox,

kathryn

As always, if you make anything from the blog, be sure to let me know! I love hearing from you in the comments on this post below or find Worn Slap Out on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Versatile Dutch Oven Pulled Pork

Using economical pork shoulder, this easy dutch oven pulled pork recipe goes right into the oven after braising -- and makes the juiciest, moistest pork that can be used for so many meals!
4.9 from 19 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: bbq pulled pork, pulled pork recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

  • 3 pound pork shoulder, bone-in or boneless
  • 4 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon paprika, regular or smoked
  • 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2 large sweet onions, halved
  • ½ cup water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven 300 degrees. In a small bowl, combine salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Rub spice mixture all over pork.
  • With Dutch oven on medium-high heat, heat olive oil. When pan is very hot (when drop of water sizzles), sear one side of pork for about 3 minutes until meat is browned. Repeat searing on other side of pork for 3 minutes as well as the top and sides. Take pork out of dutch oven, place onion halves and water at the bottom, add pork back on top of onions. Put lid on.
  • Bake at 300หš for about 3 hours or until pork is cooked through. It should fall apart when shred with a fork. Remove pork shoulder from Dutch oven, place on rimmed baking sheet, and use two forks to shred pork immediately. Combine with your favorite BBQ sauce, eat plain, use in pasta dishes...the options are endless.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beth Pierce

    May 27, 2020 at 3:36 pm

    5 stars
    I made this other night and my family loved it! This is a definitely our favorite. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      September 02, 2020 at 11:25 am

      I'm so happy to hear this, Beth!

      Reply
  2. kim

    May 27, 2020 at 3:36 pm

    5 stars
    This is fabulous! So flavorful and delicious! Will definitely be making again!

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      September 02, 2020 at 11:25 am

      Thanks for leaving your feedback, Kim!

      Reply
  3. Mary

    May 27, 2020 at 4:09 pm

    5 stars
    This is going into the regular rotation for my family!

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      September 02, 2020 at 11:25 am

      Yay! It's in the regular rotation over here, too!

      Reply
  4. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

    May 27, 2020 at 4:21 pm

    5 stars
    This pork looks absolutely divine. Pork is also one of my favourite meats, I love how versatile it is.

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      September 02, 2020 at 11:25 am

      Same here -- it's super cheap and super delicious.

      Reply
  5. Carrie Robinson

    May 27, 2020 at 4:22 pm

    5 stars
    I have never tried to make pulled pork in a dutch oven before! I have only used my slow cooker to make it before. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      September 02, 2020 at 11:28 am

      Give it a try! It's my favorite way!

      Reply
  6. Jere Cassidy

    May 27, 2020 at 5:21 pm

    5 stars
    I love pork too and glad you posted this recipe for this pulled pork. I don't mind long cooking times for a great recipe.

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      September 02, 2020 at 11:27 am

      Same here -- especially with more time at home than ever before. I have no problem letting something sit in the oven for a couple of hours!

      Reply
  7. Tiffany Black

    July 06, 2020 at 6:22 pm

    Did you use conventional or fan forced oven settings?

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      July 06, 2020 at 7:48 pm

      Hi, Tiffany! I use a regular conventional oven! My oven also does convection, but I could count the number of times on one hand that I've used it!

      Reply
  8. Lisa

    August 13, 2020 at 8:23 pm

    5 stars
    This is now one of my regular, go-to, crowd pleasers! I love the it hot ๐Ÿ”ฅ out of the oven, without or without BBQ sauce & love the versatility of the leftovers! I can easily come up with another couple of delicious ways to use this tender meat.
    My only problem is that when my two grown boys join us for dinner, there's a fierce fight over how much everyone can take home!! This is a winner for sure!

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      September 02, 2020 at 11:27 am

      Awww! I can only imagine that those two boys can destroy this pulled pork. You better get it while it's hot, Lisa! You deserve it!

      Reply
  9. Lisa

    August 13, 2020 at 8:24 pm

    5 stars
    This is now one of my regular, go-to, crowd pleasers! I love it hot ๐Ÿ”ฅ out of the oven, without or without BBQ sauce & love the versatility of the leftovers! I can easily come up with another couple of delicious ways to use this tender meat.
    My only problem is that when my two grown boys join us for dinner, there's a fierce fight over how much everyone can take home!! This is a winner for sure!

    Reply
  10. Scott

    November 19, 2020 at 11:52 am

    How much longer in oven if pork is about 8lbs?

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      November 20, 2020 at 1:03 pm

      I'd test it after about 4 hours in the oven with an 8 pounder!

      Reply
  11. Claudia Lamascolo

    December 19, 2020 at 5:37 pm

    5 stars
    This was the most tender melt in your mouth flavorful pork I ever made its a keeper!

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      December 20, 2020 at 3:27 pm

      I'm so gad, Claudia! Thanks so much for the feedback!

      Reply
  12. rika

    December 19, 2020 at 6:06 pm

    5 stars
    I love pulled pork and I love that I can cook it in a Dutch oven. Thanks!

    Reply
  13. Kechi

    December 19, 2020 at 6:07 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe looks so so yummy; next time am not trimming all the fat! I can do so many things with this pulled pork. Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      December 20, 2020 at 3:28 pm

      Thanks, Kechi! It's a great one if I do say so myself! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  14. Emily Liao

    December 19, 2020 at 6:17 pm

    5 stars
    This pulled pork was amazing! So flavorful and tender - and definitely versatile.

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      December 20, 2020 at 3:26 pm

      Thanks, Emily! So glad you liked it. It's one of our go-to dinners to make on Sundays -- and eat again throughout the week in different ways.

      Reply
  15. Adriana

    December 19, 2020 at 7:03 pm

    5 stars
    So many ways to cook carnitas and the results are always so yummy. Pork is my favorite meat. I make them the traditional way inside the dutch oven like you but with enough lard and water for moist crispiness. It takes a long time, but it is worth it.

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      December 20, 2020 at 3:28 pm

      Oooohhh I've never made it with lard. That sounds delicious...but dangerous! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  16. Catherine

    January 18, 2021 at 10:00 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious and easy!!

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      January 19, 2021 at 7:36 pm

      Thanks so much for leaving feedback, Catherine! So glad you loved it as much as we do!

      Reply

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Hey, y'all!

I'm Kathryn! Welcome to Worn Slap Out, a Southern-inspired recipe corner for busy people on the go. As a mom of two littles who also loves food, I need meals on the table ASAP but I also want to eat well. Here, you'll find quick, easy, and reasonably healthy meals you can make in a flash. Other loves include Georgia football, cake of all kinds, and elastic waistbands.

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