This easy to make crispy pulled pork in the oven recipe is super tender with crispy pieces and is full of flavor. The perfect kind of food when you are feeding a crowd and it’s too cold outside to use the grill or smoker!
Got leftovers? Find leftover pulled pork recipes here.
There is something so easy and comforting about pulled pork. Once you have that fall-off-the-bone tender meat roasted, you can make anything with them. From pulled pork sandwiches to pulled pork nachos to pulled pork ramen, anything goes with this versatile meat.
Our favorite way to enjoy this meal is to make smoked pulled pork outdoors. I periodically make slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches using the crockpot. But my newest favorite way to enjoy pulled pork is to make them in the kitchen, roasted in the oven until crispy. So fabulous and easy.
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Recipe highlights
- Simple: We make a lot of pulled pork as my family loves it and we use the leftovers in a number of different ways. Although we love smoked pulled pork, it takes all day for it to cook and of course, it requires a smoker or grill. This oven recipe cuts the cooking time compared to a crockpot or smoker and is much easier to make.
- Flavor: I used to prepare slow cooker pulled pork in the crockpot, but I missed the crispy bits. That’s why we love this recipe so much. This oven pulled pork recipe is not quite the same as smoked on a grill, but it is pretty darn close. Especially if you have mesquite powder to give your pork some added smokey flavor. Even without it, the seasonings used, like paprika and chile powder, give this pork lots wonderful flavor.
- Versatile: Honestly as I shred the pork, I can’t help myself but snack on the bits of meat while I work. Because there is no barbecue sauce in this meat, you can use the pulled pork in dozens of ways, other than sandwiches. Some of our favorite ways to enjoy it is in pulled pork rice bowl, pulled pork chili and pulled pork pizza!
Ingredients you need
- Boneless pork shoulder: You can also use a Boston butt (which is from the high part of the pig’s shoulder, above the shoulder blade and not the actual butt of the pig). You can also use the picnic shoulder, or picnic ham, is a shoulder cut with the shank attached. This cut is cheaper than the other cuts because it requires less work butchering it, and it contains more bone.
- Seasonings: kosher salt, chile powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and bay leaves.
- Extra virgin olive oil: You will rub the pork pieces down with oil, which helps the spices adhere to the pork, adds moisture to the meat and helps the meat crisp up.
Step-by-step directions
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- Trim of excess fat from pork shoulder and cut into 4 to 5-inch chunks. Season pork chunks with salt, pepper and spices.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet to medium-high heat and add oil In batches, cook pork chunks in a single layer until very well-browned, turning them as little as possible so they get nice and dark before flipping them around.
Don’t crowd the pan while you brown the pork, otherwise you could steam it instead or browning it. Cook in batches and then place the browned pork onto a roasting pan for the next step!
- Once all the pork is browned, place them in a single layer in a large roasting pan. Pour water in your skillet and scrape the bottom of your skillet to remove all the crispy bits of pork. Pour the liquid with the pork bits into the large roasting pan containing your pork shoulder chunks. Add bay leaves and chopped garlic.
- Braise in the oven at 325ºF uncovered for 3 to 3 ½ hours, turning the pork a few times during cooking, until much of the liquid is evaporated and the pork is falling apart.
- Remove the pan from the oven and lift the pork pieces out of the liquid and set them on a platter. two forks, gloved hands or even some of these meat claws, carefully shred the pork into bite-sized pieces, discarding any obvious big chunks of fat.
- Pour the pork juice from the pan into a fat separator to further remove grease.
- Return juices to the pan with the shredded pork. Return the pan to the oven and cook, turning occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the pork is crispy and caramelized, about 30 more minutes. Cooking time will depend on how much liquid the pork gave off, and how crispy you want them.
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Recipe tips and FAQs
You can oven roast a bone-in pork, but it will take longer to cook. But cutting the meat into large chunks, you cut the roasting time considerably. If you have a bone-in cut of pork, remove most of the meat from the bone and roast it with the meat.
Once roasted, don’t discard it. You can make a nice pork bone broth with it. I share how to make a delicious instant pot bone broth here.
You can change up the spices in this recipe to customize it however you like it, it’s not rocket science. Some of my favorite spices to use for a pork dry rub mix include:
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- cumin
- chile powder
- smoked paprika
- cayenne pepper
- ground coriander
- mesquite powder (for extra smokiness)
- salt
- black pepper
Once you have your pulled pork, you can serve it any way you want. Of course, the sandwich is the obvious first choice. Check out my post about pulled pork sandwich toppings for more everything you need to enjoy the ultimate sandwich!
Looking for a unique barbecue sauce? Try the orange bbq sauce I include in my orange pulled pork recipe.
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Store any leftover pork in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftovers. Transfer to a resealable bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.
Because the pork pieces are cut and browned, I do not covered my pork when cooking in the oven. I also like to have the ends crispy and cooking it uncovered helps achieve this. You can cover your pork in the oven with foil for part of the cooking process to make an extra juicy pulled pork.
Yes, of course. You can cook it whole or cut it up into smaller pieces to cook it faster. I prefer cutting it up into smaller pieces, especially because it will all get shredded when cooked through. Because a Boston butt has a bone, roast that as well. You can use the bone to make pork bone broth.
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Crispy Pulled Pork in the Oven
Ingredients
- 4 lb boneless pork shoulder
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon chile powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup water
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Trim of excess fat from pork shoulder and cut into 4 to 5-inch chunks.
- Season pork chunks with salt, pepper and spices.
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet to medium-high heat and add oil
- In batches, cook pork chunks in a single layer until very well-browned, turning them as little as possible so they get nice and dark before flipping them around.
- Once all the pork is browned, place them in a single layer in a large roasting pan.
- Pour water in your skillet and scrape the bottom of your skillet to remove all the crispy bits of pork.
- Pour the liquid with the pork bits into the large roasting pan containing your pork shoulder chunks.
- Add bay leaves and chopped garlic.
- Braise in the oven uncovered for 3 to 3 ½ hours, turning the pork a few times during cooking, until much of the liquid is evaporated and the pork is falling apart.
- Remove the pan from the oven and lift the pork pieces out of the liquid and set them on a platter.
- Using a fork, carefully shred the pork into bite-sized pieces, discarding any obvious big chunks of fat.
- Pour the pork juice from the pan into a fat separator to further remove grease.
- Return juices to the pan with the shredded pork.
- Return the pan to the oven and cook, turning occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the pork is crispy and caramelized, about 30 more minutes.
- Cooking time will depend on how much liquid the pork gave off, and how crispy you want them.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
My brain is in overdrive thinking of all of the delicious things to make with this pulled pork!!
So smart Laura – this will save me during the rainy season when I need to feed a crowd. Love the method and the amazing number of things you can make with this pork once it’s cooked!