Easy Pulled Pork (Oven or Crock Pot) + the Best BBQ Sauce Ever

Easy pulled pork for busy weeknights. Great alone, over baked potatoes, or on sandwiches! Oven & crock pot instructions, + the best BBQ sauce recipe ever! Works well with beef too!

The first time I ate pulled pork was when a dear friend made it for us after our first baby was born. 

I appreciated every single meal delivered during that precious and exhausting season of life…but I LOVED the pulled pork dinner!

I got the recipe from my friend and have tweaked it to make it my own, and today I’m sharing this family favorite with you!

How To Make Pulled Pork (or Beef)

Pulled Pork – An Easy Dinner for Busy Weeknights

This pulled pork is one of my go-to recipes for busy weeknights, and for good reason. 

• It’s simple – All you need are a few pantry staples and a pastured pork butt or shoulder roast, which I always have in the freezer for this very recipe.
• It’s versatile – Make it with pork or beef.It’s equally delicious in the oven or the slow cooker. The spices can be increased or decreased as desired. Sliced onions or bell peppers can be added if you like them. It can be served with a side of cole slaw, on top of a baked potato, or as a sandwich. The possibilities are endless. 
• It’s great left over – We all know I’m a huge fan of leftovers, and I love that the whole family’s glad to see this one again on the second night!

Tips For Making Pulled Pork

• Sliced shallots or onion can be cooked with the pork if desired. Simply lay these on the bottom of the foil pack or Crock Pot, place the uncooked and seasoned pork on top, and follow the cooking instructions above.
• Try adding different herbs and spices for the pork rub

Easy, Homemade BBQ Sauce

The perfect compliment to this easy pulled pork is my friend, Diana’s Easy, Homemade BBQ Sauce. Like homemade salad dressings, BBQ sauce is something I am committed to making myself – not only for health reasons, but because the flavor is a thousand times better!

Diana’s BBQ sauce is made without refined sugar or corn syrup and has an incredible depth of flavor unlike any other recipe I’ve tasted (and I’m from Texas, y’all, so I’ve had plenty!). It’s truly amazing and really takes the flavor of this pulled pork over the top! 

Visit My Humble Kitchen to get the Easy, Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe! 

Easy Pulled Pork in the Oven or Crock Pot (+ Best BBQ Sauce)

Easy pulled pork for busy weeknights. Great alone, over baked potatoes, or on sandwiches! Oven & crock pot instructions, + the best BBQ sauce recipe ever! Works well with beef too!

4.87 from 30 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Easy Pulled Pork, Pulled Pork BBQ Sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 316kcal

Author: Dena Norton

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 3-4 pound pastured pork butt or shoulder roast* (can substitute beef)
• ▢ 4 tsp pure maple syrup
• ▢ 3 tsp sea salt
• ▢ 2 tsp ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 tsp ground red pepper cayenne
• ▢ 3 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 2 tsp smoked paprika
• ▢ * A butt roast will have more fat adding more moisture. If using shoulder or other leaner cut, consider adding 2-4 Tbsp water
• ▢ Homemade BBQ Sauce

Instructions

For Oven Method

• Preheat to 425 degrees.
• Line roasting pan with 2-4 sheets of heavy duty foil that can be folded up around the roast to make a pouch (I stack them in a cross formation so all sides of pouch will seal when folded).
• Place the roast, fat side up in the middle of the foil.
• In a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients with a spoon to form a paste.
• Rub the paste over the top and all sides of the roast (will be a thin layer).
• Bring the edges of each foil sheet to the top and fold over one another to create a sealed pouch.
• Place roast in oven and turn heat down to 325 degrees.
• Cook for 2.5 hours or until internal temperature reads at least 145 degrees and meat separates easily using a fork. Baste with its own juices midway through cooking if desired.
• Baste the cooked roast again, reseal the foil pouch, and allow to rest on the counter for a few minutes.
• Transfer roast to cutting board and use two forks or a knife and a fork to shred/cut the meat as desired. Place meat in a bowl and add juices from foil pouch along with a few spoonfuls of Diana's homemade BBQ sauce (Click the image below for recipe), stirring to mix.
• Serve with additional BBQ sauce.

Crock Pot Method

• Same as above, but forego the foil pouch if desired, instead placing the roast directly into the Crock Pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hrs or until internal temperature is at least 145 degrees. Proceed with basting, shredding, and adding BBQ sauce similar to oven method.

Notes

Sliced shallots or onion can be cooked with the pork if desired. Simply lay these on the bottom of the foil pack or Crock Pot, place the uncooked and seasoned pork on top, and follow the cooking instructions above.

Nutrition

Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 1021mg | Potassium: 813mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 353IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 3mg

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