If you’re hosting a gathering a slow cooked shoulder will give you the most meaty bang for your buck. These perfectly fatty and super flavorful hefty cuts will yield the best pulled pork on the planet. And plenty of it!
Slow-cooked in the oven the meat remains moist with a melt-in-the-mouth texture – and you don’t even need to worry about the weather.
- 2 tbsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 5-7kg skinless Boston butt / pork shoulder
- Your favorite storebought or homemade barbecue sauce (optional)
In a small bowl, stir together the salt, sugar, paprika, pepper flakes, cumin, and black pepper. Rub the pork butt all over with the spice mixture. Tightly wrap the pork in plastic wrap, place it on a plate, and refrigerate overnight to let the flavours mingle.
Preheat the oven to 120°C. Place a wire rack in a roasting pan. Place the pork butt, fat side up, on the rack. Roast the pork, uncovered, until the internal temperature reaches 88 to 91°C.
By this point, the exterior should be crispy and dry. This can take anywhere from 4 to 10 hours, depending on your oven and the size of your pork butt.
Remove the roast from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes. Shred the roast pork butt with a couple of forks, evenly mixing the crisp, dry edges with the insanely moist, tender pork inside. Serve with BBQ sauce, coleslaw and a jacket potato. Perfection. Or see tip below.
Tip …
Maybe you’re not having a party but you still want a stash of delicious pulled pork – for tacos, BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, chili, burrito bowls (the list is long!).
Cook in one whole piece, or cut into smaller chunks for a shorter oven time (or use a slow-cooker) then simply freeze in 500g cooked portions and you’ll have pulled pork for an endless variety of quick weekend recipes. Quick, quick, slow pork chilli in 30 mins? Crispy Nachos? We have you covered …
