This easy-to-make, juicy Dutch oven pork butt is pulled and served with a finger-licking gravy. This succulent roast that can be served in countless ways requires minimal effort.
I admit it takes a while to cook this Dutch oven pork butt, but the work involved is reduced to a minimum. Mix some ingredients, rub the pork with the mixture, and let the oven do the rest. I've tried many pulled pork recipes over the years, but this one is my favorite.
Try another meltingly tender pork recipe: The Best Braised Pork Cheek Recipe. Or try other pulled meat recipes, such as Pulled Lamb, Slow Cooker Pulled Lamb, or Pulled Turkey.
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Why use a Dutch oven?
A Dutch oven is my favorite pot - I have five in different sizes, shapes, and colors (Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab). It's great for almost anything: soups, stews, roasts, chicken dishes, even whole turkeys.
Heavy and thick, it holds and distributes heat evenly, making it perfect for pulled pork or braising large cuts of meat at low temperatures until meltingly tender. Make this Dutch Oven Pork Roast, too.
Recipe ingredients
Use the shoulder - more specifically, the pork butt or Boston butt. Despite the name, it's cut from the front of the pig, not the rear; the back part is actually called the ham.
This cut has enough fat to keep the meat juicy and tender as it cooks. If pork butt isnโt available, the picnic shoulder (just below the butt) is a good alternative, though slightly firmer.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make Dutch oven pork butt?
Preparations - the day before:
Trim the fat: Grocery store pork usually has most of the fat removed, but if thereโs still a thick layer, trim some off with a sharp knife. Leave a bit behind for flavor and moisture.
Salt the meat (optional): For deeper seasoning, rub the pork with salt, wrap it in plastic, place it in a dish, and refrigerate overnight.
Season the meat:
Step #1: Mix mustard, tomato paste, both paprika sorts, garlic powder, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Step #2: Remove pork from the fridge 1-2 hours before cooking, rub it with the marinade, and set it on the counter.
Cook pork butt:
Step #3: Sautรฉ the onion for about 8 minutes until soft and slightly golden but not brown.
Step #4: Add the apple and continue cooking for about 5 minutes.
Step #5: Place the meat on top of the onions, add the bay leaves, and pour the stock around it. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, and transfer to the preheated oven.
Step #6: Cook for 2 ยฝ โ 3 ยฝ hours, or until it easily pulls with a fork.
Finish the dish:
Step #7: Strain the cooking liquid, keep the vegetables. Wipe the pot, return the sauce and vegetables, and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning and reheat briefly.
Step #8: Pull the pork while it is still hot. Cut the pork into smaller pieces and shred the pieces with 2 forks.
Tip: Chill the sauce for 10 minutes to let the fat rise, then skim it off with a spoon.
Good to know!
Don't be tempted to use pork loin or pork tenderloin to make this recipe. Both cuts are too lean to make pulled pork.
Trim the excess fat, but not all of it. Remove the significant bits of fat, but make sure to leave some on; some fat adds a lot of flavor and keeps the meat juicy.
Salting the meat before roasting adds a lot of flavor; I always try to plan to make pulled pork to include the necessary time for salting.
Don't mix the shredded pork with all the sauce at once. Add sauce little by little until you think it's right for you.
Slow cooker instructions
Salt and rub the pork. Saute the onions and apple as instructed. Transfer to the slow cooker. Place the meat on top, and pour 1 cup of stock around it.
Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours until you can pull the meat easily with a fork.
Shred the meat, remove the fat, and puree the sauce as instructed. Mix. You might not need all the sauce at once. Mix some with the meat and add as much as you like.
Storage and leftovers
Refrigerate: Pulled pork can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
To freeze the pork, place it in freezer bags or an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the sauce separately.
When ready to use, defrost in the fridge or microwave. If the portions are small, it will defrost quickly.
For a quick meal, mix the defrosted pork with the sauce for pasta or serve with meatballs and mashed potatoes.
How to serve pulled pork?
Serve the Dutch oven-roast pork with Garlic Rosemary Mashed Potatoes, sauce, and Buttered Vegetables or German Coleslaw โ a wonderful Sunday or festive day lunch or dinner.
Make pork ragu and serve it with pasta. You can reheat the meat in some of the leftover sauce and mix it with tagliatelle, pappardelle, or any other kind of pasta you like. You can also serve the ragu over rice.
My kids love wraps filled with shredded meat, lettuce leaves, onion, and tomato slices, a little sour cream or thick yogurt, and some sauce. Either ketchup or something mild for my daughter, or some spicier sauce for my son (sriracha, sweet chili sauce, etc.).
Dutch Oven Pork Butt
Ingredients
- 4โ6 lbs pork butt Note 1
- 1 to 1 ยฝ tablespoon fine sea salt Note 2
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 medium onions a total of about 5.5-7 oz/ 150-200 g
- 1 medium apple
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 ยพ cup chicken or beef stock
Instructions
- Salt pork: Rub the pork shoulder with salt, wrap it in plastic foil and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the fridge and rub with the marinating paste about 1-2 hours before cooking (the next step below).4โ6 lbs pork butt+ 1 to 1 ยฝ tablespoon fine sea salt
- Rub meat: Mix mustard, tomato paste, both paprika sorts, garlic powder, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Rub the meat all over with this mixture and let it sit on the counter for 1-2 hours.1 tablespoon Dijon mustard + 1 tablespoon tomato paste + 1 teaspoon smoked paprika + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika + 1 teaspoon garlic powder + 1 teaspoon red chili flakes + ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt + ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 320ยฐF/ 160ยฐC.
- Prepare ingredients: Peel and slice the onion into half rings. Chop the apple.2 medium onions + 1 medium apple
- Saute: Heat the oil in a Dutch oven. Saute the onion with a pinch of salt on medium-low heat for about 8 minutes until soft. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water if necessary. Add the apple and continue cooking for about 5 minutes.1 tablespoon oil
- Place the meat on top, add bay leaves, and pour the stock around the meat (not on top, so that you don't wash away the marinade). Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven.3 bay leaves + 1 ยพ cup chicken or beef stock
- Cook for 2 ยฝ โ 3 ยฝ hours, or until the meat easily pulls with a fork. The cooking time depends on the size of the meat piece and your oven, some are hotter than others.
- Shred pork: Remove the meat from the pot. Shred with two forks. Keep warm while you make the sauce.
Sauce:
- Removing the fat from the sauce is optional but recommendable. Strain the cooking sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a larger bowl. Reserve the vegetables, but discard the bay leaves. Refrigerate the sauce for about 10 minutes to allow the fat to separate from the rest. Remove the fat from the surface of the bowl with a flatter spoon.
- Make sauce: Wipe the Dutch oven with kitchen paper and pour the sauce and the cooked veggies back in. Puree the vegetables with an immersion blender until the sauce is smooth. There will probably be no need for extra seasoning but check.
- Reheat the sauce. Add sauce to the shredded meat little by little until you have enough, you might not need it all, it depends on your taste.
Notes
- Use pork shoulder - ideally pork butt (also called Boston butt), which comes from the front of the pig, not the rear. If pork butt isnโt available, the picnic shoulder (just below the butt) is a good alternative. I often use a boneless cut, but bone-in works too (around 5 to 7 lbs/2.2 to 3.2 kg).
- Portions: This makes enough to feed a crowd or provide leftovers for several meals. I usually freeze at least a third of the shredded meat.
- Rubbing the meat with salt and refrigerating overnight is optional but recommended. The salt will penetrate the meat, so it is better to season it.
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