This one’s my go-to for casual BBQs and long, lazy weekend afternoons. The kind where you can plonk a Dutch oven pulled pork in the center of the table, along with some sides, and everyone makes their own burgers. Soft buns, a spoonful of slaw, a few pickles, and a slice of cheese that just melts when it hits the pulled pork… honestly, that’s summer on a plate in our house!

A black Le Creuset Casserole full of BBQ pulled pork.

There’s something about pulled pork that just feels like Summer. It’s a great recipe when you’re having people over this time of year, because it’s super easy to feed a crowd with it. Just pop the lid on the Dutch oven, let it do its thing, and by the time everyone’s wrinkled from swimming all afternoon, the pork’s ready to go! Plus, if I’m really hosting a crowd, it frees up space on my Traeger grill so there’s more room for ribs and corn!

Don’t even get me started on the BBQ sauce. I could drink this stuff, it’s so good! Smoky chipotle with just enough heat, balanced by a touch of apple sweetness. It’s sweet, rich and a little tangy with just the right amount of sticky. O has declared this the best thing I’ve made in years, so I’m gonna say, it’s not half bad!

Why you’ll love this recipe

The Dutch oven does all the work. I don’t even brown the meat before cooking. Just pop it in the oven for a few hours and let it do its thing. You’ll be left with Juicy, fall-apart pork with caramelised bits on top – what’s not to love?!

This one feeds a crowd. It’s perfect for backyard get-togethers or an easy Sunday dinner, knowing you can rehash it for Monday night’s dinner as well

Pile it onto buns, wrap it into tacos, stuff it in toasties… One recipe, so many ways to serve it up!

Close up of a Dutch oven of BBQ pulled pork.

What you need to get started

For the pork dry rub and braise…

Brown sugar, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, ground chipotle powder, sea salt flakes.
Apple juice – I just use a PET popper pack from O’s lunchbox stash.
Boneless pork shoulder. Keep the fat cap on initially, as it will help keep the pork tender throughout the slow cooking process. As pork shoulders are quite easy to find in Australia (as opposed to a Boston butt), that’s what I use for this recipe. However, if you can get a boneless pork butt, please feel free to substitute!

For the BBQ sauce…

brown onion, fresh garlic cloves
brown sugar, ground cumin, ground chipotle powder
Dijon mustard, tomato ketchup (I use Heinz)
liquid smoke, molasses – both of these impart a huge amount of depth and are worth searching your grocery store for!
apple juice, apple cider vinegar

Step-by-step instructions

Make the spice rub and marinate the pork shoulder.
Preheat your oven.
Put the pork into your Dutch oven and add the apple juice. Pop the lid on and cook in the oven until the pork pulls apart easily with a fork.
Make the BBQ sauce.
Remove the pork from the pot and Shred the pork meat using two forks, then return the shredded pork to the Dutch oven.
Coat the meat in the homemade BBQ sauce, then return to the oven.
Enjoy! Pile the pork onto buns, add a slice of cheese (let it melt a little), top with slaw and pickles, and eat! Don’t forget the napkins – it can get messy!

A pork shoulder in a roasting pan marinating in the pork rub.

Equipment

As this is a Dutch oven recipe, first and foremost, you’ll need a large Dutch oven. It’s my essential tool! For this recipe, I use my Le Creuset 29cm oval cast iron Dutch oven. The oval shape is perfect for cooking a large pork shoulder. A round 26cm/28cm Dutch oven will work perfectly as well.

Wondering what the best Dutch oven is? Check out this post comparing Staub vs Le Creuset cookware.

You’ll also need a sharp knife, a chopping board, a wooden spoon for stirring, and measuring tools. To shred the pork, you’ll also need two forks or a set of shredding meat claws

Cooks notes

Low and slow is the name of the game with this one. Don’t rush it! We want beautiful easy to pull apart pork. If after 1 hour, your pork meat isn’t pulling apart easily, give it another 30 minutes.
If you love your chili, feel free to add more by either adding more chipotle powder or even try a chipotle in adobo sauce – I love these and always hava a spare can in my pantry.
Don’t feel like you have to make everything the day of. Prep the sauce or even cook the pork the day before. Slow cooked meats generally taste better on day 2 anyway!
If you prefer a smooth sauce to my chunkier version here, you can blend the sauce until smooth, so there’s no chunks of onion visable.

Ok, let’s serve it up!

The nice thing about a big pot of BBQ pulled pork is that it can be rehashed into so many different dinners. Here are just a few of my go-tos…

On burger buns with cheese, slaw, and pickles. A total classic on game days (or any other day) and at the top of my list.
With potato salad, corn ribs, and a homemade loaf of Dutch oven bread to mop up all those juicy bits left on the plate!
Make Mexican and use it as the base in tacos, burritos, or even the BEST loaded nachos you’ll ever eat! All you need to add is your favorite toppings.
Stuff up some steamed bao buns with pork, spring onion, grated carrot, and fresh chillis for a super quick dinner the next day.
Make the ultimate pork sandwiches by sandwiching pulled pork and a layer of cheese between two pieces of sourdough and toasting til the cheese is melted. Drool.
Try a pulled pork bowl with steamed rice, chopped salad, beans, grated cheese, and avocado – My favorite!

Can I make it in advance?

Yes, you sure can! The sauce can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the fridge until needed. You can also make the pork the day before, AND it freezes perfectly, so get ahead and portion into your family size dinners and freeze until needed.

FAQ’s

Yes, you can. While a Dutch oven slow cooking will always be my preferred method, you could also try slow roasting in an oven tray or an electric slow cooker. Please note that you will need to adjust the cooking time if you use a different method.

Want to cheat? Go for it! I’m all for a good cheat when I’m a little short on time (and energy!)

Storage

Store any leftover pulled pork in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 3 days in the fridge or freeze for 3 months. It freezes perfectly, so don’t be afraid to cook a big batch and freeze half of it for another day – I do it all the time! Once defrosted, reheat gently on top of the stove with a splash of water in your Dutch oven on a low heat til warmed through.