This Dutch oven BBQ Pulled Pork is a delicious and easy braised pork recipe! The spiced pork butt gets braised in beer and orange juice for several hours until fork-tender and juicy. It is a great prep-ahead recipe for entertaining and serving a crowd!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- It is a great meal to prep ahead and serve company! Simply reheat the pork on the stovetop when you are ready to enjoy!
- This pulled pork recipe is so versatile! Serve in a bun for sandwiches, on small rolls for sliders, or in tortillas for tacos.
- The spiced pork gets braised in beer and orange juice to result in super flavorful and juicy pulled pork!
Key Ingredients
- Pork butt: Pork shoulder works as well but I prefer the fattier cut of pork butt, aka "Boston Butt." Trim any big pieces of fat but be sure to still keep a good amount of fat for flavor.
- Spices: I use a combination of chili powder, paprika (regular or smoked), garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Brown sugar: the brown sugar will caramelize when the pork gets seared and create a delicious sweet flavor.
- Orange juice: The orange juice adds a little sweet and fruity flavor.
- Beer: I recommend using a crisp beer, like a pilsner-style lager.
- Barbecue sauce: your favorite store-bought sauce works great!
How to make pulled pork in a Dutch oven
1. Season the pork butt with the spices all over.
2. Sear the pork on each side on medium-high heat. Depending on how much pork you are making and the size of your Dutch oven, you will most likely need to work in batches to prevent overcrowding. This process will take about 3-5 minutes per batch.
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3. Turn off the heat and add the beer and orange juice to the pot and cover the Dutch oven tightly with a lid.
4. Braise the pork butt in the oven for 2.5-3 hours, or until it very easily shreds with a fork.
5. Remove the pork from the Dutch oven (don't discard the juices!) and use two forks to shred it. Add it back to the pot with its juices.
6. Stir in the barbecue sauce. Taste, adding more sauce as desired. Serve.
How much pork do I need to buy?
For adults, plan on having ⅓ lb of cooked pulled pork per person, and ¼ lb for kids. Since pork cooks down a lot when braised, you'll want about ½ lb to ⅔ lb of uncooked pork per person, depending on how many sides you are serving it with.
Leftover pork is delicious and reheats great! If you are on the fence with how much to get, I recommend rounding up.
How to make pulled pork in advance
Barbecue pulled pork is a great dish for entertaining because it is great prepped in advance!
Cooked pulled pork can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat the pork on the stovetop on medium-low heat until warm.
Bbq Pulled Pork serving suggestions
Pulled pork is delicious as is or served in a bun with coleslaw for a pulled pork sandwich! Opt for small buns for pulled pork sliders.
Leftover pulled pork is also great in breakfast burritos, quesadillas, tacos, or on top of mac and cheese.
📖 Recipe
Dutch Oven BBQ Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 lb boneless pork butt cut into 5 inch chunks (about 6 pieces)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 12 oz beer
- ½ cup orange juice
- ⅔ cup Barbeque sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, chili powder, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and cayenne. Season the pork butt pieces with the seasoning all over.
- Heat a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add the oil and then the seasoned pork. Sear the pork on all sides until browned all over (depending on the size of your Dutch oven you may need to work in batches to prevent overcrowding), about 5 minutes per batch.
- Add the beer and orange juice to the pot with the pork. Cover the Dutch oven with the lid and bake for 2.5-3 hours, or until the pork can easily be shredded with a fork.
- Remove the pork pieces from the Dutch oven and shred each piece (don't discard the juices!). Return the shredded pork to the pot with the juices and toss in the barbecue sauce.
- Serve the pork as is or with a bun for sandwiches or tortilla for tacos.
Notes
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