Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches

Perfect for picnics, barbeques, or weekend dinners, this easy oven-braised pulled pork will be a family favorite!

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Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: BBQ, Dinner Roll, Lunch, Pork, Pulled Pork, Sandwiches

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 4

Meat Resting & Shredding Time: 30

Total Time: 5

Servings: Servings

Calories: 188kcal

Equipment

Large Cast Iron or Wide, Heavy Bottomed Pan
Filet or Paring Knife
Cutting Board
Deep Baking Dish (optional: lined with foil for easy cleanup)
Basting Brush
Large Liquid Measuring Cups
Tongs
Meat Forks (or Regular Forks)
Aluminum Foil
Glass 13x9 Baking Dish

Ingredients

1 8-10 Lb Bone-In Pork Shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
3-4 Carrots, Peeled and Cut
Celery Tops, or 2 Stalks Celery, Cut
2 Med. Onions, Peeled and Cut into Quarters
6-8 Cloves Garlic, Peeled
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Quart Chicken Broth
28 oz. Barbeque Sauce plus extra for serving
¼ C. Kosher Salt
2-3 Tbsp. Black Pepper
2-3 Tbsp. Garlic Powder
Sandwich or Hamburger Buns

Instructions

Gather all of your ingredients. Bring a large cast iron pan (or a wide, heavy bottomed pan) to high heat. Preheat the oven to 250℉.
Generously season all sides of the trimmed pork shoulder, including the sides.
Once your pan is smoking hot, add in the oil. Carefully add the pork to the pan and sear about 5 minutes, until you get a nice crust on the outside. Using a pair of tongs or forks, flip the pork and repeat the sear on the other side. After 5 minutes, rotate the pork to sear the remaining sides and ends.
In the meantime, evenly distribute the prepared vegetables along the bottom of the baking dish. While aluminum foil isn't necessary, it does help make clean up much easier!
Once the pork has been fully seared, carefully lift the meat from the pan and lay it over the vegetables in the baking dish. Brush the top and sides of the pork generously with the barbeque sauce.
Pour the chicken broth into the pan, and mix in the remaining barbeque sauce, coating the vegetables.
Cover the top of the baking dish with aluminum foil and seal around the edges. This will keep the steam in the pan as the meat braises, helping to tenderize the meat. Cook the pork for 4 hours.
After cooking, remove the baking dish from the oven, peeling back the foil lid. Allow the pork to rest for about 15 minutes.
Using the meat forks (or tongs), carefully move the pork shoulder to a separate baking pan - have the pans as close together as possible, as the meat will be fall apart tender.
Pull out and discard the bone. Using the forks, shred the meat.
Add in 1 or 2 ladlesful of the braising liquid and mix through, adding in a little additional moisture and flavor.
Serve the pulled pork on sandwich buns, with an extra drizzle of barbeque sauce, if you prefer.

Notes

Pulled pork makes great leftovers- portion any extra meat in freezer-safe Ziploc bags, and thaw when you need a quick meal. It's perfect for tacos, quesadillas, or nachos!

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