Oven Roasted Pulled Pork Recipe

This recipe does not require a smoker, and it tastes absolutely delicious. While this method takes a bit of time, it is not difficult to make, It meat turns out tender and delicious. A boston butt is ideal for pulled pork, and using a roast that is 4 to 7 pounds is also ideal.

You will need a 3” deep roasting pan that is large enough for your meat. You need at least 1” on each side for your meat. You can buy a disposable aluminum pan at the grocery store that will work if you do not have a roasting pan large enough to cook this boston butt.

A digital thermometer with an alarm is also handy, but not necessary if you have a regular meat thermometer. In addition, this recipe calls for the meat to be soaked in a brine solution for 12 to 24 hours, so you need a 2 gallon ziploc bag, or in my case I happened to have a very large bowl with a lid to marinate the roast as I did not have a 2 gallon bag.

After you prepare your pork roast to go into the brine, it is also a good time to mix your spices for the dry rub.

Mix all spices and other ingredients together well, and store in an airtight container. This allows the various spices to blend together if you mix them a day ahead.

• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground pepper
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup Applewood Smoke dry rub

• 1/2 cup Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 qts cold water
• 3 tbsp dry rub mix (I used Gourmet Warehouse Applewood Smoke)
• 2 bay leaves

First add the salt to the water, and stir to dissolve the salt. Add the brown sugar, and stir well. Add the dry rub and stir once more.

Prepare the meat by rinsing it under cold water, then dry it off thoroughly. Place the pork in a 2 gallon ziploc bag or some type of container so the brine covers the meat completely. Carefully pour the brine over the meat, and place two bay leaves in the liquid. Keep the meat in the brine for 12 to 24 hours. I kept my pork roast in the brine for 24 hours, and I believe that is why the meat was so tender.

Preheat the oven to 225°. I prepared the roasting pan with aluminum foil on the bottom for easy cleanup.

Take the pork out of the brine, and rinse it under cold water. Dry it off. Next, use the dry rub to cover the whole piece of meat. Rub the dry rub into all of the meat, except the bone. The fat side should be up when you place the meat in the roasting pan. Cook the roast uncovered in the middle rack of the oven.

I had a 7.40 pound pork roast, and it cooked for 12 hours overnight. The roast should reach 190° to 200°. Some ovens automatically turn off after 12 hours, so if you have a larger pork roast you may need to turn the oven back on.

When the appropriate temperature is reached, turn the oven off. Cover the pork with aluminum foil if there is moisture left in the bottom of the pan until the pork roast temperature falls to 170°.

When the pork reaches 170°, you can take it out of the oven. I started by cutting a small piece of the well seasoned pork off the roast to have a taste. It was even better than I expected!

You must cut the crusted fat layer off the top, then you can use two forks to start pulling the pork apart. The middle part of the pork just fell apart, and the outer layer had a delicious crispy crust due to the spices. You can also cut thin slices off, or cut if against the grain for small bites that fall apart. The meat close to the bone is especially tender. This is a meal you and your family will fully enjoy.

I was amazed that I had such a large quantity of meat. I froze half, and we are eating the rest. I think you will really enjoy this recipe, and be pleased at the ease of this recipe. Mixing the spices and brine was so simple.

We have cooked pork in the smoker, but this is the first time I ever tried using this recipe. My family loved the result. This meat was so delicious, and it gave us more than one meal. It was certainly worth the effort.