Nothing beats a juicy pulled pork dish that's got a hearty barbecue flavor. And when you make pulled pork in a Dutch oven, you'll get very tender meat, yet with a crust-like topping that you'll love to crunch. If you haven't got a Dutch oven yet, try to get one like the one here. This type of Dutch oven is perfect for this recipe.

Big John's BBQ Sauce is so delicious with this recipe!! Get ready for the best oven-roasted pulled pork recipe ever!

 

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar (dark is best)
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel powder
  • 1 tablespoon paprika (if you are using liquid smoke, see below)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • Hefty pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 5 to 7 pounds of Circle B Ranch whole pork butt, boneless, or boneless pork loin roast
  • 3 tablespoons cider vinegar, divided
  • 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
  • One large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup bourbon 
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock, vegetable stock, beer, or water (beer tastes great!)
  • 1-16 oz jar of Big John's BBQ Sauce

Optional serving ingredients

  • Buns (whole wheat buns, potato buns, or any other kind you enjoy)
  • Baked beans
  • Coleslaw
  • Fresh parsley (because it looks so pretty)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
  2. While the oven preheats, make a spice rub mixture by combining the salt, pepper, sugar, fennel, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, and coriander powder. Rub the pork generously with the spices, reserving any extra to one side.
  3. Now in your Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the meat and cook it for about 5 minutes while turning it regularly to brown it on all sides.
  4. Add the onion to the pan and stir for about 2 minutes. You want to get all the delicious remaining bits of spices off the bottom of the pan.
  5. Turn the heat off, and move the Dutch oven, making sure there is nothing flammable above the pan. Add the bourbon and light it with a match (the flames will be tall!) Let the fire die out and caramelize the outside of your meat (this should take about 2 minutes).
  6. Now add half of the sauce, along with the chicken or vegetable stock, beer, or water. Cover the Dutch oven. Put it in the oven, leaving it to cook for about 4 hours or till the meat is just beginning to get tender. Uncover the Dutch oven, and continue cooking for about another hour. You'll see a dark crust forming over the meat, and if you put a fork into the meat, there will be little to no resistance.
  7. Once the meat is done, take it out of the Dutch oven (leave the liquid inside) and put it in a large bowl. While the meat is cooling, add the rest of the barbecue sauce to the Dutch oven. Pour in the remaining 3 tablespoons of cider vinegar. Stir well to combine.
  8. When the meat has cooled enough, use a fork to shred it. If you are serving all of the meat at once, transfer all of the pulled pork to the Dutch oven. Combine it with the sauce. Otherwise, put as much meat as you want to consume right away into the sauce, and store the rest of the meat separately (it will keep better that way).
  9. Check the sauce's seasoning and add more salt, pepper, cider vinegar, or molasses, as required.
  10. Serve in wholegrain buns with baked beans on the side, and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Any leftover pulled pork will last for about 4 days in the fridge, or if you decide to freeze it, it will keep for 2 to 3 months - if you can wait that long to eat it again!