Everybody deserves great pulled pork—even without a smoker. This is a true oven pulled pork recipe that uses a pork butt (also called a Boston butt), cooked low and slow at 250°F. The result? Juicy, tender shredded pork with a smoky bark that tastes like it came off the grill—with hardly any effort.
Jump To (scroll for more)
- ❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 🐖Ingredients
- 👨🍳Quick Overview: How to Cook Pulled Pork in the Oven from Pork Butt
- ⏰ How Long to Cook Pork Butt in the Oven
- 🌡️ When is Pork Butt Done?
- 👨🍳Make It Right: Flavor Tips & Options
- 👍More Pulled Pork Recipes
- 🍽️Serving Pulled Pork
- 🧊 Storing Pulled Pork
- 🔥How to Reheat Pulled Pork
- ❓FAQs
- 📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Featured Comment by Lisa B :
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"I was beyond amazed at the end product of this recipe. The cooking method is foolproof. People thought the pork was cooked on a smoker or grill. It was perfectly moist but with the crunchy texture of the bark mixed in. So easy! Outstanding results."
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No smoker? No problem: Get deep BBQ-style flavor with just your oven and a pork butt—no special equipment needed.
- Beginner-friendly and foolproof: Just rub, roast at 250°F, rest, and shred. No flipping, basting, or worrying about fire.
- Juicy pulled pork with real bark: Low and slow cooking melts fat and collagen while forming that irresistible crispy crust.
- Feeds a crowd or the freezer: Make a big batch once and enjoy easy meals for days—sandwiches, nachos, tacos, you name it.
DrDan says:
We make this oven pulled pork almost every month. With just 10 minutes of prep, you can simulate a smoker or grill right in your oven—just set it to 250°F, add a good dry rub, and use a little liquid smoke. The results? Tender, juicy pork with bark and flavor that says “BBQ,” not “shortcut.”
🐖Ingredients
- Pork butt (aka Boston butt): Bone-in or boneless will work, but bone-in usually gives better bark and avoids netting issues.
✅Pro tip: Boneless roasts often come in netting, which can tear off the bark—remove it before cooking or go bone-in.
- Dry rub: Use your favorite pork rub or the simple homemade version in the recipe card. It's a mix of brown sugar, kosher salt, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
Optional: Try my Memphis dry rub for a different flavor profile, or add a pinch of cayenne for heat.
- Liquid smoke (optional but recommended): Adds a smoky flavor and fills your kitchen with BBQ magic. Choose a high-quality brand like Wright’s with only “smoke” and “water” listed as ingredients.
👨🍳Quick Overview: How to Cook Pulled Pork in the Oven from Pork Butt
1. Preparing the pork butt:
Mix the dry rub. Pat dry the pork butt, coat with liquid smoke (optional), and apply the rub.
Place it on a foil-lined rimmed tray with a rack (recommended for better bark).
2. Roast low and slow:
Roast in a 250° oven until an internal temp of 200° to 205°—about 8-9 hours.
✅Pro Tip: No need to preheat or use convection. Just a center rack and steady heat.
3. Resting the meat:
Wrap tightly with foil, then several towels, and let rest in a small insulated cooler or on the counter for 1 to 2 hours.
✅Pro Tip: Don’t skip the rest. It locks in moisture and makes shredding easier. Shred too soon, and the juices end up on your cutting board.
4. Shred and serve:
Shred with forks—it should fall apart easily and stay juicy, with crispy bark.
✅Pro tip: A well-wrapped pork butt can stay warm in a small insulated cooler for up to 4 hours before shredding. Never try to shred one that’s gone cold—it just won’t work.
For complete step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card or keep reading for tips, flavor options, and serving ideas.
⏰ How Long to Cook Pork Butt in the Oven
At 250°F, a 4-pound boneless pork butt will take about 8 to 9 hours in the oven. Bone-in cuts may take a little longer. A general guide is 2 hours per pound at 250°F—but actual time can vary between 1½ to 2½ hours per pound depending on the meat’s size and shape.
You can adjust the oven temperature slightly—225° to 275°F works—but avoid going higher. At 300°F or above, the outside may dry out before the collagen fully melts. Also, skip convection. It cooks unevenly and can dry the bark.
✅ Pro Tip: Some ovens will automatically shut off after 8 to 12 hours as a safety feature. Check your manual so you don’t wake up to a cold oven and half-cooked pork.
🌡️ When is Pork Butt Done?
Pork butt is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 200° to 205°F. That’s when the collagen fully breaks down and gives you that tender, juicy pulled pork texture.
The breakdown starts around 175°F, but don’t stop there—it’s not truly “pullable” until you hit 200° minimum.
You must use a meat thermometer and check the thickest part. Don’t rely on time, color, or guesswork—only the temperature tells the truth.
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👨🍳Make It Right: Flavor Tips & Options
- Try a different rub: My Memphis dry rub brings a spicier, smokier finish. Or try my Chipotle Seasoning — it makes a bold dry rub when you add the optional brown sugar. Add cayenne for heat or smoked paprika for extra depth.
- Don’t want liquid smoke? Rub the pork with yellow mustard before the dry rub. It helps the bark form and adds a subtle tang.
- Split a big roast: If your pork butt is 6+ pounds, cut it in half to speed up cooking and create more surface area for bark. Space the pieces out on the rack. Cooking time will be closer to a 4–5 pounder.
👍More Pulled Pork Recipes
For more pulled pork recipes, try my Smoked Pork Butt on a Gas Grill or Crock Pot Pulled Pork. Craving carnitas? Check out Pork Carnitas in the Oven or Crock Pot Pork Carnitas—both made from pork butt and packed with flavor.
🍽️Serving Pulled Pork
We love pulled pork piled high on a toasted bun with Memphis BBQ Sauce. Add a scoop of coleslaw or your favorite condiments for a classic sandwich.
Not in a sandwich mood? Try it as a main dish with your favorite sides—or repurpose leftovers into nachos, tacos, or quesadillas.
🍴 Great Side Dishes
- Cold sides: Coleslaw, potato salad, Caprese Pasta Salad, or Macaroni Salad.
- Hot sides: Old fashioned cornbread, cheesy potato casserole, French Fries, or Mac and Cheese are also great sides.
🧊 Storing Pulled Pork
Store leftover pulled pork in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days—though I prefer using it within 2 days, since the texture tends to suffer.
For longer storage, pulled pork freezes well for 3 to 4 months. Many people portion it into reheatable freezer bags and reheat those bags directly in simmering water for a quick option.
🔥How to Reheat Pulled Pork
- Spread the pork out on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Sprinkle lightly with water or apple juice using your hand—just enough to moisten.
- Cover tightly with foil.
- Heat in a 250°–300°F oven until hot—usually 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the amount.
- Keep warm by lowering the oven temp or transferring to a crock pot on low or keep warm setting.
✅Pro Tip: Never reheat or store pulled pork with sauce already added. The acid breaks down the texture and turns it mushy.
❓FAQs
You don’t have to, but it helps. Elevating the pork on a rack (or crumpled foil) keeps it out of the fat drippings and helps the bark form more evenly. See Crock Pot Pulled Pork for an example of elevating with foil.
Nope. Leave it uncovered in the oven so the bark can develop properly. The pork stays moist from melted connective tissue, not steam.
You don’t need special tools. Use two forks to pull the meat apart. Any bone will slip out easily—just discard any tough bits or fat.
Yes—pork butt and Boston butt are the same cut. It comes from the upper shoulder of the pig, above the picnic shoulder. It’s full of connective tissue that melts during slow cooking, making it the best choice for juicy, tender pulled pork.
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Oven Pulled Pork from Pork Butt (Low and Slow at 250°F)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- about 4 pounds Pork Butt - aka Boston Butt
- rub of your choice - good quality
- 2 tablespoons Wright's Liquid Smoke - optional but recommended
Suggested dry rub if you don't have one
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt - 2 tablespoons if using Morton
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preparing the pork butt:
- Use a rub of your choice. If using my rub, mix ½ cup dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
- Place a 4-pound (give or take a little) bone-in or boneless pork butt on a large piece of plastic wrap if prepping ahead. Rub with about 2 tablespoons of liquid smoke (optional).
- Use about 1 cup of rub and coat all sides of the pork butt generously. If you have time, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. If not, go ahead and bake—it’ll still be great.
2. Roast low and slow:
- Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and a rack. Spray the rack heavily with PAM or oil.
- Place the pork butt on the rack and bake in a 250°F oven (no convection). No need to preheat. Fat cap up or down doesn’t matter. You can raise the temp to 275°F to shorten the cook time, but I recommend sticking with 250°F.
- Bake until the internal temperature reaches 200°–205°F—usually 8–9 hours. Time will vary based on size, bone-in vs. boneless, and oven behavior.
3. Resting the meat:
- Remove from the oven and place directly onto heavy-duty aluminum foil. Wrap tightly, then wrap in several towels. Let it rest for 1–2 hours. To extend the resting time and serve freshly pulled, place the wrapped pork in a small insulated cooler. It will stay warm for up to 4 hours if well-wrapped.
4. Shred and serve:
- Shred with forks. It should fall apart easily and stay juicy.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Use the resting time to adjust serving time by a few hours if needed.
- If you don't have a rack, elevate the meat on rolled-up balls of foil—don’t let it sit in the fat.
- If using liquid smoke, I suggest sticking to Wright’s™. It should contain only “smoke” and “water.”
- My rub is provided for you, but use the rub of your choice.
- If you use my rub, the salt is calculated on Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. 1 teaspoon table salt = 1¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt = 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
- The rub works well even if you cut the salt in half for a lower-sodium version.
- 195°F is the bare minimum temp, but 200°–205°F gives better results. and 210° is the max before things deteriorate.
- Store in the fridge for up to 4 days (I prefer 2 for best texture), or freeze for up to 4 months.
- Bone-in or boneless does not matter. But bone-in may take a bit longer.
- Fat pad up or down does not matter.
- I frequently just wet it with the liquid smoke, apply the rub, then directly into the oven. Without wrapping for a few hours.
- DO NOT cover the pork while baking. You want a dry oven to develop the bark.
- Nutrition info is approximate—fat drains off, bark holds seasoning, and every cut varies.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's note: Originally Published November 2, 2013. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Judy Uhl says
Hi Dr. DAN, I'll be putting in 8.5 pork butt in my roaster oven. I read to crank up the heat to 400 for the first 30 minutes then lower to 250 or 275 for 8 to 10 hours. Any thoughts? I also put chicken broth and onions in the bottom of the roaster and dry rub on top of the roast.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Judy,
Welcome back, I haven't heard from you for a while.
I have not cooked much in a roaster, mainly using mine to keep things warm for parties.
The 400° thing is a bit odd. If it is a roaster recipe, maybe it is a preheating thing—getting it up to temperature fast, so I'm ok with it. But starting a large chunk of meat at a high temp is generally not the way to get the center to over 200° where you need a pork butt for shredding, but then they get down to a low and slow temp range which is right.
The total time seems a little low for 8 pounds. Get it to at least 200°-205° to shred well.
The onion and broth. Fine, if you want. I prefer a dryer environment for a better crust.
I would cook on a rack to get it out of the broth or any drainage. And I would put a dry rub on all sides.
So, final verdict, it will probably be fine, but get to a good final temp.
Just my off-the-cuff comments.
Have a good holiday.
Dan
Karen says
I first discovered this recipe about 7 years ago, and I make it regularly - I keep single servings in the freezer. Super tasty and very easy. Thanks for posting it!
Althea says
No comment just a question. Where in the oven do I want to place my oven rack? Lowest near bottom heat element or in the middle of the oven?
Thanks for the recipe and looking forward to making this.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Althea,
Welcome to the blog.
Middle. In general, all oven recipes should have the dish in the middle. Somethings, like a whole chicken or turkey, should be lowered a bit to get the bird in the middle.
Hope that helps. Enjoy your pork.
Dan
Dawn says
So if we cut an 11 lb pork butt in half and cook both pieces at the same time just spread a bit apart, the time would be closer to 10-11 hours at 250?
Thanks!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Dawn,
Welcome to the blog and good question.
The cooking time is dependent on the distance from the outside to the center of the pork butt. So cutting in half will shorten that distance and the time. When placing them on the tray, get them as far apart as reasonable on your tray. This will decrease the "envelope" of cold area. The cooking time will be more close to 5-6 pound but you should monitor it. So your guess is reasonable but be sure to check a few hours early. If you find you are "running over time" and need to speed it up, go up by 25° or a bit more (300° max).
Also pay attention to my warning about many ovens turning off after 8-10 hours for safety if left on accidentally. You don't want that happening to you without being able to correct it.
Dan
SuperDave says
My 11.27# butt took 15hrs-50min, had to foil-wrap after a 3hr stall, @198° turned oven off and coasted 2hrs.
The reason I am commenting is I was shocked, even my racked/braised elk shoulder was only 12hrs @250°.
You are correct Sir, this is the only way to "grill" indoors. I roasted on the bare oven rack, sheet pan below filled with water (possible extended cook time), with excellent bark.
Truth be known, I have laid oak wood pieces on my oven element with the stove vent plugged, fan and window open to smoke meats indoors ; )
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi SuperDave,
Thanks for the note. I enjoyed it and I'm sure other readers will also. I'm not recommending wood on the oven elements or interfering with venting. Some definite safety issues. Use liquid smoke next time.
Dan
SE says
The FAQs are not opening.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi and welcome to the blog.
I can not reproduce this in three browsers.
I had the auto close turned on until about a month ago but they are now open by default. The plugin that closed them was still installed but turned off. I just took it off the site and cleared all caches.
So, check it now and if it still does not work, you may have an old version "caught" in the browser cache, so you may need to clear that.
If it still does not work, let me know the OS and browser you are seeing this in.
Thanks for the heads up.
Dan
Patrick says
Seems straight forward but there’s no mention of a stall. Wouldn’t that really affect the cook time?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Patrick,
Welcome to the blog.
You are right that I don't discuss the stall with the oven or crockpot based recipes. Most people using those techniques don't monitor the temperature curve as closely as grillers and smokers must. It would probably add some needless confusion for those users.
I do discuss the stall and the Texas crunch wrap in the grill-based brisket and pork butt recipes. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/pulled-pork-on-gas-grill-not-that-hard/ (discussed stall but not the Texas crunch due to the size of the butts won't usually need it.)
And https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/cook-brisket-gas-grill/ with a much longer discussion on cause and treatment.
As to affecting the oven cooking time of butt, it probably does a bit but if you are under 5-6 pounds, not much.
Dan
Nicole says
Just wondering if it is totally necessary to let it rest for so long or is that optional? I only ask so I know how to get my timing right to accommodate for the cooking time. What would your recommended minimum resting time be if not the 1-2 hours? SO excited to try this out.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Nicole,o
Welcome to the blog. It is in the post under FAQs https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/oven-pulled-pork-from-pork-butt/#❓faqs . As little as 15 minutes will work fairly well. It gives time for the moisture to reabsorb back into the cells. I frequently only do 15 minutes because that is the limit of my wife's patience.
"The rest before the shred could be as short as 15 minutes, but longer is better. Shred just before serving. It will stay warm with my method for about 4 hours, giving you an ample time window to hit to serve freshly shredded pork."
Dan
Jennifer Matthews says
Can I mix the rub with the liquid smoke and coat the pork with it or will the consistency not work with sticking to the pork?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Jennifer,
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Welcome to the blog.
Can you, possibly, but there is not that much liquid smoke, and you might make a clumpy mess. I would just lightly wet the surface with the liquid smoke and dry rub.
Dan
Meg says
Absolutely delicious! Really does taste like it’s been in a smoker.
Grace Hawkins says
This is in the over right now! Cannot wait - I had to make it a day ahead of time for our party tomorrow night. Would you wait to shred it? OR would you shred and then reheat?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Grace,
Welcome to the blog.
You shred it now and refrigerated it, or it will become very hard to shred. Reheating instructions are in both the post and recipe card.
Dan
Brandon says
‘Simply’ amazing! Cooked exactly to recipe andEVERYONE raved about it… 5 lbs/ 9 hours …. Rest wrapped 3-4 hours and it was the perfect temp and consistency to then shred…. Liquid smoke awesome! Thanks so much …
Celesti says
This was a delicious and easy recipe that received several compliments from the folks on my dart league. I used the Wright's Liquid Smoke in hickory and some of my friends (who own smoker grills) asked me if I smoked the meat ! Served the pulled pork with slider rolls and a side of cole slaw.
Thanks !!
Myra says
Of the 3 Wright’s Liquid smoke flavors, which is your favorite? (Hickory,Mesquite, Applewood). I am looking forward to trying this recipe for Labor Day and would like your suggestions before I order from Amazon. Thanks.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Myra,
Welcome to the blog. I'm a traditional hickory guy and can always find it at most of my local stores. It will be around the sauces like tobacco. It is a small bottle that will only be one or two rows and is easy to miss.
Dan
Gary Atkinson says
DrDan,
I've been eating pork barbeque for 60 years and have come to prefer the eastern North Carolina style. I've traveled out of my way to reach several of the vaunted barbeque restaurants in North and South Carolina, and there's no doubt in my mind that your recipe is the absolute best in terms of flavor and texture. I've found that the best way to reheat the meat is to steam it in a steamer basket. This method resuscitated even year-old frozen barbeque that I was going to throw away after originally drying it out when I tried to reheat a large batch in a slow cooker. Thanks for a fantastic recipe!
Wendi Dys says
I wanted to thank you for your recipe. I made it for my daughter's and her best friend graduation party in 2015. I made 2 butt roast we had nothing left. It was my first time making pulled pork. I'm going to use this recipe again tomorrow.
Thank you,
Wendi Dys