Outrageously good. Low and slow is how you do it. Easy oven pulled pork with great taste with only a few minutes of active cooking time. So easy.
Those of you who need to scream, please do so now. I know, I know it is in an OVEN recipe and not a smoker.
Editor note: this is a republished recipe. It had re-edited photos and had been partially re-written for clarification. It is a recipe that I frequently use although I admit to just doing adding the liquid smoke and rub then popping it in the oven. Please enjoy one of my personal favorites.
Pork butt is made for the grill/smoker, but sometimes you just can’t do it. I had the butt; I had my grill recipe, but we had gusting winds. 25-30 mph and up to 60 mph just a few miles away. Just not outdoor cooking weather.
I had a good idea that this was going to happen to me and had done some research. I was so confused… there was the aluminum foil covering most recipes, there were onions and various veggies. There was oven temps of 225 and 250 but also a lot of 350 recommendations. There were finish temps of 170 on some. And pork being cut with knives. IT IS PULLED PORK!!!!! …… ARGGGGG.
Lilly and Molly 6 months 3 weeks
My Plan:
1) So most smokers and grillers will agree on low and slow. You do not turn up the temp. You need time for the connective tissues and fats to melt into their goodness. 250 degrees is a good target temp for a grill and is so easy in an oven.
2) In an oven, smoke was not an option, but some smoke taste was needed. Enter liquid smoke. I would just give it a good rub of liquid smoke before the rub. Get a good quality liquid smoke. It should have water and smoke only. NO CHEMICALS.
3) Otherwise, I would treat it like it was on the grill. Use the same rub and cook to 190 plus.
An excellent plan and the house smelled great all day long.
My Rating:
Ok, a lower 5 only to leave room for grilled pulled pork as a higher 5. But really so good without the fuss. I have repeated this many times.
Notes for Oven Pulled Pork from Pork Butt:
Others seem to like to say one hr per pound. Doesn’t work for me. I seem to always be at least 2 hours per pound plus a little. But then you see them cutting it with a knife. Oh so wrong.
This was just under 4 pounds and took 9 1/2 hours. You MUST check the internal temperature. The minimum is 190, but I like mine 200 plus. Do not remove early, or you will be sorry.
Give the guests that are waiting some alcohol, and they won’t care. The rest before the shred could be as short as 30 minutes, but longer is better. It will stay warm with my method for about 4 hours. Shred just before serving so this gives you a 3 1/2 hour window to hit.
Other options for your pork butt:
Pulled Pork on a Gas Grill – Not That Hard Don’t be intimidated, it really is not that hard, just follow the photos.
Crock Pot Pulled Pork from Butt the Right Way Yup, I have totally sold out, but done the right way, you can get great pulled pork from a crock pot.
You will need a rub of your choice and some Liquid Smoke. If using my rub, mix 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 3 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder and 1 teaspoon pepper.
Place a 4 pound (give or take a little) bone-in (or boneless) pork butt on a large piece of plastic wrap. Rub with about 2 tablespoons of liquid smoke (optional).
Use about one cup of rub and coat the meat. That is a very heavy coat.
If you have time, wrap the meat with plastic wrap. You may need a second piece. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but overnight is fine. If you don’t have time, just apply the rub and pop it in the oven.
When ready to cook, prep a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and a rack. Give it a heavy spray of PAM.
Place meat on rack and place in a 250-degree oven (not convection). I did not bother to preheat. I went with fat cap down. You can shorten the time some by increasing the temperature of the oven to 300 degrees.
Bake until internal temp of 190 plus (200 is better). About 9-10 hours for me. This will vary some with the thickness of the meat and the oven. You have some flex time in the next step to get your timing right.
Remove from the oven directly onto a large sheet of heavy-duty foil. Wrap tight with the foil then wrap with several towels. Place wrapped meat in a small cooler if available and rest for 1-2 hours until needed. It can stay warm for up to 4 hours is well wrapped in a cooler.
Shred with forks. It will fall apart.
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If you enjoyed this recipe, the pleasure of a rating on the recipe card below is requested.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 8 serving | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 540 minutes | 30 minutes |
|
|
| Outrageously good. Low and slow is how you do it. Easy oven pulled pork with great taste with only a few minutes of active cooking time. So easy.
|
- 4-5 pounds Pork Butt aka Pork Shoulder or Boston Butt
- rub of your choice good quality
- 2 tablespoons Wright's Liquid Smoke optional but recommended
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- You will need a rub of your choice and some Liquid Smoke. If using my rub, mix 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 3 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Place a 4 pound (give or take a little) bone-in (or boneless) pork butt on a large piece of plastic wrap. Rub with about 2 tablespoons of liquid smoke (optional).
- Use about one cup of rub and coat the meat. That is a very heavy coat.
- If you have time, wrap the meat with plastic wrap. You may need a second piece. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but overnight is fine. If you don't have time, just apply the rub and pop it in the oven.
- When ready to cook, prep a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and a rack. Give it a heavy spray of PAM.
- Place meat on rack and place in a 250-degree oven (not convection). I did not bother to preheat. I went with fat cap down. You can shorten the time some by increasing the temperature of the oven to 300 degrees.
- Bake until internal temp of 190 plus (200 is better). About 9-10 hours for me. This will vary some with the thickness of the meat and the oven. You have some flex time in the next step to get your timing right.
- Remove from the oven directly onto a large sheet of heavy-duty foil. Wrap tight with the foil then wrap with several towels. Place wrapped meat in a small cooler if available and rest for 1-2 hours until needed. It can stay warm for up to 4 hours is well wrapped in a cooler.
- Just before serving, shred with forks. It will fall apart.
________________________________
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated. Rating is done by clicking on the stars above.
Originally Published
November 2, 2013
Last Updated
October 9, 2017
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Pam
This is the first recipe for oven pulled pork that I’ve liked!!! Bookmarked to try! I agree with the longer cooking time-it’s better when it falls off the bone, easy to shred with a fork. Thanks for the recipe!
EL
I was just wondering why you cooked with the fat cap down. I always thought the fat cap was placed on top so that the fat and juices could permeate the roast better and also for protection during the roasting process. I’m not a great cook, so no judgment here…just wondering and always wanting to learn. Thanks for your blog. Just found it and love it already.
Dan Mikesell
There appears to be a great divide between fat up and fat down people. I went with down since I love the pieces with the rub charred some and I feel I get more of that with fat down. Notice I said “I chose”. I’m sure experts out there will have strong opinions both ways but either would be alright.
Chris
I quit worrying about fat cap up or down a year or two ago. I noticed that every time I shredded a pork butt, the first thing you removed was what was left of the fat cap. That entire section would not have any bark. I talked to a bunch of pitmasters and many of them just trim off the fat cap altogether since 1) there is enough intramuscular fat, it doesn’t need the cap and 2) now that area will get to keep the bark that develops and bark is my favorite part. Works for me, even if both the fat cap up and fat cap down people say I’m wrong ;)
Sandi Lugo
I added Celery Salt and Cayenne Pepper to my rub. I also turned mine every 3 hours so all sides were dark bark and delicious! My 8 lbs roast was in 9 hours and it was perfect!
Dan Mikesell
Good additions to the spices. I like the celery salt and the cayenne is always good for me but some people may not want it. I’m surprised the 8 pounder only took 9 hours but it just goes to show you need to check occasionally.
Thanks for the comment
Heidi Menocal
Thank you for recipe that does not need a slow cooker or a smoker. This I can do!
Linda
I’m making this as we speak. I cut an 8 pounder in 1/2 to decrease cook time. I would like to do this in the crock pot. Any thoughts Dr. Dan? I do have a cooking pan, but no rack. Could I do crock pot or would pan with no rack be better in 250 oven? If crock pot, do I cook on high or low? I want to make sure it’s done enough to start resting at 5:00pm tomorrow.
I’m excited. I have fingerling roasted potatoes, coleslaw, carrots, and hawaiian buns. Yum.
Thank you,
Linda
DrDan
I love the “bark” so I would not do the crock pot. Just on a pan in the oven should be fine. I would start early so you have an hour or two of flex time. It can rest longer if you need to. Getting to the final temp takes a surprisingly long time. Back to the crock pot for a minute. They vary a lot but I usually think of low as 180-190 and high as about 210-220 (this off a little I’m sure) That is going to take a LONG TIME to get to the correct temp. I see recipes but they seem to be stopping the cooking way early (temp wise) for pulled pork.
Hope it works well for you
Regards
DrDan
Lea
Last year I discovered your 30min Boneless bbq ribs. That recipe instantly became a family favorite. Last week I found this recipe and started it early this morning. FANTASTIC! thank you so much for wonderful instructions and delicious recipes. I’ll have to explore this blog further.
DrDan
Thanks for the note. Check 101’s Favorites for my personal pick
DrDan
joanna
i agree about making pork like this!! this is how i do it too. always 250 F for 8-10 hours. 10 hours seems to be the perfect time. i have a special rub i use and it’s like heaven.
DrDan
It is just darn easy… But once you have your grill method down, it also is easy. I did a 4 pound one on the gas grill last weekend. I have natural gas so no tank worries so maybe easier for me then others.
Thanks for the note
DrDan
Lori
I made this today and the flavors were amazing! My roast was boneless (unfortunately) & on the small side. The only adjustment I would have to make for next time would be to cut the salt by at least 1/2. Thanks for the great recipe though!!
DrDan
I occasionally think the salt is a little high in this rub. It is a classic 8:3:1:1 recipe that I frequently use. I usually use Morton Kosher and that is less “salt” than Diamond. You will sometimes see Diamond in my pictures but I usually cut it back a little. I have a salt discussion under FAQ’s. But salt is always “to taste” anyways…
Thanks for the note
DrDan
Amy Gandy
Just found your blog while looking for a way to cook a pork put in the oven. I don’t grill. Love the easy to follow directions and pictures to follow along. Saw several other recipes I want to try. Will be checking in a lot for dinner ideas. Thanks!
DrDan
Thanks for the note. I love pulled pork on the grill but this is a great alternative.
DrDan
eric
hi, came across your recipe tonight. i’ve been doing a very similar version for a couple of years now and wanted to share a few things i’ve discovered. the oven temp can vary pretty far and give the same result. i have done them at 225, 250 and 275 and all have been nearly identical in texture and moistness. obviously the lower temp will take longer to cook, i do put it in the oven before bed and it’s ready for lunch the next day. or if it’s for supper i use the higher temp and put in the oven before work so it’s ready to wrap when i get home. also i use foil pans for easy clean-up, no dishes to wash! the weight of the butt can be an issue in foil, so i use a cutting board any time i have to move the pan in or out of the oven. thanks, love your blog!
DrDan
Thanks for the note and tips. Like all recipes, they are guidelines and not rules. It is hard to get though the flexibility of a technique. You just did…
Again thanks for the great comments
DrDan
Ted
Dr. Dan plan on cooking up 10lbs (2×5) for the hunt camp tomorrow. My intent is to use a prepackage mix intended for a crock pot and let it sit overnight. I have used the mix in the past and the flavor was quite nice, however its not as dry as what you have suggested. In either case when I made the pulled pork last year in the oven for the guys (same mix) I cooked it in a roasting pan with the lid on (trying to simulate a very large crock pot). With all this said I have two questions for you.
1) I am assuming if I am using my same mix, I can use your method to cook (to get the crust I like) and get rid of the roasting pans
2) As I said, cooking tomorrow; with the intent of reheating Monday night at the hunt camp. should I freeze or keep refrigerated.
Thanks Ted
DrDan
Hi Ted
Your plan sounds fine. The two five pounders could even go on the same rack but separate as much as possible.
Storage wise, I think safety wise you are on the “edge” and taste wise it is a bit long. I would freeze.
Hope that helps,
DrDan
Cheryl
Can i freeze the rest of the pork butt
DrDan
Absolutely. This freezes great. Put a meals worth in good freezer bags. Usually reheat in the bag in boiling water. A little apple juice is usually recommended if it get a little dry.
DrDan
Shawn Crowe
Oh this worked out so well. I did modify a bit though. I added one Tablespoon of ground Jalapeno pepper to the rub. I found that the top of my broiler pan will rest neatly on a huge cast iron frying pan so thats where the meat sat. I would add a glass of water to the frying pan on occasion so as to keep the humidity level high. An 8 lb roast took 12 hours to fully cook but the last three hours was at reduced heat of 175. It was impossible to lift the roast without it falling apart so i tipped the roaster pan to dump it into a large bowl.
Pokervibe
I am getting ready to make this for the first time. Realize I have a 9 lb pork butt curious if you think I should cut and freeze half or make the whole thing and then freeze? Cooking for 2 here was thinking of making just pork for (like just serving a big piece) and then add BBQ sauce and shred it for the next day. I’ve never made a pork roast and first got a loin read that wouldn’t work.
DrDan
The amount you cook depends on needs but the cooked meat will freeze well. But if you’re cooking for two, half should be fine. I think a 9 pounder might take 12 hours or so. Remember to cook to the final temp and not time.
You’re right, loin is a no-no for this. If you want to use loin for shredded pork, I do have an oven and a crock pot recipe for braising it and then shredding.
DrDan
Sue
Hi Dan,
I want to make pulled pork for Christmas but didn’t know how. I came across your website and I started reading and thought, hey, I can do this. My question is….I need to make this the day before. Can I bake it, pull the pork and then reheat it in a crock pot for the next day? I am using your rub and will follow your directions to a tee. Can you give me your thoughts please? Thanks
DrDan
Shred it the first day. It should reheat in a crock pot on the lowest setting in an hour or two. However I would give it a little moisture. A dash of sauce or apple juice but don’t overdo it. If you’re keeping it hot for a prolonged time then you might need more.
The most common reheat method is vacuum sealed then into boiling water but probably not practical for you. Also large aluminum disposable pans covered in an oven is commonly done. It may also need a little moisture.
DrDan
Jill L.
Thanks for the info…I have to cook for 100 to serve by 10 am. I will start it the day before but not sure if I should start the roasts about 2 pm and cook over night so I can pull first thing in the morning. Did this about 3years ago but only for 60. My roasts range 2.5 – 7.5# will start the smaller ones later or I can cut the large ones in half. Any thoughts?
DrDan
It is always better to have consistent size so they all can be treated the same. So for a hundred you will need about 1/4-1/2 pound per person depending on what else is being served. So depending on oven space…. I would rub and refrigerate. Start cooking about 8 pm and check them about 5-6 am. I think that much mass may take up to 12-13 hours (just a guess). If your doing 40-50 pounds , I would try two ovens.
Jacqueline
This was the first time I had ever made pulled pork. I searched for recipes online and this recipe was the first one I read. Followed your instructions and had to come back on this site to thank you! My son just told me this was the best food I’ve ever cooked, and he wished I had made it for tomorrow’s Christmas dinner. Husband’s on his way home from work now and he’s going to love it! Thanks again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Matt
Hey Dan I have two BB weighing 2.5 lbs a piece . Will the cooking time be cut in half ?
DrDan
Hi Matt
I did a 3 pound about 3 weeks ago and it took 9 hour. So definitely not half the time. It might be a little faster but not much. Remember ovens and meat vary so cook to a final temp and not by time alone.
DrDan
Edna Haire
Just came across ur web site cuz, I was lookin for an easy way to cook a pork roast and that it will apart & I found this recipe the easiest & I’m excited to try it for tomorrow. I’m a huge fan in cooking & learning how cook or make different stuff. Thank u for recipe & I’m hungry already. Lol…
Matt
love your oven version of BBQ pork….have a question, would you brine the pork or inject it with marinade or apple juice? Or is that overkill for the oven version? Thank you. Look forward to using your other recipes.
DrDan
Hi Matt… I probably would not brine this but injecting just like some like to do on the grill would be fine.
DrDan
ParlenePhillips
I am going to try this recipe my first time and I have purchased a boneless butt.
I was reading where someone said that their roasting pan would fit nicely in a cast iron skillet. I have a cast iron skillet with a lid would you suggest that I use this .Everyyhing I have cooked on top or in the oven in this skillet has come out tender . thanks in advance .This looks so good
Darlene Phillips
Could I use a cast iron pan with a lid ? Or would this not be a great idea? Everything I have cooked on the stove or in the oven has come out great …..this is my first time cooking pulled pork and it is boneless does the bone out make a difference?
DrDan
Hi Darlene, First the meat. Bone in vs boneless: either should be fine. Now the cast iron… I love cast iron and you could use it but I would leave the lid OFF. You are not steaming it and you want the “bark” to be crispy like it’s grill based cousin. What does concern me is no rack. If you don’t get this elevated it will be setting in the fat. So a rack of some time I think is needed.
Hope that helps.
DrDan
keely
Hi, I’m wanting to try this recipe and have never made anything like this before. Is the liquid smoke a key ingredient or would it be good without it also? Once I put the meat in the oven does it need any foil over it? Thanks in advance!
DrDan
Nothing is ever required in a recipe. I does add some of that “from the smoker” taste. Just a little.
Do not cover with foil or anything else. It should be open to the oven.
DrDan
Jim Karasiewicz
I have made this pulled pork twice and it is the best. Both times I used light brown sugar because that’s what was in the pantry and it works great. I do feel that the 3 tablespoons of Kosher salt is a little too much so the second time I cut it back to just over 2 tablespoons and it was spot on. I don’t remember what barbecue sauce I used the first time but the last time I used Sweet Baby Rays but I really don’t think that it matters much. The yield is about 15 sandwiches per butt using a decent size sesame seed bun for anyone interested. I made 3 of them in the last batch for a party of 25 adults and I had plenty left over, well until I started breaking out the 1 quart ziplocks and then I watched my reserve deplete quickly as several wanted a carryout.
Tom
Fantastic. Tender, juicy, tasty. Pretty close to perfect in my estimation. Easy, too.
DrDan
Thanks, This has become our “go to” recipe for casual gatherings since I still work full time so tending the grill is impossible frequently and this is almost the same.
DrDan
Heather
Hi, I have 2 fairly equal weight butts totaling 15lbs. Need to have ready by Saturday at 5pm. Question is should I cook them separately or can I do them together but separated into two pans? Biggest question, if together, how long should I plan for cooking at 225?
DrDan
Well this will be a total guess. I never have done a 15 pounds at once. But my feelings are that you should be able to do them both in the same oven but separate as much as possible. I would cook at 250 with this much mass in the oven. I would expect a good 12 hours plus. Maybe even 15. You can always wrap well to keep it warm and shred just before serving. My 4-5 pounds is usually 8-10.
Back to the cooking temp question. You trying to get the internal temp in the 200 range. If you only have a 25 degree temperature gradient, the last part may take like forever.
You might want to do a little googling. The time on a gas grill or smoker at the same temp should be about the same as the oven time would be.
DrDan
shari
I made this a couple of months ago and it was amazing. I would like to cook another one Friday night. I am leaving Saturday morning and we will be having this for our meal Saturday evening. I feel it would be ok in the cooler during the travel time Saturday morning, but how would you recommend I reheat it for the meal that evening?
Thanks!
DrDan
First realize it will not be as good as fresh pulled. DO NOT use a microwave. Some will do foil packets in the oven and others prefer a ziplock in boiling water. You may need to add some moisture and apple juice is commonly recommended. Google is your friend again here so do some Google for other ideas.
DrDan
kevin raulerson
i have a 9.9 pound Boston Butt and as well am trying to do this in my oven . Do you suggest fat up and how many hours for this . Thank you
DrDan
Most of the experts don’t care about fat up or fat down. I have done both and it seems the same to me. As for the size. The largest I have done is about 6 pounds although the principal is the same… cook to a final temp low and slow. So for a 9 pounder, I would think more like 10-12 hours but just my guess since my 5 pounders take 8-9 usually. I might wimp out and cut into two equal chucks, and cook them at the same time.
As always, you’re cooking to a final temp and not by time. 190 is the lowest but I’m liking 200 better.
Dan
Kevin
When you were referencing your ingredients for your rub . When you say 3T is that teaspoon or tablespoon. T= tablespoon t=teaspoon right. Not being naive just need to know. Thank you for your previous timely response
DrDan
Yep. T=tablespoon t=teaspoon It’s the old way. It is covered in FAQs also.
DrDan
Nick
Just a couple questions. I’m about to cook my first butt, my brother in law made a few in the oven and covered them with foil and no rack so it cooked in its fat. 250 for about 10-12 hours for an 8 pound. Bone slipped right out and was pretty good. So I wanted to do something different than he does and I found your recipe I like the rub you have and I like the liquid smoke idea because I love to grill and smoke. Just wanted to hear your take on why you keep it uncovered and let the juices drip off in a pan. Is this to simulate the grill effect? Lastly I’m curious about the wrap in foil and rest step after its cooked what exactly does that do? Thank you in advance for your response.
DrDan
Hi Nick…
Here is my take on this. The best pulled pork is low and slow on the grill/smoker. Inclosing in foil will cause a steam oven. It will cook and anything is good with the right sauce but the “crust” is a large amount of the taste you are skipping. As for now rack… there is lots of fat here and I want my drained off and not cooked in it.
The foil wrap at the end is a recommendation from lots of smokers. Like all meats, you want to give it time to reabsorb moisture. In this case water and the melted connective tissue. So I try for a minimum of 30 minutes. But it also gives you a bigger time window for serving.
DrDan
Rabyn
This looks wonderful! I’m cooking a 4.5# roast and have it sitting in the fridge. I want to cook it Friday. My question is, can I put the rub on tonight (Wednesday) and cook it Friday or do I need to wait until Thursday night to put on the rub? Is there a tipping point of “the rub is on too long”? :-) Thanks!
DrDan
Go ahead and do it.
DrDan
Cathy
Great recipe! I made a few changes, I marinated in a mojo jerk with all the above spices, plus adobo, Everglades and badia for pork. Vacuumed sealed it and let it rest in the fridge with multiple turns over the past two days. Put it in the oven at midnight last night, and took it out about 30 minutes ago. And it’s just perfect. Wrapped and sitting in a cooler till the Memorial Day festivities begin. Thanks for the helpful insight!
Virginia
I Love this recipe. Made it the first time exactly as written. Living in Texas and having family that enjoys spice, I experimented with Ancho chili pepper in place of the chili powder. and red pepper instead of black pepper for a little kick. I have also let it marinade for 2 days and boy does that flavor sink in!
I appreciate your blog and recipes very much. Enjoy your retirement with your family! God Bless you always!
Leslie
This is do good, melts in your mouth, my husband and son-in-laws said it was the best pulled pork they have ever had. 5 star recipe
DrDan
I hate to admit it but I do this oven based recipe about 10 to 1 vs the grill. I’m just lazy and my wife loves it.
Thanks for the note Leslie
Dan
SusieQ
Hello everone! I have 2 pork butts in the oven on 250 and just took one out of my pressure cooker. The one in the pressure cooker I braised first with a mixture of spices. Then I added a package of onion soup and. water to cover. I cooked it for about an hour. Let us sit for about 30 minutes and shredded. It is very good too!
EmJo
I’ve used your recipe so many times. And people are shocked when I say it came from an oven. It’s so easy! Thanks so much!
DrDan
Thanks so much for the note. I must admit to only using the grill recipe a few times this year and can hardly tell the difference. I love this recipe too.
Happy Holidays
Dan
Kathy
Just going to fix this recipe for the new year’s eve party I am going to have and wondering if the liquid smoke what brand did you use .thanks for any help
DrDan
I use Wright’s. Great quality and adds something nice to the recipe. There are generic out there but NO. I had some from Gordon’s Foods and it ruined anything it touched. It should only have two ingredients, smoke and water. No chemicals.
If in doubt, leave it out. it is not critical to the recipe.
Dan
Sandra
I have used this recipe twice. Did not change a thing. So simple and easy. Put the dry rub on the day before. Put it in the oven while you are sleeping. Your house smells like heaven when you wake up the next morning. Warning: Your neighbors will find an excuse to come visit you when they smell it coming coming from your house. Just pretend that you did not hear the doorbell or print out the recipe if you feel guilty and have to answer the door.
DrDan
Thanks for the note Sandra.
The house does smell wonderful.
Dan
Chef Garfie
It is possible to smoke pork butt in the oven without using liquid smoke. Much about the culinary arts comes down to personal taste and preferences. For me, liquid smoke is a strict no-no, never, never, use it regardless of the “quality.”
Instead, used soaked hardwood chips in a smallest hotel pan with moisture (not water level) and cover it with a perforate pan lid or not. Place this in the back of the oven during pre-heat and roasting. It will smoke and thus smoke the food product.
Commerical smoker pans for stove top and oven use are available. These can be gotten at the restaurant supply store.
A special oven designed for low and slow cooking, an Alto Shamm, can produce smoke using the same technique as above if not equiped with a smoker pan.
As to your choice of wood for smoking, type matters. Another reason liquid smoke is to be avoided at all costs. Mesquite is NOT a smoking wood. It is used for open grilling. Mesquite smoke imparts the food product with a chemical taste similar to kerosene. The more the mesquite is used in the smoker the stronger the off taste becomes. The smoker is difficult to rid of this by product.
Better woods for smoking are hickory, apple, cherry, and pecan. I select the wood to compliment the end goal of the product. For pulled pork general its hickory except for Octoberfest when it’s apple.
Tyson Kreger
Thanks for verifying this was possible! I wrapped my bone-in butts in salt, pepper, honey, bbq sauce (hand spread), & tinfoil on a cookie tray.
I was cooking at 420. I let them go 3.5 hours and ended up putting bowls under the cookie tray as the juice was spilling over and burning under the burners. I had to add water to the bowls so they didn’t burn the juice. (Metal mixing bowls) – Then, I opened them up to the air and put on more bbq. Then, turned down my temp to 300 so as not to char the sauce and bark. They smelled great by this time.
After an hour, I took them out to cool. Delicious! I probably would try to de-bone them while warm next time; instead of putting them in the fridge overnight after cooling on the counter for two hours. I used plastic bags for gloves! Once de-boned, I pull it all apart and dumped some of the juice from the beginning stages of cooking back in, along with some bbq sauce and water. It’s in a zip-lock back now, ready to make Sammy’s!
cakespy
Great recipe and so informative. This was a new post to me, and I appreciate it! :-) I’m more of a baker than a cook so this was full of handy tips for cooking unctuous pork! :-)
Susie
Is there a reason not to use a convection oven?
DrDan
The theory is to simulate a grill which would not have the fan moving air. I just turned the convection off. You could do convection but remember, you want low and slow.
Lizzie
Made this recipe once, just didn’t believe you about cook-to-temp time! It was good but … so now — with tons of time on our hands today — we put a 2.5-pounder in the oven @ 11:30 which we feel should be ready for a nap around 6 or so. Agree with you to use ONLY Wright’s liquid smoke. It’s just too dang cold here in Idaho to even think about the grill!
DrDan
Thanks for the not. Time can vary some, thickness and the ovens are the variables. I did a 4.5 pounder 2 days ago and it was 9 hours. But as always, cook to a final temperature.
It is 40 degrees right now in Michigan. A warm up for a few days.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Kelly
Hi, I usually use a slow cooker but I want to get the bark so I found your recipe here. I don’t have a rack for my roasting pan – do you think it’ll be alright to elevate it with some sliced onions? Thanks!
DrDan
Hi Kelly,
The onion would probably break down. I would use some crumbled up rolls of foil. It doesn’t need to be in a roasting pan. I generally use a sheet pan which has some rim on it. Then any oven safe rack you have will work.
My crock pot version of this uses foil balls. It also has some bark with a rub. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/crock-pot-pulled-pork-butt-right-way/
Dan
Larry R
Hello,
I tried this recipe yesterday and it didn’t turn out too well. My local store didn’t have the boston butt, so I had to settle for the picnic shoulder. It was six pounds. I rubbed it up and let sit in fridge overnight. I cooked it for 8 hours at 250 and it was tough and dry. My question is, should I have covered it? thank you.
DrDan
Hi Larry,
You basically have a different cut of meat. The butt is has more fat distributed through the meat and the picnic is more covered with fat but otherwise leaner (think ham). They need to be cooked differently. I have never done a picnic so I’m not going to be much help.
Dan
msjenjenp
This turned out sooooo fabulous! I had a 3.88 lb pork butt and used 2T salt and cooked it for 9.5 hours. I did turn the heat down to 225 degrees about an hour of the time because I baked it in an Oster French Door toaster oven and thought it might be a little hotter than a real oven. It is the best. Served it with homemade egg potato salad and “Grillin’ Beans” Southern Barbeque flavor beans and my husband was in heaven. Thank you so much for the recipe. We will always use it from now on.
DrDan
Now you are the first I heard using a toaster oven. I have no idea how the oven temp runs on those ovens. As long as you are going for the final temperature of the meat, it doesn’t matter much since anywhere from 225 to 300 should be ok as long as you shoot for the end temperature.
Were you able to contain the fat ok?
Dan
Larry R
Thank you sir. I’m going to try it with the Boston Butt.
Stephanie
Thank you so much! This recipe was amazing! I absolutely cannot believe that I made pulled pork this tasty! I used Penzey’s Galena Street Rib and Chicken Rub and liquid smoke. So amazing!
AG
Came here from Google. I’ve been making oven pulled pork for years (the shame, I know!) as an apartment-dweller and haven’t quite perfected my own recipe and method so I’m always looking for inspiration on cooking blogs. One thing I’ve never done is rest the meat using your method — I am a terribly impatient person but I think it will be worth it! And so, I threw in my first butt in a long time into the oven around 10am this morning. I’ve sometimes done it even lower than 250 but this cut was particularly thick so I think 250 is the sweet spot. I forgot to add the liquid smoke this time but did a generous rub overnight with paprika, cayenne, lots of garlic powder, and fresh dark brown sugar (in my experience the old brown sugar at the back of your cabinet just doesn’t do for a proper rub) — combined with your resting method I think I’m in for a treat!
This is the first time making pulled pork in a gas oven (my last apartment was electric) so will be interesting to see what difference if any I get in cooking time/taste.
My way is to finish with the plainest white hamburger buns one can find, sauce of your choice (I’m a Midwesterner living in Virginia so I prefer a traditional sweet sauce), jalapeno slaw, and pickles. Can’t wait! Thanks for the recipe!
Annemarie
I want to confirm that you do not cover the meat with foil or lid. Can’t wait to try this!
DrDan
Hi Annemarie,
It is open to the oven. No foil or lid. Think of it as simulating a grill cooking this.
Dan