• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
101 Cooking For Two
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • FAQs/Help
  • Shop
  • Best Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • FAQs/Help
  • Shop
  • Best Recipes
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • FAQs/Help
    • Shop
    • Best Recipes
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    🏠Home » 101's Best Recipes

    Pulled Pork Recipes without a Smoker

    May 13, 2023 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · Last modified: May 13, 2023 · 1 Comment

    Everybody deserves great pulled pork. Here are six ways to get there without a smoker—three with pork butt and three using other cuts of pork.

    close up picture of a BBQ Sandwich with sauce on a blue plate
    Jump To:
    • Pork Butt (Boston Butt) Recipes
    • "Fake" Pulled Pork
    • Top It Off
    • References to Help You
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    It is pulled pork season, graduation, and summer parties, but not everybody has a smoker—but you want great pulled pork anyways.

    Real pulled pork must come from pork butt. It is just the way it is, folk. But it doesn't need to be hard, nor do you require a smoker. You can use a grill, an oven, or even a crock pot.

    Or you can fake it with other lean cuts of meat that will give you great results but are healthier.

    Pork Butt (Boston Butt) Recipes

    Like many cuts of meat, there are multiple names for the same thing. Pork butt and Boston butt are the same. It does a lot of work, so have lots of connective tissue to melt for moist and tender meat.

    image of a hog with Location of Pork Butt highlighted - Image licensed May 17, 2017, from Fotolia. Copyright by foxysgraphic - Fotolia. Image modified in accordance with the license.
    Image licensed from Fotolia. Copyright by foxysgraphic - Fotolia. Image modified in accordance with the license.

    If you are wondering, butt means thick, so that is why the term "butt" is used. Lastly, the picnic ham and picnic shoulder are not the same as this cut.

    Oven Pulled Pork—Low and Slow Pork Butt
    Oven Pulled Pork from pork butt cooked low and slow is tender, moist, and delicious. This is the easiest recipe to get great pulled pork at home.
    pulled pork sandwich with BBQ sauce
    Crock Pot Pulled Pork from Pork Butt
    Pulled pork from pork butt is easy to make—you only need a dry rub, a pork butt (Boston butt) and your slow cooker. Everyone will love this melt-in-your-mouth BBQ pulled pork.
    Pulled pork with sauce in a bun on a blue plate
    Grilled Pork Butt on a Gas Grill for BBQ Smoked Pulled Pork
    Grilled Pork Butt makes wonderful BBQ smoked pulled pork cooked low and slow on a gas grill. Moist, tender, and with great smoky bark without a smoker.
    Pulled Pork on a Gas Grill from 101 Cooking for Two

    "Fake" Pulled Pork

    Other cuts of pork can be used for "fake" pulled pork. Here are a couple of pork loin and a pork tenderloin method. You can call it shredded pork if you want.

    I have used the oven pork loin method for cooking for groups of up to 50 servings. And I love the smaller tenderloin version.

    graph showing pork loin vs tenderloin-Image licensed from Fotolia. Copyright by foxysgraphic - Fotolia. Image modified in accordance with the license.
    Image licensed from Fotolia. Copyright by foxysgraphic - Fotolia. Image modified in accordance with the license.
    BBQ Shredded Pork Loin for Pulled Pork in the Oven
    Lean, healthy, and tasty shredded pork loin makes excellent BBQ pulled pork by oven baking in a spicy braising fluid. Use it any place you use pulled pork butt.
    shredded pork loin on bun
    Crock Pot Pulled Pork Loin
    Moist and tender "pulled" pork from pork loin is easy to make using your slow cooker. This healthy low-fat shredded pork is great for parties, tailgating, and large gatherings. But is easy to store for your smaller household.
    shredded pork loin on a bun with sauce
    Easy Crock Pot Shredded Pork Tenderloin
    This Easy Crock Pot Shredded Pork Tenderloin makes a small batch of delicious BBQ pull pork from tenderloin—a perfect recipe for a smaller household.
    Shredded pork tenderloin on bun

    Top It Off

    Memphis BBQ Sauce—Sweet and Tangy
    This easy Memphis BBQ Sauce recipe is the best homemade barbecue sauce A sweet and tangy sauce that's perfect with pulled pork, ribs, brisket, or even chicken.
    BBQ sauce on pork
    BBQ Dry Rub for Ribs, Pork, Beef, and More
    The best BBQ Dry Rub recipes will enhance the meats' taste and complement the sauce's flavors. This easy-to-adjust homemade rub recipe has classic BBQ flavors.
    Spice for 8311 BBQ Rub
    Memphis Dry Rub Recipe
    A classic sweet and spicy Memphis Dry Rub Recipe from Marlowes of Memphis. Bring the great taste of Memphis to your grilled ribs or other BBQ recipes.
    Applying Memphis dry rub to baby back ribs

    References to Help You

    Summer Food Safety
    Its time to review the food safety rules on to protect your friends and family. Please.
    Food safety image licensed from Fotolia November 20, 2016. Copyright mybaitshop. Modifed per allow by licensed. DO NOT COPY
    A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill
    Learn about grill temperatures on a gas grill. The most basic measurement to help you master your grill. Become the "Grill Master" today.
    CDN Grill Surface Thermometer
    How To Set Up Your Gas Grill for Smoking and Low and Slow Cooking
    Let’s learn how to set up your gas grill for great low and slow cooking with smoking. A useful technique you need to master your gas grill.
    How To Set Up Your Gas Grill for Smoking and Low and Slow Cooking
    Lilly dog on the deck with a flag bandana

    Have a great summer,

    DrDan

    Originally Published April 28, 2019. Update with new recommendations and discussion, usually yearly.

    More Best Recipes

    • the soft inside of a wheat dinner roll.
      Honey Wheat Dinner Rolls
    • General Tso Chicken on white plate with rice.
      Easy General Tso's Chicken Recipe
    • two lemon bars on a white plate.
      Old Fashioned Lemon Bars
    • breaded pork chop on blue plate
      Baked Breaded Pork Chops

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a comment or ask a question. See comment policy for details. Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Ed

      May 13, 2023 at 2:54 pm

      Thank you for posting this comprehensive summary of Pulled Pork recipes.

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    DrDan image Hi, I’m DrDan, and welcome to 101 Cooking for Two, the home of great everyday recipes with easy-to-follow step-by-step photo instructions. About DrDan

    Join the club
    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Chicken, Chicken, and More Chicken

    • pile of chicken legs on a white plate
      Baked Chicken Legs - Quick and Easy
    • Large plage of chicken thighs
      Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
    • cut baked chicken on white plate
      How to Bake Chicken Breasts in a Convection Oven
    • Grilled Chicken Breasts on a blue plate
      How to Grill Chicken Breasts on a Gas Grill
    • grilled chicken drumsticks on a grill
      Grilled Chicken Drumsticks—Quick and Easy
    • grilled chicken thigh with some char
      Grilled Chicken Thighs—Quick and Easy

    Steak, Steak, and More Steak

    • cut ribeye steak on a gray plate
      How to Grill a Ribeye Steak on the Grill
    • filtet mignon with potatoes on a white plate
      Pan Seared Oven Roasted Filet Mignon
    • Grilled filet mignon on a white plate
      How to Grill Filet Mignon
    • NY strip steak cut on an orange plate
      Pan Seared Oven Roasted Strip Steak
    • a strip steak with grill marks on a gray plate
      How to Grill Strip Steak on a Gas Grill
    • porterhouse steak with fries on blue plate
      Grilled T-bone Steak and Porterhouse Steak
    graphic of sites that I work with or have had recipes featured or referenced.
    SITES THAT I WORK WITH OR HAVE HAD RECIPES FEATURED OR REFERENCED.

    Footer

    ↑Jump to
    Table of Contents
    Join the club
    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    About

    • About DrDan and the Blog
    • Comment Policy
    • Guest Posts, Partnering, and Business Questions

    Content

    • Food FAQ
    • Kitchen Reference Sheets
    • Recipes Featured in the Videos
    • Guide To Cooking for Two
    • Saved Recipes Collections

    dogs by the pond

    ↑ back to top ↑a

    Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Contact

    COPYRIGHT © 2010-2023 101 COOKING FOR TWO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | BASED ON FOODIE PRO THEME

    • Email
    • Pinterest