How To Make Delicious Pulled Pork For Tacos And BBQ

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Pulled pork is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed on its own or used in a variety of other recipes. It is relatively easy to make in the oven, and the results are always worth the effort. This is how to make delicious pulled pork for tacos and BBQ…

To make pulled pork in the oven, you will need a pork butt or shoulder roast, a rub, and some time. The rub can be made with a variety of spices to suit your tastes. We use a lovely combination of salt, pepper, dried thyme, garlic powder, coriander, turmeric, dried oregano, curry, and paprika. Feel free to add or omit any spices!

Ingredients For Pulled Pork

• Pork butt or pork shoulder (about 5 pounds)
• Dry Rub seasonings 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of each of the following
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Dried thyme
  • Garlic powder
  • Coriander
  • Turmeric
  • Dried oregano
  • Curry
  • Paprika

Instructions To Cook Pork Using A Slow Cooking Method In The Oven

Be on the lookout for meat sales at your local grocer, this is the time to stock up. Keep some in your freezer and pull one to thaw for at least 24 hours in the refrigerator before cooking day.

I start slow roasting my meats around 9 am that way it is ready for dinner by four or five in the evening. It is the perfect way to get tender meats without any work – let the oven do it all.

1. Begin with a deep-sided roasting pan (15 inches) and pre-heating the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Mix up the seasonings and sprinkle about a quarter of them evenly into the bottom of the roasting pan.
3. Place the roast fat cap side up, and rub the sides and top of the pork with the remaining seasonings.
4. Cover the roast with aluminum foil (making a good seal all the way around)
5. Place the pan in the center of the oven and slow-roast it for 6-8 hours.
   1. (internal temperature should be 145 degrees F on a meat thermometer)
6. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully take off the cover. 
7. Take a couple of forks (or bear claws) and start pulling the pork apart.

Tips And Dinner Ideas

Tips

• For more flavorful pork, use a bone-in shoulder or butt.
• Searing the meat on all sides over medium-high heat will give you a nice crust but it isn’t necessary – it’s still delicious.
• Use a thawed or refrigerator-cold piece of meat. Frozen meat doesn’t cook as nicely. Thaw for at least 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• To prevent the pork from drying out, cover the roasting pan with foil and keep the oven temp below 300 degrees F.
• If oven space is an issue you could use a slow cooker (6-8 hours on low)
• For great flavors and a better end result use a good amount of seasoning – (don’t skimp). 
• To give more Mexican flavors to the pork carnitas add chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper to your simple taco recipe.

Dinner Ideas

• Get out your favorite taco fixings and pile them high into corn tortillas stuffed with shredded pork. Don’t forget the lime juice and sour cream!

• Mix with rice or orzo and stuff bell peppers with leftover pulled pork. See my recipe here and substitute the pork for the beef.

• Make some homemade sandwich buns and mix the pulled pork with BBQ seasoning or sauce. Top with this red cabbage salad or cheddar cheese.

Dice up some red onion and some bell peppers to make fajitas in a soft tortilla – the sweetness of the pork makes these amazing.

Wrapping Up

With just a few simple ingredients and spices you can easily find in local grocery stores, you can have amazing pulled pork tacos or BBQ. It’s the perfect way to please the whole family. We love having delicious pulled pork in the freezer to use for so many different meals.

To reheat, put the frozen pork into a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat and cover. Within minutes it will be thawed and ready to use. There are some great options for making delicious pulled pork for tacos and BBQ. 

The next time you see a pork shoulder or a Boston butt roast on sale, pick it up and give this delicious recipe a try. The tacos are amazing!!

How To Make Delicious Pulled Pork For Tacos And BBQ Recipe

Yield: 5 pounds

Delicious pulled pork for tacos and BBQ

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Simple ingredients and easy to make, this pulled pork is flavorful and feeds an army. It's great for meal prep!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

• Pork butt or pork shoulder (about 5 pounds)
• Dry Rub seasonings 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of each of the following
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Dried thyme
• Garlic powder
• Coriander
• Turmeric
• Dried oregano
• Curry
• Paprika

Instructions

1. Begin with a deep-sided roasting pan (15 inches) and pre-heating the oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Mix up the seasonings and sprinkle about a quarter of them evenly into the bottom of the roasting pan

3. Place the roast fat cap side up, and rub the sides and top of the pork with the remaining seasonings.

4. Cover the roast with aluminum foil (making a good seal all the way around)

5. Place the pan in the center of the oven and slow-roast it for 6-8 hours. (internal temperature should be 145 degrees F on a meat thermometer)

6. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully take off the cover. 

7. Take a couple of forks (or bear claws) and start pulling the pork apart.

Notes

-Use a thawed or refrigerator-cold piece of meat. Frozen meat doesn't cook as nicely. Thaw for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

- For great flavors and a better end result use a good amount of seasoning - (don't skimp).To give more Mexican flavors to the pork carnitas add chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper to your simple taco recipe.

-  To prevent the pork from drying out, cover the roasting pan with foil and keep the oven temp below 300 degrees F.

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