This pulled pork is fall-apart tender, slow-cooked in beer, and packed with rich BBQ flavor. It’s perfect for sandwiches, meal prep, or feeding a hungry crowd. Once you make it, you’ll keep coming back—guaranteed.

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Ingredients Needed:

Pork:

4 lb. boneless pork butt
3 Tbsp. packed dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. onion powder
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
12 oz. lager

BBQ Sauce & Sandwiches:

1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Toasted buns, for serving

How To Make Pulled Pork Recipe?

Preheat the oven and prep the pork: Preheat your oven to 150°C. Trim any extra fat off the pork and cut it into large chunks so it fits into a big Dutch oven.
Season the meat: In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, salt, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, and a good grind of black pepper. Rub this mix all over the pork. (You can season it the night before for more flavor.)
Sear the pork: Heat oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the pork in batches until it’s browned on all sides—about 2 minutes per side. Don’t overcook it here, or the spices might burn.
Add beer and cook low & slow: Pour the beer into the pot around the pork. Cover with a lid and bake for 3 hours. Then uncover and cook for another 1 to 2 hours until the pork is super tender and easy to shred.
Rest and shred: Take the pork out of the pot and let it rest on a cutting board. Save all those flavorful drippings in the pot. Shred the pork using two forks.
Make the BBQ sauce: Add ketchup, Dijon mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce into the pot with the drippings. Whisk it all together and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
Mix and serve: Add the shredded pork back into the sauce and stir to coat. Serve hot on toasted buns with extra sauce on the side.

Recipe Tips:

Cut the pork into large chunks before cooking: This helps it cook evenly and makes it easier to handle when searing and shredding later.
Sear the pork well on all sides: Don’t skip this step—it adds deep flavor to the meat before slow cooking.
Use a light beer or lager, not a dark one: Dark beers can make the sauce bitter, while lighter ones give a better balance with the spices.
Don’t skip the resting time after cooking: Letting the pork rest before shredding helps keep the juices inside, making it more tender and moist.
Taste and adjust the sauce before mixing in the pork: If it’s too tangy or sweet, tweak it with a little vinegar, sugar, or mustard until it tastes just right.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?

Refrigerate: First, let the leftover pulled pork cool to room temperature. Then place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Let the pulled pork cool completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe bags or containers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Add the pulled pork to a pan over low heat with a splash of water or BBQ sauce. Stir often and cook until hot.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 430 kcal
Total Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 105mg
Sodium: 840mg
Potassium: 540mg
Total Carbohydrate: 28g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 16g
Protein: 35g

Try More James Martin Recipes:

James Martin Pulled Pork Recipe

Course: DinnerCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hours

Calories

430

kcal

Ingredients

Pork:
4 lb. boneless pork butt
3 Tbsp. packed dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. onion powder
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
12 oz. lager
BBQ Sauce & Sandwiches:
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Toasted buns, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven and prep the pork: Preheat your oven to 150°C. Trim any extra fat off the pork and cut it into large chunks so it fits into a big Dutch oven.
Season the meat: In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, salt, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, and a good grind of black pepper. Rub this mix all over the pork. (You can season it the night before for more flavor.)
Sear the pork: Heat oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the pork in batches until it’s browned on all sides—about 2 minutes per side. Don’t overcook it here, or the spices might burn.
Add beer and cook low & slow: Pour the beer into the pot around the pork. Cover with a lid and bake for 3 hours. Then uncover and cook for another 1 to 2 hours until the pork is super tender and easy to shred.
Rest and shred: Take the pork out of the pot and let it rest on a cutting board. Save all those flavorful drippings in the pot. Shred the pork using two forks.
Make the BBQ sauce: Add ketchup, Dijon mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce into the pot with the drippings. Whisk it all together and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
Mix and serve: Add the shredded pork back into the sauce and stir to coat. Serve hot on toasted buns with extra sauce on the side.

Notes

Cut the pork into large chunks before cooking: This helps it cook evenly and makes it easier to handle when searing and shredding later.
Sear the pork well on all sides: Don’t skip this step—it adds deep flavor to the meat before slow cooking.
Use a light beer or lager, not a dark one: Dark beers can make the sauce bitter, while lighter ones give a better balance with the spices.
Don’t skip the resting time after cooking: Letting the pork rest before shredding helps keep the juices inside, making it more tender and moist.
Taste and adjust the sauce before mixing in the pork: If it’s too tangy or sweet, tweak it with a little vinegar, sugar, or mustard until it tastes just right.