Hairy Bikers Pulled Pork Recipe

This easy pulled pork recipe is full of smoky, sweet flavor and comes out perfectly tender every time. Made with pork shoulder, spices, and Coke, it’s great for sandwiches, tacos, or just piled on a plate with your favorite sides. You can cook it in the oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot depending on what you have at home.

Ingredients Needed:

• 4 lb pork shoulder, or butt
• 2 Tablespoons oil (optional if searing)
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 12 ounces coke (not diet)
• bbq sauce for coating meat optional

How To Make Pulled Pork Recipe?

1. Trim the pork: Cut off any extra fat from the pork and slice it into 4 large pieces.
2. Season the meat: Mix all the spices in a small bowl, then rub the mixture all over the pork. You can do this the night before and leave it in the fridge.
3. Sear the pork (optional): Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear each piece of pork for a few seconds on all sides to get a nice crust.
4. Oven method: Preheat oven to 150°C. Place pork in a Dutch oven and pour the Coke around it. Cover with a lid and bake for 3 hours. Then remove the lid and bake for 1–2 more hours, until the meat is soft and easy to shred. Shred on a board and toss with BBQ sauce if you like.
5. Slow cooker method: Put the pork in a slow cooker and pour the Coke around it. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4–5 hours) until the pork is very tender. Shred and mix with sauce if using.
6. Instant Pot method: Add pork and Coke to the Instant Pot. Cook on High Pressure for 70 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Open the lid, shred the meat, and toss with sauce if desired.

Recipe Tips:

• Trim off thick fat before cooking: Too much fat can make the pork greasy. Remove the big chunks, but don’t cut off all the fat — a little helps keep it juicy.
• Rub the spices well into the meat: Don’t just sprinkle—use your hands to press the spice mix into every side of the pork so the flavor goes deep.
• Don’t skip the slow cooking time: Whether using the oven or slow cooker, low and slow makes the pork super tender and easy to shred.
• Let the pork rest before shredding: After cooking, wait 10–15 minutes before pulling it apart. This keeps the juices in and stops it from drying out.
• Add BBQ sauce only after shredding: If you mix the sauce too early, it can burn or get watery. Shred first, then add sauce to taste.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: Let the pulled pork cool to room temperature first. Then, place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: After the pulled pork has cooled, transfer it to freezer-safe bags or containers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheat: Add the pulled pork to a skillet over medium heat with a little broth or water. Stir gently until warmed through, about 5–10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 310 kcal
• Total Fat: 13g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Cholesterol: 124mg
• Sodium: 554mg
• Potassium: 667mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 9g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 7g
• Protein: 36g

Try More Hairy Bikers Recipes:

• Hairy Bikers Homity Pie Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

Hairy Bikers Pulled Pork Recipe

Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

5

hours 

Calories

310

kcal

This easy pulled pork recipe is full of smoky, sweet flavor and comes out perfectly tender every time. Made with pork shoulder, spices, and Coke, it’s great for sandwiches, tacos, or just piled on a plate with your favorite sides. You can cook it in the oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot depending on what you have at home.

Ingredients

• 4 lb pork shoulder, or butt

• 2 Tablespoons oil (optional if searing)

• 1 Tbsp brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 12 ounces coke (not diet)

• bbq sauce for coating meat optional

Directions

• Trim the pork: Cut off any extra fat from the pork and slice it into 4 large pieces.
• Season the meat: Mix all the spices in a small bowl, then rub the mixture all over the pork. You can do this the night before and leave it in the fridge.
• Sear the pork (optional): Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear each piece of pork for a few seconds on all sides to get a nice crust.
• Oven method: Preheat oven to 150°C. Place pork in a Dutch oven and pour the Coke around it. Cover with a lid and bake for 3 hours. Then remove the lid and bake for 1–2 more hours, until the meat is soft and easy to shred. Shred on a board and toss with BBQ sauce if you like.
• Slow cooker method: Put the pork in a slow cooker and pour the Coke around it. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4–5 hours) until the pork is very tender. Shred and mix with sauce if using.
• Instant Pot method: Add pork and Coke to the Instant Pot. Cook on High Pressure for 70 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Open the lid, shred the meat, and toss with sauce if desired.

Notes

• Trim off thick fat before cooking: Too much fat can make the pork greasy. Remove the big chunks, but don’t cut off all the fat — a little helps keep it juicy.
• Rub the spices well into the meat: Don’t just sprinkle—use your hands to press the spice mix into every side of the pork so the flavor goes deep.
• Don’t skip the slow cooking time: Whether using the oven or slow cooker, low and slow makes the pork super tender and easy to shred.
• Let the pork rest before shredding: After cooking, wait 10–15 minutes before pulling it apart. This keeps the juices in and stops it from drying out.
• Add BBQ sauce only after shredding: If you mix the sauce too early, it can burn or get watery. Shred first, then add sauce to taste.