This Indoor Pulled Pork is succulent, juicy, flavorful, and has a hint of smoky flavor. Once you try this easy recipe, you will definitely be adding this to your favorite recipes!
Course Entrees, Sandwiches
Cuisine American
Keyword best slow cooker pulled pork, Pulled Pork, Roasted pork
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 5 hourshours
Marinating 2 hourshours
Total Time 7 hourshours15 minutesminutes
Servings 6people
Author America's Test Kitchen
Equipment
Sheet pans large and small
Forks/spoons
Large bowl
Baking Sheet covered in foil
2 Medium sized bowls
Wire rack
Parchment paper
Foil
Meat thermometer
Ingredients
Brine
1cuptable salt
½cupwhite granulated sugar
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoonsliquid smokedivided
5 lbsboneless pork butt roasttrimmed and cut in half horizontally
4quartswater
Roasted Pork
¼cup yellow mustard
2tablespoonswhite granulated sugar
2tablespoonssmoked paprika
2 tablespoonsground black pepper
2teaspoonstable salt
1teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Brine
Dissolve 1 cup salt, ½ cup sugar, and 3 tablespoons of liquid smoke in 4 quarts of cold water in a large bowl. Submerge pork into the brine, cover, and put in the refrigerator for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Preparing the Liquid Smoke
While the pork is brining, combine the mustard and remaining 2 teaspoons of liquid smoke in a medium-sized bowl, and set aside. In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the sugar, paprika, pepper, salt, and cayenne and set aside.
Roasting the Pork
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Lower the oven rack to the lower-middle position.
Set a wire rack in an aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.
Remove the pork from the brine mixture and thoroughly pat the pork dry with paper towels.
Rub the mustard mixture over the entire surface of each piece of pork. Then sprinkle the entire surface of each piece with the sugar mixture.
Place the pork on the prepared wire rack. Place a piece of parchment paper over the pork then cover it with a sheet of foil. Make sure to seal the edges to prevent moisture from escaping. Roast the pork for 3 hours.
Remove the pork from the oven and discard the parchment paper and the foil.
Carefully pour off the liquid that has accumulated in the bottom of the sheet pan into a fat separator (if you have one) for the sauce.
Return the pork to the oven and roast again, uncovered until well browned, and the thermometer registers 200 degrees. This will take about 1 ½ hours.
Transfer the pork to a dish, tent the dish with foil, and let it rest for 20 minutes.
Using 2 forks, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces and season with sea salt and pepper if desired. Toss the pork with 1 cup of sauce and serve.
Cooked shredded pork can be refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to 2 days.