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Perfect Pulled Pork Recipe: Tender, Juicy, Flavorful Pulled Pork

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The Very Best Pulled Pork

An easy way to make a crowd of 50 plus (or just your family) very happy!

This pulled pork recipe is a go-to that your family and guests will request again and again. It’s deeply flavorful, moist, and melt-in-your-mouth tender. It freezes and reheats exceptionally well, so making extra is highly recommended. Follow these straightforward steps and you’ll have reliable, delicious pulled pork every time.

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It’s easy. Here’s how.

Start with the meat. Allow about 4 pounds of raw Boston Butt (pork shoulder) for every 10 servings. This cut—sometimes labeled Pork Butt Roast—comes from the upper shoulder and often includes the blade bone. It’s an economical, forgiving cut that becomes incredibly tender when cooked low and slow. A 6–7 pound roast will provide plenty for a family meal and leftovers.

I prefer bone-in with a fat cap when possible, but boneless roasts work fine too. Cooking time depends on roast size rather than bone-in vs. boneless.

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Fresh Pork Shoulder / Boston Butt Roast

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This pork shoulder is nearly 7 pounds—ideal if you want leftovers or plan to freeze portions. If cooking for guests, consider preparing multiple roasts and freezing some of the shredded pork for quick meals later.

Helpful (but optional) tools:

  • 1–2 gallon freezer bags for brining
  • Large roasting pans
  • Fat separator for reserving cooking juices
  • Heat-resistant gloves for handling hot roasts
  • Digital probe thermometer to monitor internal temperature

Using a thermometer makes overnight cooking stress-free: set the alarm to signal when the roast reaches the target temperature. It’s one of my favorite kitchen tools.

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Now let’s get started.

This recipe is made over several days in three simple steps. It’s very forgiving—brine times, amount of brine used, and exact cook time can vary a bit without ruining the result. Start two nights before serving for the easiest schedule: the Game Plan finishes the roast in the morning of the serving day so your oven is free for last-minute dishes.

Reheat the pork about an hour before serving, adding reserved cooking liquid to keep it moist. It holds well in a slow cooker on LOW or in a 200°F oven for several hours.

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I’m Betsy. Here you’ll find trusted recipes—from quick family meals to classics made easy—and guides for cooking for large groups (20–200). I also share my journey designing and building a dream home in Hawaii. Let’s cook and create!

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Step #1 – Brine the pork

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A basic brine is salt water. Salt forces liquid into the meat and helps break down connective tissue, producing juicier, more tender pork. Enhance the brine with cider vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaves, garlic, and a portion of the dry rub to infuse additional flavor.

Combine brine ingredients, place the roast in a freezer bag, pour in the brine, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and preferably 24. You may have extra brine—just ensure the roast is fully covered while brining.

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Why Brine Pork?

Because brining makes meat:

Juicier

More tender

More flavorful

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Place the bagged roasts in the refrigerator so the shoulder is completely submerged in the brine while it rests.

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Step #2 – Flavorful Dry Rub

Great recipes rely on layers of flavor. You’ve already added flavor with the brine; now press a generous dry rub over the entire surface of the roast to add another layer. Consider making extra roasts—pulled pork freezes beautifully and saves time later.

After brining, remove the roast, pat dry, and coat thoroughly with the dry rub so no meat is showing.

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Step #3 – Cook Low & Slow

Pork shoulder contains fat and connective tissue that must melt to create tender meat. Cook at 225°F for 8–16 hours depending on size and quantity. Plan on 1.5–2 hours per pound; larger roasts or full ovens trend closer to 2 hours per pound.

Insert a digital probe into the thickest part of the roast (not touching bone) and cook uncovered until the internal temperature reaches 200°F. When the thermometer alarm sounds, turn off the oven but leave the roast inside. If the pan is dry, add a cup of water and cover to retain moisture. Let the roast rest in the oven until it cools to about 170°F—this makes shredding easier.

Your Pulled Pork Game Plan

Two nights before serving: make the dry rub and brine, and brine the roast(s) overnight and through the next day. The night before serving: remove from brine, pat dry, apply rub, and cook overnight at 225°F until the roast reaches 200°F. Rest until 170°F, then shred and mix in some of the reserved pan juices. Reserve extra juices for reheating and holding.

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Final Secret

Reserve the flavorful cooking juices from the roasting pan. Pour them into a fat separator, discard excess fat, and keep the defatted juices. Mix some into shredded pork for serving and freeze the rest to add when reheating. This keeps the pork juicy and flavorful.

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Tips to Help You Succeed

Make-ahead, freeze, and reheat tips: shredded pork freezes well up to three months when packed with a bit of reserved cooking juice. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a 350°F oven for 10–30 minutes, adding juices as needed to keep it moist.

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Easy Pulled Pork for 50

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Below is the scaled recipe for 50 servings followed by a family-sized version. The method is the same: brine, rub, and slow-cook to 200°F, rest to 170°F, then shred and season to taste.

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Best Ever Pulled Pork for 50
Adapted from KevinandAmanda.com
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 50
Author: Betsy Edwards

Ingredients

  • 20 pounds Boston Butt or pork shoulder (bone-in preferred)

For the Dry Rub

  • 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup onion powder
  • 1/4 cup chili powder
  • 1/4 cup Kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup paprika
  • 1/2 cup garlic powder
  • 2 cups brown sugar

For the Brine

  • 2 cups table salt
  • 5 quarts water
  • 1 quart cider vinegar
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 8 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup jarred garlic, rough chopped

Instructions

Two nights before serving

  1. Make the dry rub and the brine solution.

Dry Rub

  1. Combine all rub ingredients in a container, mix, and set aside.

Brine Solution

  1. In a large bowl, stir salt, water, and cider vinegar until mostly dissolved. Add brown sugar, bay leaves, garlic, and 1/2 cup of the dry rub. Stir to combine.
  2. Place pork in gallon freezer bags, pour brine over until fully covered, seal, and refrigerate 8–24 hours (24 preferred).

The next night

  1. Preheat oven to 225°F.
  2. Remove roasts from brine, pat dry, place in roasting pans with 1″ clearance, and press the dry rub onto all surfaces.
  3. Place fat cap up, insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part (not touching bone), and roast uncovered at 225°F.
  4. Cook until internal temperature reaches 200°F (about 1.5–2 hours per pound). When done, turn off the oven and leave roasts inside. If pan liquids are low, add 1 cup water and cover to retain moisture.
  5. Let roasts cool in the oven until internal temp drops to about 170°F (approximately 2 hours), then remove.
  6. Pour pan juices into a fat separator, discard excess fat, reserve the juices.
  7. Shred with forks, discard bones, and mix in some defatted pan juices. Taste and season with kosher salt as needed.

Make Ahead

  1. Shredded pork can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months. Freeze remaining pan juice separately.
  2. To rewarm, thaw overnight, then heat in a 350°F oven for 15–30 minutes, adding reserved juices to maintain moisture.

For Sandwiches

  1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter per 2 buns and baste cut sides; toast until golden.
  2. Mix pulled pork with your favorite barbecue sauce and serve on toasted buns with coleslaw.

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Family-sized Pulled Pork Recipe

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Best Ever Pulled Pork
Adapted from KevinandAmanda.com
Servings: 12 to 20

Ingredients

  • 1 (4–7 pound) Boston Butt or pork shoulder (bone-in preferred)

Dry Rub

  • 2 teaspoons ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

Brine

  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 2 quarts water
  • 2 cups cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons rough chopped garlic
  • 2 tablespoons of the dry rub mix

Instructions

  1. Make the rub and brine two nights before serving. Brine 8–24 hours.
  2. Preheat oven to 225°F. Remove roast from brine, pat dry, coat with rub, and roast fat cap up on middle rack until internal temp reaches 200°F (1.5–2 hours per pound).
  3. Turn off oven and let rest to 170°F, then remove. Reserve pan juices, shred the pork, and add juices to taste. Season with kosher salt as needed.
  4. Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

To Rewarm

Thaw overnight and reheat in a 350°F oven for 10–20 minutes, adding reserved juices to maintain moisture.

For Sandwiches

Toast buttered buns, mix pork with barbecue sauce, and serve with coleslaw.

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Fabulous Recipes Using Your Pulled Pork

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Pulled Pork with Hawaiian Coleslaw

My Hawaiian coleslaw pairs beautifully with pulled pork sandwiches and adds a bright, tropical contrast.

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Loaded Barbecue Pulled Pork Potato Casserole – Coming Soon!

Comforting, crowd-pleasing casserole ideas like this are perfect for potlucks and family dinners.

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Pulled Pork Nachos – Coming Soon!

Pulled pork nachos make a fantastic game-day snack—easy, sharable, and delicious.

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More Information on Pulled Pork for Large Groups

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Pulled pork is ideal for reunions, church events, picnics, and camps. It’s cost-effective, reheats well, and can be made ahead. For large events, you can cook everything yourself (with adequate ovens) or divide roasts among volunteers.

How Much Pork Will Guests Eat?

Guests average 2.5–5 ounces of cooked pulled pork each. For planning, use 4 ounces (1/4 pound) per person for a generous serving. Expect about a 65% yield from raw weight after cooking.

Simple Planning Rules

  • Rule #1: 1 pound finished pulled pork feeds 4 people (¼ lb per person).
  • Rule #2: Expect about 65% yield (10 lb raw → ~6.5 lb finished).

Example: For 100 people, you need 25 lb finished / 0.65 = ~38.5 lb raw pork (round up to 40 lb).

Adjustments

  • Kids or seniors: plan 5 people per pound.
  • Big eaters: plan 3 people per pound.
  • Serving other mains: reduce pork by about one-third.

Always consider having some leftovers—better safe than short.

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Your Large Group Shopping List

Serving: 1 sandwich (4 ounces cooked pork) 25 50 100
Boston butt pork 10 pounds raw 20 pounds raw 40 pounds raw
Buns 30 55 105
Butter (basting) 1/2 pound 1 pound 2 pounds
Barbecue Sauce (2 oz per serving) 50 oz 100 oz 200 oz
Dry Rub (ingredients total) Quantities scale with guest count (see recipe) Quantities scale with guest count Quantities scale with guest count

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