BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe (Oven or Smoker)

BBQ Pulled Pork. The king of low and slow. Soft, juicy, packed with flavour and perfect for sandwiches, tacos or just on its own with a fork. The beauty of this recipe? You can do it in your oven or on your smoker, depending on your setup and the weather. Either way, you’re in for a treat.

BBQ Pulled Pork

Prepare the Pork

1. Pat the pork shoulder dry with kitchen paper.
2. Mix all the dry rub ingredients in a bowl.
3. Rub the pork with olive oil, then coat generously with the dry rub.
4. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate overnight (or at least 1 hour).

Cooking Instructions

Oven Method:

1. Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F).
2. Place pork in a roasting tray with a rack. Add apple juice and water to the tray (not over the meat).
3. Cover tightly with foil and cook for 4–5 hours, or until the internal temp hits 90–95°C (195–203°F).
4. Remove from oven and let it rest, covered, for 30 minutes.

Smoker Method:

1. Heat smoker to 110–120°C (225–250°F).
2. Use wood like apple, hickory, or cherry.
3. Place pork directly on the grill. Spritz with apple juice every hour.
4. Smoke for 6–8 hours, or until internal temp reaches 90–95°C.
5. Let it rest for 30 minutes, loosely covered.

Shred and Serve

1. Use two forks (or gloved hands) to pull the pork apart into shreds.
2. Toss with a bit of BBQ sauce — enough to coat, not drown.
3. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

For the pork:

• 3kg Pork Shoulder Joint (Boneless)
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil

For the dry rub:

• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 2.5 tbsp paprika (smoked recommended)
• 2 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp onion powder
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 tbsp mustard powder
• For cooking:
• 200ml apple juice or cider
• 200ml water
• 300ml BBQ sauce (your favourite)