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Classic slow cooked recipe for Southern pulled pork that is the star of the main meal with plenty of leftovers for sandwiches and lunchboxes. Perfect for holiday get-togethers!
What Southerner does not love barbecue? This classic recipe for pulled pork is one of my “redone” favorites using healthier ingredients.
It is slow-cooked in the oven…who has a smoker in the backyard, after all? No worries, as the results turn out just as tender!
This dish is just perfect for serving guests or a chilly/rainy weekend at home.
The delightful smell of slow-cooked pork wafting through the house all day is sure to get your mouth watering.
Most pulled pork recipes use brown sugar in the rub and simmer the pork butt in a bath of apple cider.
This healthier version ditches the sugar and uses homemade chicken stock instead. The flavor is even better with far less carbs!
Love this barbecue favorite but wondering whether pork is a healthy? The linked article describes the preparation approaches of traditional cultures to put your mind at ease!
Serving Suggestions
If you like to eat your pulled pork on a bun, be sure to serve healthy versions like these sourdough hamburger buns.
This homemade barbecue sauce is tasty on top and avoids the high fructose corn syrup versions from the supermarket.
I serve this with healthy coleslaw and soaked baked beans in the summer. Sauted purple cabbage and apples goes perfectly in the cooler months.
Classic Southern Pulled Pork Recipe (sugar free)
Classic slow cooked recipe for Southern pulled pork that is mouthwatering and crowd pleasing as a main meal with plenty of leftovers for sandwiches and lunchboxes.
Ingredients
- 4-6 lb pork shoulder or butt preferably grassfed, bone in
- 1-2 Tbl lard
- 1-2 large onions sliced and separated into rings
- 1.5 cups chicken stock
- sourdough burger buns optional
For the Rub
- sea salt coarse
- black pepper freshly ground
- garlic powder ground
- paprika ground
- cayenne ground
- mustard ground, preferably organic
Instructions
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Sprinkle the pork with the rub ingredients. Cover with natural beeswax food wrap and let sit for 2 to 6 hours in the refrigerator.
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Preheat oven to 275 F/ 135 C degrees.
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Heat the lard over medium heat in a large cast iron skillet. Brown the pork on all sides.
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Remove and place in large dutch oven or roaster.
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Saute onions until soft and place on top of the pork roast. Pour the chicken stock into the roaster, cover and bake until falling apart tender. 5 – 7 hours.
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Let meat set for at least 10-15 min after coming out of the oven, then shred w/ large fork discarding bone and surplus fat.
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Serve with the juices from the pan or homemade barbecue sauce.
I also forgot to ask if I can store the pork shoulder in a glass container for the 2 hours instead of beeswax wrap if I do not have one.Thanks again!
I have a 1/2 pound pork butt or shoulder but wanted to know if this requires soaking in acidic medium.If not would I still cook the 1/2 pound at the temp that this recipe asks for.Thanks again Sarah for your advice.
Sounds great! Do you recommend cooking this in a slow cooker & if so, are there any modifications? Thanks!
This is actually slow cooked in the oven if you take a peek at the recipe again. I haven’t made it in a slow cooker, so cannot suggest any modifications. Let us know how it turns out if you try it!
I’m a bit late to the party here, but would this be adaptable to Crock-Pot cooking? It sounds delicious!
I’m not southern but I love barbecue and I love this recipe. I made this last weekend and it was a huge success.
This looks incredible, will definitely try making them
To die for! Excellent recipe. I cooked a 4 1/2 lb. pork shoulder for 6 hours, let it sit for 15 min., then shredded it…delicious! For the rub, I used 2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp each of the ground mustard, paprika, and garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp cayenne…those ratios worked great! Thank you for this recipe…it was mmm mmm good and a huge hit!
This recipe looks delicious, but what about the adverse effects shown in blood tests from people who consumed fresh pork? Sarah’s article on consuming fresh pork recommends soaking pork in vinegar or curing in salt. How should that be done with this recipe?
This recipe uses a dry marinade and slow cooking. This is acceptable as well.
Paula, I’m sure this is awesome, but the temp seems to be pretty high. My personal preference is to cook proteins low and slow. Shoulders cook at 210° or lower depending on serving time for 8 to 12 hrs. This way the fat and soft tissue melts into the meat adding flavor, reducing grissle and allowing the flesh to release from the bone. It does take longer however so planning ahead is necessary. Thanks for providing your recipes.