A classic of the American South, pulled pork is traditionally cooked slowly on a barbecue until tender and smoky, with a crispy heavily-spiced crust. However, you can also make it in the oven, a slow cooker or a pressure cooker. So even if you don’t have access to a barbecue, you can still enjoy a variation of this delicious Southern staple.

Pulled pork starts, of course, with the pork. Pork shoulder is the traditional choice, and pork butt (also known as Boston butt) specifically is often used. Despite its name, pork butt is a type of shoulder cut, which has a mild flavour and a good amount of fat. You can also get pulled pork made with the whole hog, although for home cooks a pork shoulder is definitely more manageable! It’s also a delicious way to make the most of a cheap cut of meat.

The pork is covered in a dry rub, which is a mixture of different herbs and spices that are patted onto the meat before it cooks. Exactly what goes in the rub varies by region (and by pit master). Memphis, Texas and South Carolina all have their own individual styles of pulled pork, but it often features dried herbs, paprika, dried garlic, salt and black pepper.

Once you’ve cooked your pork according to your favourite recipes, next the pork is shredded and can be served with a sauce of your choice. These range from the fairly thin and bright yellow vinegary Carolina-style barbecue sauce, to the creamy and rich white barbecue sauce of Alabama made with mayonnaise. The classic sweet and tomatoey barbecue sauce is a staple in Memphis and Kansas City, and each city has its own variation.

We have recipes on the site for traditional pulled pork, served with homemade Carolina gold barbecue sauce, and much less traditional versions stuffed inside buns. We also have pulled pork served with loaded sweet potatoes, mango salsa, or copious amounts of Monterey Jack cheese.

To make your own pulled pork from scratch, follow our guide here