Paula Deen BBQ Pork Sandwich

Paula Deen BBQ pork sandwich takes 6 hours 30 minutes and a spice-rubbed pork shoulder roasted in apple juice to make a fork-tender, pull-apart sandwich filling. It's an easy slow-roasted pulled pork dinner for a cookout, Sunday dinner, church supper or game day, and it's make-ahead friendly.

Brush the roast with its cooking liquid every hour, because that apple juice and vinegar mix is what keeps the outside from drying out. Skip it and the edges turn tough while the middle takes forever to shred.

Paula rubs the pork with salt, brown sugar, paprika and cayenne, then lets it sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Roasting it covered in an apple juice and cider vinegar bath with a little liquid smoke gives you that smoky, tangy flavor without a smoker.

Paula Deen BBQ Pork Sandwich

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

4

hours 

Calories

520

kcal

Spice-rubbed pork shoulder roasts low and slow in a covered Dutch oven until it shreds with a fork. Piled on a soft bun with BBQ sauce and coleslaw, it's juicy, smoky and a little sweet.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons salt
  

• 2 tablespoons Black pepper
  

• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  

• 2 tablespoons paprika
  

• 1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  

• 4 lbs shoulder pork roast
  

• 2 cup apple juice
  

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  

• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
  

• 1/2 tablespoon liquid smoke
  

• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  

• 6 soft hamburger buns with seeds
  

• Paula Deen BBQ Sauce
  

• coleslaw
  

Directions

• Mix the dry rub: Stir together 2 tablespoons salt, 2 tablespoons black pepper, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons paprika and 1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle it all over the 4 lb pork shoulder roast, pressing it into the meat.
• Chill the pork: Cover the pork with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours. That gives the rub time to sink in, so the flavor goes deeper than the surface.
• Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F while the pork finishes chilling. Make sure a rack sits low enough for your Dutch oven.
• Make the cooking liquid: Combine 2 cups apple juice, 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, 1/2 tablespoon liquid smoke and 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder in a medium bowl. Then pour it into a large Dutch oven.
• Roast the pork: Set the pork in the Dutch oven, cover it tightly with aluminum foil and then the lid, and roast for 4 hours. It's done when it's fork tender and shreds easily.
• Baste every hour: Brush the roast with the cooking liquid every hour while it roasts. Put the foil and lid back on right away so the heat stays in.
• Shred the pork: Take the pork out of the oven and let it stand until it's cool enough to handle. Then shred it with a fork or tongs into bite size pieces.
• Build the sandwiches: Pile the pork onto 6 soft hamburger buns with seeds. Top each one with Paula Deen BBQ sauce and coleslaw.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO 12-inch locking tongs, OXO silicone pastry brush. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use a different cut of pork?

Pork shoulder, also sold as Boston butt, is the best choice because its fat melts during the long roast and keeps the meat juicy. Leaner cuts like loin tend to dry out and won't shred the same way.

How long do leftovers keep?

Store the shredded pork in an airtight container with a splash of the cooking liquid, and it keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat it gently in a covered pan so it stays moist.

Can I make the pork ahead of time?

Yes, the pork reheats well, so you can roast it a day ahead and shred it when it's cool. Warm it with a little of the cooking liquid and build the sandwiches right before serving.

Can I cook this in a slow cooker instead of a Dutch oven?

A slow cooker works if you don't want to use the oven, since the pork just needs a long, moist, low heat. Cook it until it shreds easily with a fork, and skip the hourly basting because the lid stays closed.

What's the biggest mistake with pulled pork?

Pulling it out too soon is the most common one. If it doesn't shred easily with a fork, it needs more time, because tough pork just hasn't finished breaking down yet.