Pulled Pork Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 kg pork neck or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
- 2 apples, skin on, cored and diced (Granny Smith or Pink Lady recommended for balance)
- 2 red onions, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 500 ml (2 cups) bone broth (chicken or beef both work)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 125 ml (½ cup) good-quality BBQ sauce (optional but highly encouraged for extra zing)
🧊 Storage: Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Perfect meal-prep hero!
🍽️ Suggested Sides
- Pineapple salsa – for a sweet-and-sour freshness
- Sweet potato chips – crispy golden hugs
- Brothy rice – for all those delicious leftover juices
🔥 Method
- Preheat your oven to 140°C (285°F). Low and slow is the name of the game.
- Sear the pork: Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe casserole pot over medium heat. Sear the pork for 2–3 minutes per side until browned. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics: In the same pot, add diced apples and sliced onions. Cook for 4–5 minutes until slightly caramelized. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute more.
- Deglaze and assemble: Pour in the bone broth and Worcestershire sauce, scraping any sticky goodness from the bottom of the pot. Return the pork (and any juices) to the pot.
- Slow-cook: Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 6 hours, or until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork. No peeking — let the magic happen.
- Shred and sauce: Remove from oven. Shred the pork using two forks right in the pot. If using BBQ sauce, stir it through now for extra lusciousness.
💡 Tips & Substitutions
- No bone broth? Use stock — just avoid anything too salty.
- Make it smokier: Add ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or a dash of liquid smoke before slow cooking.
- Too much fat in the broth? Chill it overnight and skim off the fat layer before reheating.
- Serving for a crowd? Double it, and use two pots or a large roasting pan covered tightly with foil.
🐷 Fun Fact
Pulled pork is traditionally made from the shoulder because it has just the right amount of fat and connective tissue — which turns to silk when slow cooked. Science has never tasted so good.