Brown Sugar Pulled Pork

Fall-apart tender and dripping with flavor, this Brown Sugar Pulled Pork is the ultimate comfort food.

With a sweet and smoky spice rub, a tangy apple cider vinegar and beer braise, and a tender, shreddable texture, this recipe is sure to become a family favorite.

Ready Time

9 hrs

Yields

9 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup beer
2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C).

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.

Rub the spice mixture all over the pork shoulder, making sure to coat it evenly.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Sear the pork shoulder until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Remove the pork from the pot and set it aside.

Add the apple cider vinegar and beer to the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.

Return the pork to the pot, cover it, and transfer it to the preheated oven.

Braise the pork for 6-8 hours, or until it’s tender and easily shreds with a fork.

Remove the pot from the oven and let the pork rest for 15-20 minutes.

Use two forks to shred the pork into bite-sized pieces, then stir them into the juices in the pot.

Notes

For this recipe, make sure to plan ahead as the pork needs 6-8 hours of braising time in the oven. Using a boneless pork shoulder will result in tender and juicy pulled pork.

The brown sugar adds a nice depth of flavor to the pork, so don’t skip it! If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can substitute it with regular apple vinegar or even balsamic vinegar, but keep in mind the flavor will be slightly different.

The beer is optional, so if you don’t have it or prefer not to use it, you can omit it or substitute it with an equal amount of chicken or beef broth. Let the pork rest before shredding to allow the juices to redistribute, making it even more tender.