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BBQ pulled pork in a blue rimmed white rectangle enamel roasting tin, with a jug of BBQ sauce, bowl of coleslaw and brioche buns in the background.

BBQ Pulled Pork

By: Deborah
Slow-cooked BBQ pulled pork that's tender, juicy and packed with smoky flavour. Perfect for burgers, tacos, loaded fries and family dinners.
PREP: 25 minutes
COOK: 4 hours 33 minutes
TOTAL: 4 hours 58 minutes
Servings: 8 people
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Ingredients

  • 2  onions (approx. 240g) sliced
  • 3  bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp mustard powder
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 kg (4.4 lb) boneless pork shoulder rind attached and string left on
  • 200 ml (1 cup) cold water

For the BBQ sauce:

  • 140 g  (4.9 oz) tomato ketchup
  • 4 tbsp  red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp  Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tbsp soft dark brown sugar

To serve (optional):

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Scatter the onions and bay leaves in the bottom of a medium roasting tin. Mix the mustard powder with the paprika, pepper and salt in a small bowl. Rub this all over the pork, making sure you rub it into all the crevices. Place the pork, rind-side up, on top of the onions. Pour the water into the bottom of the tin, wrap it well with tin foil and bake for 4 hours (this can be done up to 2 days ahead – simply cover the tin in foil once cooked, and chill until ready to barbecue or grill).
  • In a bowl, mix the tomato ketchup, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar, until well combined. Remove the pork onto a plate and pat it dry with kitchen roll, and set aside.
  • Place the roasting tin on the hob, pour in the ketchup mixture and bubble vigorously for 10 to 15 minutes until thick and glossy. Remove the bay leaves and pour the sauce into a food processor. Blitz until smooth, then smear half the sauce mixture over the meat.

Finish on the barbecue:

  • Heat the barbecue to high. Once hot, place the pork on skin-side down. Cook for 15 minutes until nicely charred, then flip over and cook for another 10 minutes. The meat will be very tender, so be careful not to lose any between the bars.
  • Lift the pork onto a large plate or tray. Remove the string and peel off the skin. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into chunky pieces. Add 4 to 5 tbsp of the barbecue sauce to the meat and toss everything well to coat. Pile into rolls and serve with extra sauce and some coleslaw, if you like.

Finish under the grill:

  • Alternatively, heat the grill to high, place the pork back into the roasting tin and cook for 10 minutes on each side, until nicely charred.
  • Remove the string and peel off the skin. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into chunky pieces. Add 4 to 5 tbsp of the barbecue sauce to the meat and toss everything well to coat. Pile into rolls and serve with extra sauce and some coleslaw, if you like.

Notes

  • Optional variations: 
    • Spicy BBQ pulled pork – add chipotle paste, cayenne pepper or chilli flakes to the sauce. 
    • Honey BBQ – add honey to the BBQ sauce for a sweeter glaze. 
    • Bourbon BBQ – add a splash of bourbon to the sauce. 
    • Korean-inspired pulled pork – mix in gochujang and sesame oil. 
    • Mexican pulled pork – season with cumin, oregano and chipotle chilli powder. 
    • Apple cider pulled pork – cook the pork with apple juice or cider for added sweetness, instead of the water. 
    • Smoky chipotle version – use chipotle paste for a deep smoky heat.
 
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Nutrition

Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 468mg | Potassium: 1092mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 527IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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