Southern Soul Food Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. BBQ Pulled Pork Platter
Slow-cooked pork shoulder shredded and tossed in barbecue sauce — pile it high with sides.
No common allergens detected
Based on this recipe's ingredient list. Always verify with your own brands and labels.
Good to know
- One-pot
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Rub: Mix the brown sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and rub all over the pork.
- 2
Slow Cook: Place in a slow cooker (or covered Dutch oven) with the stock and cook on low for 8 hours, or at 150°C (300°F) until fork-tender.
- 3
Shred: Remove the pork, discard excess fat, and shred with two forks.
- 4
Sauce: Skim the cooking liquid, then toss the pork with the barbecue sauce and a little of the juices.
- 5
Warm Through: Return to low heat to glaze.
- 6
Serve: Serve on a platter with buns, coleslaw, cornbread, and baked beans.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
79/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving535
Calories
53 g
Protein
15 g
Carbs
27 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Pulled pork is the cornerstone of Carolina barbecue, where whole hogs and pork shoulders are cooked low and slow until the meat shreds, then dressed in regional sauces that range from vinegar to tomato. The Boston butt, despite the name, comes from the upper shoulder and is prized for the marbling and collagen that make it shred beautifully.
Listahan note
This version uses a slow cooker or covered Dutch oven with stock or cider so the shoulder steams tender unattended, then tosses the shredded meat in sauce and a little of its own skimmed juices for moisture without greasiness.
Technique cues
- Cooking the shoulder in stock or apple cider keeps a moist environment so the collagen melts into the meat over the full 8 hours rather than the surface drying out.
- Skimming the fat off the cooking liquid before saucing keeps the finished pork rich but not greasy, while reserved lean juices add back moisture.
- Shredding with two forks while the pork is still warm separates the muscle bundles cleanly; let it cool and the fibers tighten and tear.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Set out buns, slaw, and beans while the pork cooks since the active work is all at the end.
- Make-ahead
- Cook and shred a day ahead, then reheat in the skimmed juices and sauce so it tastes freshly made.
- Leftover move
- Crisp leftover pork in a hot skillet for tacos, nachos, or a loaded baked potato.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Line the slow cooker or shred over a sheet pan to contain the mess, and reserve the skimmed liquid before washing up.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
pork shoulder (Boston butt)
Main protein
Purpose: Its marbling and collagen are what let it shred into moist strands after the long cook.
Handling: Trim only the thickest external fat; internal fat keeps it juicy.
Adaptation: Pork picnic shoulder works but is a bit leaner with more skin to trim.
brown sugar
Rub sweetener
Purpose: It balances the salt and paprika in the rub and helps the surface bits caramelise.
Handling: Rub the spice mix all over the pork before it goes in to cook.
Adaptation: Skip it for a savory Carolina style and lean on the vinegar in the sauce instead.
chicken stock or apple cider
Braising liquid
Purpose: It creates the moist steamy environment that renders the shoulder tender over 8 hours.
Handling: Pour it around, not over, the pork so the rub stays on top.
Adaptation: A light beer adds maltiness; plain water works in a pinch but gives less flavor to skim back in.
barbecue sauce
Dressing
Purpose: Tossed through at the end, it coats the shredded meat and ties the platter together.
Handling: Add it gradually and taste so the pork is dressed, not drowned.
Adaptation: A thin Eastern Carolina vinegar-pepper sauce makes a tangier, lighter pulled pork.
Technique notes
- Cook to fork-tender by feel, not the clock; a probe should meet no resistance before you shred.
- Skim the fat off the cooking liquid but keep the lean juices to moisten the meat after saucing.
- Warm the sauced pork over low heat just until it glazes; boiling it dries the strands out.
Ingredient swaps
- Lower-sodium direction
- Use unsalted stock, cut the rub salt in half, and finish with a reduced-sodium sauce.
- Gluten-free direction
- Pick a certified gluten-free barbecue sauce and serve over gluten-free buns or rice; the pork and rub are already gluten-free.
- Weeknight shortcut
- A pressure cooker brings the shoulder to shreddable in about 75 minutes instead of 8 hours.
Serve alongside
- Vinegar coleslaw
- Baked beans
- Buttermilk cornbread
- Hush puppies
- Iced sweet tea
- Cold pale ale
- Cherry cola
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate sauced pulled pork up to 4 days in a covered container.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of stock or reserved juices to loosen it.
- Freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Equipment
- Slow cooker or Dutch oven
- Two sturdy forks or meat claws
- Fat separator or ladle
- Large serving platter
Make this household-aware
Listahan Pro checks this recipe against your household's allergens, finds pantry-aware swaps, builds the shopping list, and helps you plan the week around it.
Plan it in Listahan
Add BBQ Pulled Pork Platter to your week, check it against your household's allergens, and build the shopping list automatically.
More Southern Soul Food recipes
Southern Soul Food Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Caramel Cake
A tender Southern layer cake blanketed in glossy, old-fashioned cooked caramel frosting that sets to a fudgy finish.
Southern Soul Food Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Sweet Tea
Quench your thirst with a frosty glass of authentic Southern sweet tea, perfectly brewed for smoothness and sweetness. Nothing cools down a hot summer day quite like it.
Southern Soul Food Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Smothered Pork Chops
Feast on pan-seared pork chops braised to fork-tender perfection, completely enveloped in a deeply caramelized, savory onion gravy. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes for maximum comfort.