Robert’s BBQ Pulled Pork: Your Path to Sandwich Heaven
Y’all, I’ve got the ultimate BBQ pulled pork recipe that will knock your socks off! This recipe comes from my awesome YouTube subscriber, Robert Jones, and it’s an absolute game-changer. Think meltingly tender pork, smoky goodness, and the perfect balance of sweet and tangy – all ready to be piled high on a bun with my homemade coleslaw and your favorite BBQ sauce.
The secret to this masterpiece? It’s a little love and a whole lot of patience. We’ll start with an overnight dry brining session that infuses the pork with incredible flavor. Then, it’s off to the smoker for a kiss of wood-fired goodness and a final braising session in the Crock-Pot for fall-apart tenderness.
Ready to get started? Let’s dive into the details!
**What You’ll Need: **
- Pork Butt (aka Boston Butt): A 4-5 pound bone-in pork butt is the star of the show.
- Dry Brine:
- Water
- Bay leaves
- Salt
- Brown Sugar
- BBQ Dry Rub (use my recipe or your favorite store-bought)
- Crock-Pot Ingredients:
- Water
Equipment:
- Smoker
- Wood chips (I like hickory or apple for pork)
- Large container or brining bag
- Crock-Pot or slow cooker
Instructions:
Night Before:
- Make the dry brine: Combine the water, bay leaves, salt, brown sugar, and a generous amount of your favorite dry rub in a large container or brining bag. Stir until the salt and sugar are mostly dissolved.
- Brine the pork: Submerge the pork butt in the brine, ensuring it’s fully covered. Refrigerate overnight (at least 12 hours, but up to 24 hours is great).
Cooking Day:
- Prep the smoker: Preheat your smoker to 220°F. Add your preferred wood chips.
- Smoke the pork: Remove the pork butt from the brine and pat it dry with paper towels. Season it all over with some extra BBQ dry rub. Place the pork butt directly on the smoker grates and smoke for 2-3 hours, or until it develops a nice bark (dark, crusty exterior).
- Transfer to Crock-Pot: Carefully transfer the pork butt to your Crock-Pot or slow cooker. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and cook on low for 3-4 hours, or until the pork is incredibly tender and shreds easily with two forks.
- Shred and sauce: Remove the pork and use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces. Discard excess fat. If desired, return the shredded pork to the Crock-Pot with your favorite BBQ sauce to warm through.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Pile the BBQ pulled pork high on buns. Top with my homemade coleslaw recipe (check it out on my blog!) and a drizzle of your favorite BBQ sauce for a flavor explosion!
Watch how to make this recipe!
Robert’s Pro Tips (straight from my awesome subscriber!):
- Bone-in: Bone-in pork butt adds extra flavor and moisture during cooking.
- Don’t skip the brine: This step is essential for juicy, flavorful pork.
- Low and slow: The key to tender pulled pork is cooking it slowly over low heat.
- Customize the flavor: Use your favorite BBQ dry rub and BBQ sauce combinations to personalize this recipe.
My Coleslaw Recipe and Other Serving Ideas:
The perfect pulled pork sandwich needs the perfect coleslaw! Beyond sandwiches, this BBQ pulled pork is amazing on nachos, salads, or even stirred into mac and cheese!
A Huge Thanks to Robert
Thank you, Robert, for sharing this fantastic recipe with my community! We can’t wait to try all the variations. Let me know if you try Robert’s recipe. I can’t wait to hear what you think!
If you try this recipe, I want to see those delicious pulled pork sandwiches! Be sure to tag me @cheftips and use the hashtag #cheftips. And don’t forget to follow for more awesome recipes and BBQ inspiration!
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BBQ Pulled Pork
Recipe by Jason Hill – CookingSessions.comIngredients
- 4 pound pork shoulder
Dry Rub
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cracked pepper
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder or granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
Brine
- 4 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 11/2 tablespoons dry rub
Instructions
- Whisk up ingredients for the dry rub.
- Mix brine and whisk until salt and dry rub dissolves.
- Place pork in a large Ziploc bag, and add brine. Cover completely with the brine. Refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, remove the pork from the refrigerator, drain and pat dry. Pack on the remaining dry rub onto the pork shoulder.
- Let sit at room temperature, covered, for 30 minutes while you preheat the smoker to 220 F.
- When at 220 F, put the pork onto the smoker. After 2-3 hours on the smoker, remove the pork shoulder onto a cutting board.
- Place the pork shoulder into a Crock Pot. Add 1 1/2 cups water. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until internal temperature is 155 F. Remove from slow cooker, and let sit for about 10 minutes, or until it’s cool enough to pull apart.
