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Boston Butt Pork Roast (Oven Pulled Pork)

Boston butt pork roast built for slow roasting: a dark, bark-like crust forms as the butt cooks at 275°F until it shreds at 195–205°F. This pork butt recipe yields juicy, smoky shreds that pull apart easily—then get tossed with pan juices and finished with BBQ sauce.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
rest 30 minutes
Total Time 12 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Boston butt (bone-in pork butt)
  • 6 lb bone-in pork butt (Boston butt)
Dry Rub
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
Roasting Liquid & Finish
  • 0.5 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 BBQ sauce for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the rub and season
  1. Mix brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined, then coat the pork butt thoroughly on all sides. Cover and refrigerate overnight if possible.
Slow roast
  1. Preheat the oven to 275°F.
  2. Place the pork fat-side up in a roasting pan and pour apple cider vinegar around the bottom.
  3. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 7–8 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 195–205°F and the meat shreds easily.
Rest, shred, and serve
  1. Rest the roast uncovered for 30 minutes.
  2. Shred the pork with two forks, discarding excess fat.
  3. Toss the shredded pork with pan juices, then serve with BBQ sauce for serving.

Notes

For the most “bark-like” crust, keep the roast covered only until it hits the 195–205°F shreds stage, then rest uncovered to let moisture escape slightly before shredding. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days in a covered container; freeze shredded pork (with pan juices) up to 3 months. To go a little lighter, use a no-sugar-added BBQ sauce if you want less added sugar while keeping the smoky-sweet flavor.