Pulled Pork Sandwiches
An easy pork built around boston pork butt, hamburger buns and barbecue sauce — roughly 65 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (3)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: contains meat, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Dissolve the pickling salt and honey in the water to make a brine, then submerge the pork butt, cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
- Remove the pork from the brine, rinse it well under cold water and pat it thoroughly dry, then discard the brine.
- Combine the paprika, black pepper, cayenne, dehydrated lemon peel and brown sugar, then rub this mixture all over the surface of the pork.
- Place the pork in a roasting pan or smoker set to 135 C (275 F) and cook low and slow, allowing roughly 1.5 hours per pound.
- Continue cooking until the meat is fork-tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers at least 90 to 96 C (195 to 205 F), which is when the connective tissue breaks down.
- Transfer the pork to a board, tent loosely with foil and rest for 20 to 30 minutes, then pull it apart into shreds using two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat.
- Toss the pulled pork with barbecue sauce to taste and pile it onto the buns to serve.
You'll use: Oven · Pan
Ingredient substitutions
- Honey
- maple syrup · agave
- Lemon
- lime · 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
- Brown Sugar
- white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses per cup
Tips & common questions
How long does Pulled Pork Sandwiches take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 11 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of honey?
Try maple syrup. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Pulled Pork Sandwiches is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Pulled pork sandwich - "Naked".jpg by Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.