Pulled Pork Recipes without a Smoker

Everybody deserves great pulled pork. Here are six ways to get there without a smoker—three with pork butt and three using other cuts of pork.

It is pulled pork season, graduation, and summer parties, but not everybody has a smoker—but you want great pulled pork anyways.

Real pulled pork must come from pork butt. It is just the way it is, folk. But it doesn't need to be hard, nor do you require a smoker. You can use a grill, an oven, or even a crock pot.

Or you can fake it with other lean cuts of meat that will give you great results but are healthier.

Pork Butt (Boston Butt) Recipes

Like many cuts of meat, there are multiple names for the same thing. Pork butt and Boston butt are the same. It does a lot of work, so have lots of connective tissue to melt for moist and tender meat.

If you are wondering, butt means thick, so that is why the term "butt" is used. Lastly, the picnic ham and picnic shoulder are not the same as this cut.

Oven Pulled Pork Butt—Low and Slow

Oven Pulled Pork from pork butt is cooked in the oven low and slow. Our best-pulled pork recipe is tender and moist with delicious bark. Super easy, with almost no work—you rub, bake at 250° for 8 to 9 hours, shred, and eat.

Pork Butt in the Oven

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

This incredibly easy Crock Pot Pulled Pork recipe is made with pork butt (a.k.a. Boston butt). My method uses no liquid or searing—just a pork butt and a simple BBQ dry rub—add some liquid smoke if you want. A few minutes of prep time, then cook low and slow in your slow cooker for wonderfully moist and tender pulled pork.

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

Smoked Pulled Pork Butt on a Gas Grill

Cooking smoked pulled pork butt low and slow on your backyard gas grill is easier than you think. With just a pork butt roast (AKA Boston butt), a dry rub, and wood chips, you can make juicy BBQ pulled pork with fantastic crusty bark and smoky flavor.

Grilled Pork Butt

"Fake" Pulled Pork

Other cuts of pork can be used for "fake" pulled pork. Here are a couple of pork loin and a pork tenderloin method. You can call it shredded pork if you want.

I have used the oven pork loin method for cooking for groups of up to 50 servings. And I love the smaller tenderloin version.

BBQ Shredded Pork Loin for Pulled Pork in the Oven

Lean, healthy, and tasty shredded pork loin makes excellent BBQ pulled pork by oven baking in a spicy braising fluid. Use it any place you use pulled pork butt.

Pulled Pork Loin in the Oven

Crock Pot Pulled Pork Loin

Moist and tender pulled pork from pork loin is easy to make using your slow cooker. You can use this healthy, low-fat shredded pork for BBQ pulled pork or change the seasoning to make great Mexican shredded pork for tacos, nachos, quesideas, and more.

Crock Pot Pulled Pork Loin

Crock Pot Shredded Pork Tenderloin

This easy crock pot shredded pork tenderloin recipe makes healthy BBQ pulled pork tenderloin. Trim a pork tenderloin, coat it with BBQ rub, and a bit of liquid smoke in your slow cooker for 2-3 hours. You don't need a marinade or braising fluid. We enjoy delicious, moist, smoky pull pork for dinner or sliders for a small party.

Crock Pot Shredded Pork Tenderloin

Top It Off

Memphis BBQ Sauce

The best Memphis BBQ sauce is perfect for chicken, pulled pork, pork ribs, and brisket. The sweet and tangy flavor of Memphis-style BBQ sauce complements smoky barbecues like pulled pork, pork ribs, or beef brisket.

Memphis BBQ Sauce Recipe

BBQ Dry Rub for Ribs, Pork, Beef, and More

The best BBQ Dry Rub recipes will enhance the meats' taste and complement the sauce's flavors. This easy-to-adjust homemade rub recipe has classic BBQ flavors.

BBQ Dry Rub Recipe

Memphis Dry Rub Recipe

A classic sweet and spicy Memphis Dry Rub Recipe from Marlowes of Memphis. Bring the great taste of Memphis to your grilled ribs or other BBQ recipes.

Memphis Dry Rub Recipe

References to Help You

A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill

Learn about grill temperatures on a gas grill. The most basic measurement to help you master your grill. Become the "Grill Master" today.

Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill

How To Set Up Your Gas Grill for Smoking and Low and Slow Cooking

Let’s learn how to set up your gas grill for great low and slow cooking with smoking. A useful technique you need to master your gas grill.

Smoking on a Gas Grill

Remember food safety. Check out the USDA Food Safety recommendations.

Have a great summer,

DrDan

Originally Published April 28, 2019. Update with new recommendations and discussion, usually yearly.