Quick Answer
Technically, you can make pulled pork from any cut of pork, but the ideal cuts for pulled pork are the shoulder, butt, or picnic. These cuts have more fat and connective tissue that breaks down into delicious pulled pork during the long, slow cooking process. Leaner cuts like pork loin or tenderloin are not recommended, as they can easily dry out.
What is Pulled Pork?
Pulled pork is a barbecue dish made by slowly cooking pork shoulder, butt, or other fatty cuts until the meat easily pulls apart or “shreds”. The pork is then pulled or shredded into bite-size pieces using two forks and typically seasoned with a barbecue sauce or other flavored sauce.
Pulled pork is a staple of Southern American barbecue and requires a long cooking time of 8-12 hours using methods like smoking, braising, or roasting at low heat. This allows the tough connective tissues in the pork to break down into gelatin, making the meat incredibly tender and “pull-apart”.
Best Cuts of Pork for Pulled Pork
While technically any cut of pork can be used, the cuts that result in the most tender, flavorful pulled pork are:
Pork Shoulder
Pork shoulder, also called pork butt or Boston butt, is the most popular and traditional choice for pulled pork. It contains a high amount of fat and connective tissue that melts into the meat during low, slow cooking. Pork shoulder also has a good meat-to-bone ratio.
Pork Picnic
The pork picnic, or picnic ham/shoulder, is another excellent choice located right below the shoulder. It is similar in texture and fat content but contains more bone. You’ll get slightly less pulled pork yield per pound with the picnic.
Pork Ham
Bone-in fresh ham or uncured ham is great for pulled pork, though you may need to remove the thicker bone before pulling. It is fattier than other cuts.
| Cut | Description |
|---|---|
| Pork Shoulder | Most popular, well-marbled |
| Pork Picnic | Very similar to shoulder |
| Pork Ham | Fresh, bone-in ham |
Cuts to Avoid
While you can attempt to make pulled pork with the following cuts, they are not recommended as they can easily dry out and turn tough due to their leanness:
Pork Tenderloin
Pork tenderloin is far too lean and will likely be dry and tough after cooking 8+ hours. It has very little fat or collagen.
Pork Loin
Pork loin, while delicious when cooked quickly by grilling or roasting, also contains too little fat and connective tissue for pulled pork. The texture will be off.
Pork Chop
Individual pork chops contain almost no connective tissue and are prone to drying out, making for bad pulled pork texture.
| Cut | Why It’s Not Ideal |
|---|---|
| Pork Tenderloin | Too lean, will dry out |
| Pork Loin | Not enough fat or collagen |
| Pork Chop | No connective tissue |
How is Pulled Pork Made?
To make authentic pulled pork, follow these basic steps:
Select the Right Cut
Choose a well-marbled shoulder, butt, picnic, or fresh ham. Plan for 1⁄2 pound of uncooked meat per person.
Season the Meat
Rub the pork all over with a dry seasoning blend. Popular options are barbecue style rubs, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, and cracked black pepper.
Slow Cook
Slow cook the seasoned pork for 8-12 hours. Cooking methods include:
- Smoking low and slow at 225-275°F
- Roasting in the oven at 300°F
- Braising in the oven at 325°F in liquid
- Slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours
Cooking times vary based on size of meat. Cook until fork tender and meat shreds easily.
Shred the Meat
Use two forks to pull and shred the cooked pork into bite-size pieces. Discard any bones or large fat pieces.
Toss with Sauce
Toss shredded pork with your favorite barbecue sauce. Serve on buns or over cornbread, rice, beans, or greens.
What About Lean Cuts Like Loin or Chops?
The main issue with using lean cuts like pork loin or chops is that they have very little fat and connective tissue compared to rich shoulder or butt cuts.
This means when cooked low and slow, they are likely to turn out unappetizingly dry, chewy, and tough instead of succulently tender and “pull-apart”.
That said, if you really want to try making pulled pork from a lean cut, there are a few tricks to improve your chances:
- Marinate overnight in an acidic marinade like vinegar, citrus, or wine to tenderize
- Cook in a very moist environment, like a dutch oven with some liquid
- Wrap in bacon to add fat
- Stop cooking early when just fork-tender but not falling apart
- Chop or slice instead of shredding to account for texture
- Serve chopped pork over creamy grits or polenta to moisten
While you may be able to make reasonably decent pulled pork from loin or chops with these methods, for best and most authentic results, stick to the classic shoulder or butt.
Conclusion
For tender, fall-apart pulled pork, opt for well-marbled shoulder, butt, picnic, or fresh ham. While technically possible to use leaner loin or chops, the texture will likely be subpar. Slow cook seasoned pork for 8-12 hours until fork tender, then pull into shreds and toss with barbecue sauce. Shoulder and butt were made for pulled pork, so stick with the classics for guaranteed success!