Braised Dutch Oven Pulled Pork

Step 1

Heat the oven to 300*.

Step 2

Prepare the spice mixture. In a small bowl, mix the paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano and mix to combine.

Step 3

Using a sharp knife, trim any excessive fat from the pork, but take caution to leave some intact (fat=flavor!). Slice the trimmed pork into 3-4" chunks. Dunk each side of the pork cubes into the spice mixture, covering all sides.

Step 4

Heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the fat of your choice and heat until it simmers. In batches, brown each side of the meat until the exterior is golden brown, 6-8 minutes per side. To ensure maximum browning, ensure pieces are not touching and that the pot is not overcrowded. For a 4-lb boston butt, this this typically takes me 3-4 batches total.

Step 5

Transfer the meat back to the dutch oven and arrange in a single layer at the bottom of the pan - for this stage it's totally fine for the pieces to be touching, and it will be a bit snug. Add 1/2 cup of water to the dutch oven, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise in the oven for 3-4 hours, or until the meat easily pulls with a fork. In the last hour or so, all of the liquid will have cooked off and the meat will start to render in its own fat.

Step 6

Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and then shred with a fork. The cooked meat can be immediately consumed, or, divided into 1-pound portions and freeze. To freeze, I wrap the pork in plastic wrap, then store in a gallon zip-lock bag. Cooked pork keeps well in the freezer for up to 3 months.