Pulled Pork
Prepare carefully. Work safely. Evaluate honestly.
- Serves / makes
- 6 servings
- Preparation
- 20 minutes
- Cooking
- 5–7 hours, plus 10 minutes resting
- Total time
- 5 hours 30 minutes–7 hours 30 minutes
Heat / oven setting150°C conventional / 130°C fan
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 1.5kg | |
| 2 tbsp | |
| 2 tbsp | |
| 2 tbsp | |
| 2 tbsp | |
| 1 tsp | |
| 300ml, plus a little extra if needed | |
| 200–250ml |
Tick ingredients as you prepare them. Ticks reset when you reload.
Equipment
- Large ovenproof casserole with lid
- Digital scales and measuring spoons
- Measuring jug
- Mixing bowl
- Serving dish
- Ladle and large spoon
- Two forks
- Sharp knife and separate chopping board
- Oven gloves and heatproof mat
- Clean food thermometer
Method
Prepare the dry rub
Wash hands and prepare the workstation. Combine the paprika, cumin, black pepper, brown sugar and salt in a bowl. Rub evenly over the pork shoulder. Wash hands and sanitise equipment after handling raw pork.
Prepare for the oven
Preheat the oven to 150°C conventional / 130°C fan. Place the pork in a large lidded casserole with the fat side upwards. Pour the apple juice around it without washing off the rub. Cover with the lid.
Cook slowly
Cook for 5–7 hours until very tender. Check occasionally, using oven gloves, and add a little apple juice if the liquid is drying out. Check the centre reaches 75°C for at least 30 seconds with a clean food thermometer; continue cooking if needed. Tenderness is a separate check: it should pull apart easily with forks.
Rest and transfer
Lift the casserole onto a heatproof mat. Transfer the cooked pork to a clean serving dish, leaving the juices in the casserole. Rest for 10 minutes.
Shred the pork
Carefully remove any rind and excess visible fat. Use two clean forks to pull the pork into strands.
Make the sauce
Skim excess fat from the cooking juices. Stir in 200–250ml BBQ sauce and heat until bubbling. Taste with a clean spoon and adjust only if needed.
Combine and serve
Return the shredded pork to the sauce and heat until steaming throughout. Serve promptly, with soft rolls or jacket potatoes if desired; these accompaniments are additional ingredients.
Portion for six
Divide the finished dish evenly between six people.
Food safety
- Wash hands, clean surfaces, tie back hair and use clean equipment. Check use-by dates and ingredient labels before starting.
- Keep raw meat separate from cooked and ready-to-eat food. Do not wash raw poultry; wash hands and sanitise utensils after raw meat contact.
- Use a cleaned food thermometer for meat and egg dishes: the centre should reach 75°C for at least 30 seconds, or an equivalent safe time and temperature. Timings are a guide; size and equipment affect cooking.
- Cool perishable leftovers and refrigerate within 1–2 hours. Keep the fridge at 5°C or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 48 hours and reheat only once until steaming hot throughout. Rice has a shorter storage limit.
Guidance: Food Standards Agency cooking advice ↗
Nutritional considerations
Pork supplies protein. Shoulder and BBQ sauce contribute fat, salt and sugar; trimming visible fat and serving with vegetables improves the balance. Rolls or potatoes add starchy carbohydrate.
Practical skills
Measuring spices, slow cooking, safe temperature checking, shredding and adjusting sauce.
Presentation
Use clean serving equipment, divide evenly and wipe the plate or dish edges. Check the finished food against your planned colour, texture and appearance.
Evaluate your practical
Describe the appearance, flavour, texture and a skill you used successfully.
Explain one improvement to the recipe, your timings or your technique.
Adapted from your uploaded Pulled Pork sheet. An oven setting, precise safety checks and storage guidance have been added. The original pepper quantity makes a strongly peppered rub.
Times are approximate. Quantities are for the stated yield; accompanying foods are included only when listed. This learning sheet does not itself award a qualification.