Recipes Ingredients Meat & Poultry Pork Recipes Martha's Braised Pulled Pork Shoulder 3.2 (233) 7 Reviews Cooked low and slow, this big piece of meat becomes meltingly tender—and makes the best sandwiches. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 21, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Servings: 10 Martha's braised pulled pork shoulder is meltingly tender and a perfect way to feed a crowd—because who doesn’t love pulled pork sandwiches? Make or buy a good barbecue sauce to pair with the pork, along with some sandwich buns—that's all you need for this stellar main dish. It’s best to start the pork a day ahead to give the spice rub plenty of time to work its magic. The pork shoulder should weigh 8 to 10 pounds, and takes five to six hours to braise in the oven, plus a short sear on the stovetop first. You’ll know it's ready when it’s almost falling apart and soft enough to shred with forks. Rob Tannenbaum How to Bake Ribs in the Oven—Our Preferred Method for Every Type of Ribs Ingredients 8 to 10 pound bone-in Boston butt pork shoulder 3 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 teaspoons paprika ½ teaspoon dry mustard ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Texas Barbecue Sauce, heated Potato buns, for serving Directions Make spice mix: Place pork shoulder on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, paprika, dry mustard, cumin, and cayenne. Rub pork with spice mix and refrigerate: Rub pork with spice mixture, being sure to cover all sides. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and preferably overnight. Preheat oven and bring pork to room temperature: Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove pork shoulder from refrigerator and bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Sear pork: Pat dry with paper towels. Heat a large Dutch-oven over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil. Add pork shoulder to Dutch-oven and sear, turning, until golden brown all over, about 4 minutes per side. Add water and cover: Add 2 cups of water to Dutch-oven and position pork shoulder fat-side up, and cover. Braise in oven: Transfer to oven and cook until meat shreds easily with two forks, 5 to 6 hours. Baste with pan juices every hour. Shred meat and serve: When cooked, remove from Dutch-oven and shred meat with two forks. Serve meat on buns with barbecue sauce. Originally appeared: Martha Stewart's Cooking School, Episode 110 Rate It PRINT Updated by Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.