Bourbon BBQ Pulled Pork: An Easy Dinner for a Crowd

When you need an easy dinner for a crowd, a pork shoulder is a pretty great place to start. Give it a generous coating of seasoning (Bourbon BBQ), plenty of time to cook, and a little patience, and you have tender pulled pork ready for sandwiches, tacos, or piling onto a plate with your favorite sides.

In tonight’s video, we’re cooking a pork shoulder on the Big Green Egg, and Bourbon BBQ is the star of the show. We’re keeping the ingredients simple and letting the seasoning, smoke, and pork do their thing. And if you’re cooking inside, I’ve included an oven method below so you can bring this dinner to your table, too.

From Taste of the States Cookbook

A Big Roast Calls for Plenty of Seasoning

For this roast, we’re using about half a container of Bourbon BBQ. If you’ve watched me cook with our other seasonings, that might seem like a lot! But a pork shoulder is a substantial cut of meat, and we’re seasoning the outside of something that will eventually be pulled apart and mixed together.

Think about that flavorful outer crust getting worked into all the pork underneath. That’s why we’re generous here. Coat all sides, including the folds and creases, and press the seasoning onto the surface. The amount you need will depend on the size of your roast; half a container is what we’re using for the one in the video.

This is a useful way to think about your seasonings: season for the whole bite you’ll eventually eat. A thin pork chop and a large shoulder need different approaches, even when you’re reaching for the same blend.

Pork Shoulder on the Big Green Egg

The Big Green Egg gives us that wonderful smoky flavor while the pork slowly becomes tender. For a large cut like this, use an indirect cooking setup, with a drip pan underneath, so the meat cooks with steady, surrounding heat.

The hands-on work is simple, but this is a dinner you want to start early. Give yourself extra time, especially when people are coming over. Every shoulder cooks a little differently, and tenderness matters more than the clock.

Watch the video to see the seasoning coverage, the color we’re looking for before wrapping, and how the finished pork pulls apart. Those visual cues are helpful whether you’re using an Egg, another smoker, or your oven.

What Is the Stall When Smoking Meat?

During a long cook, the pork’s internal temperature may climb steadily and then seem to stop, often somewhere around 150–170°F. This is called the stall. Moisture evaporating from the meat’s surface cools it, slowing the temperature rise even though the cooker is still hot. It’s normal! Keep the cooking temperature steady and give it time.

Why We Wrap the Pork Shoulder

Partway through the cook, once the pork has developed a rich color and the seasoning has formed a crust, we wrap it tightly in heavy-duty foil. Think of this as a checkpoint around the middle of the process, rather than a strict halfway mark on the clock.

Wrapping reduces evaporation, helps the pork move through the stall, and catches those flavorful juices. Use enough foil to make a snug package without leaks, then return it to the cooker until tender. The crust will soften some inside the wrap, but those collected juices are wonderful for mixing back into the shredded pork.

This is also where you could add butter, honey, or a sauce. For this roast, we’re keeping it simple. Bourbon BBQ already brings the sweet and savory flavor we want, so we’re letting that seasoning shine.

How to Cook Pork Shoulder in the Oven at 300°F

No smoker? You can still make a delicious pork shoulder in the oven.

As I mentioned in the video, 300°F and a good six-hour window is a useful starting point for planning a large roast. The size and shape of your shoulder, whether it has a bone, and when you cover it will all affect the timing. A smaller roast may finish sooner; a larger one may need considerably longer.

Place the seasoned pork in a roasting pan and start it uncovered to develop color. Once the outside has a nice crust, wrap it tightly in foil or cover the pan tightly, keeping the juices contained, and continue cooking.

For pulled pork, start checking for tenderness around 195°F internal temperature; many shoulders finish closer to 200–205°F. Check several places in the thickest part, avoiding the bone. A thermometer probe should slide in with very little resistance, and the meat should pull apart easily. If it still feels tight, keep cooking.

Let the finished shoulder rest, covered, for at least 30 minutes before shredding. Save the cooking juices, skim off excess fat, and mix the juices back in.

One Roast, Plenty of Dinner Ideas

Pulled pork makes feeding a crowd easy because everyone can build a plate their way. Set out buns, slaw, and pickles for sandwiches, or offer toasted tortillas and toppings for tacos.

And keep a little back for another meal! Bourbon BBQ pulled pork is delicious tucked into quesadillas, spooned over baked potatoes, or scattered onto nachos. I make small packs for the freezer in quart sized baggies with the cook date written on the baggie so we know when its been in there for three months and we need to throw it away…But that doesn’t usually happen because these get devowered for lunch and easy dinners. You can easily warm up on the stove or in a microwave. 

Watch tonight’s video to cook along with us, and grab your Bourbon BBQ. We’re putting it to work!

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