Guinness Braised Pulled Pork

I first came up with this recipe a few years ago because 1) I love cooking with alcohol, 2) I lived in an apartment and couldn’t smoke meats, and 3) my dad always complained that pulled pork had no real flavor and it was the BBQ sauce that really made all the difference. Obviously, I had to prove to him that you can still make a flavorful pulled pork without relying solely on a BBQ sauce being slathered over it in order to impart any flavor.

This dish has become a favorite of a lot of my friends and family, and even though it makes way too much pulled pork for me to eat alone, sometimes I have barely enough for a couple meals after answering all the requests to “save some for me please.”

What Is Braising?

Braising is a cooking technique that involves searing meat in some form of fat, and then cooking it slowly while partially submerged in a liquid. Starting with a hot pot or pan and a high-smoke point fat or oil, you’ll sear the meat on all sides to form a crispy crust. Remove the meat and add aromatics like onions and garlic, then deglaze with a cooking liquid such as a stock, wine, beer, or even water. Bring the mixture to a boil and re-add the meat. Lower the temperature to a simmer and cover for a few hours. While this can be done fully on a stove-stop, the oven is a better choice for consistency in temperature and because it cooks from all directions instead of only from the bottom up.

Why Use Braising?

Braising is a great technique for imparting flavor and breaking down proteins that come from slow-twitch muscles. Think of fast-twitch muscles as the part of an animal that is normally used for quick movement or rarely used at all. Things like chicken breasts or a filet are fast-twitch and should be cooked using fast methods; when you hit the desired temperature, the food is ready. Slow-twitch muscles however, are the stamina parts of an animal such as the shoulders and legs that are always being used to stay standing or allow them to move around. These muscles have a lot of connective tissue that can make dishes feel tough to chew. At around 140-160 F, most proteins would be done cooking, but this is when the fat and connective tissue begins changing from collagen into gelatin.

Cooking your protein beyond the point of being “well-done” might seem counterintuitive, but as the collagen turns into gelatin, it’s actually making your meat tender again. In order to break down most of that collagen and create a moist and flavorful dish, you’ll braise until the meat registers 190 F or so.

Which Cut of Pork Is Best for Pulled Pork?

While you could technically use almost any cut of pork to make pulled pork, you’ll want something larger and fattier than other cuts. A pork tenderloin might make a really moist and tender meal, but it is also a fast-twitch muscle and typically quite lean.

My go-to for pulled pork is a bone-in pork shoulder, specifically pork butt, or Boston butt. Depending on where you live and where you shop, you might see numerous names for this cut, but it should be at least one of those three. You may also see pork shoulder listed as picnic shoulder or a picnic cut. Both butt and picnic are cuts of pork shoulder, but the picnic is cut further down and is usually sold with the skin on and part of the leg where it was cut just above the hock.

Ingredients for Guinness Braised Pork Shoulder

• 6-8lb Bone-In Pork Butt (Pork Shoulder)
• Fat or Oil for cooking (I normally use Grapeseed oil)
• Pork Rub
  • Brown Sugar
  • Kosher Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • Mustard Powder
  • Garlic Powder
  • Onion Powder
  • Ground Cumin
  • Cayenne
  • Chili Powder
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Cocoa Powder
  • Espresso Powder
• Braising
  • Yellow Onion
  • Celery
  • Carrot
  • Garlic
  • Liquid Smoke
  • Worcestershire Sauce
  • Guinness Draught Stout

The cocoa and espresso powders may seem a strange addition to a pork rub, but they help to enhance the natural flavor of the Guinness. The brown sugar also helps to cut some of the inherent bitterness of the beer. Almost any style of Guinness will also work, but I prefer their draught stout for this recipe.

How to Beer Braise a Pork Shoulder

1. Start by trimming off any excessive amount of fat. Make sure you do NOT remove the fat cap, however. You can trim some off if it seems too deep though, like well over ½ an inch.
2. Make the rub and stir it until combined. Rub it into the pork butt on all sides.
3. Add oil to the Dutch oven and heat until just smoking, then sear the pork on all sides. Remove the pork shoulder and add in the onion, celery and carrots and cook until softened. Add the garlic until fragrant and then pour in the liquids.
4. Add the pork back to the Dutch oven and make sure the liquids cover the shoulder at least a good 70-80% without submerging it fully. Add the lid and place into a 325 F oven.
5. Cook for 3-4 hours until the pork shoulder registers 190-195 F.

📋 Recipe