I have to tell you about my current obsession: slow-roasting a pork shoulder at a very low temperature for five to six hours.
The result is astonishing. The pork becomes so tender it nearly falls apart, and when you shred it and toss it with BBQ sauce, it’s one of the most delicious things I’ve eaten.
I’m not exaggerating. We made this once a few weeks ago, again for these quesadillas, and then bought a large Boston butt and split it into two portions—one for now and one in the freezer for later. I’ve made this pork multiple times in a month, and that says a lot about how good it is.
The meat becomes so soft that transferring it from the pot to the cutting board can be messy—you may need a slotted spoon or spatula to help. That’s a good problem to have: the pork falls apart and shreds easily. I still get hungry just thinking about it.
Once shredded, stir the pork with your favorite BBQ sauce until it’s evenly coated. I like Sweet Baby Ray’s, but use whatever you prefer. This sauced pulled pork is perfect eaten straight from a bowl, piled on a sandwich with coleslaw, or tucked into cheesy quesadillas like these.
Really, the star of this recipe is the pork. Slow roasting transforms the shoulder into juicy, flavorful meat that’s irresistible.
I can’t wait to eat it again tomorrow—and likely many times in the coming weeks.
If you love me, you’ll make this pork. I’m now on a mission to slow roast every cut of meat I can find because this method is that good.
Side note: we initially tried these quesadillas with sautéed red onions, but after tasting a few variations, we preferred them simply with pork and cheese. Feel free to add red onions, cilantro, or any other toppings that appeal to you.
BBQ Pulled Pork Quesadillas
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
5 from 2 reviews
- Author: Annie Chesson
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 mins
- Yield: 6 quesadillas 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 pound Pork Shoulder (Boston Butt)
- 1 1/2 cups root beer
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 quartered onion
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups BBQ sauce (I like Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce)
- 12 whole wheat tortillas
- 6 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Cilantro (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
- Rub the pork with onion powder, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt.
- Place the pork fat side up in a Dutch oven or large pot.
- Pour in the root beer and beef broth, and add the quartered onion to the liquid.
- Cover and roast for 5–6 hours, until the meat reaches about 200°F on a meat thermometer.
- Carefully transfer the meat from the pot to a large cutting board.
- Remove as much excess fat as you can with tongs to avoid gelatinous pieces in the shredded pork.
- Shred the pork and place it in a large bowl.
- Stir in the BBQ sauce until the pork is evenly coated.
- To make quesadillas, melt a little butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Lay one tortilla flat, spread about one cup of pulled pork over it, sprinkle with cheese, top with a second tortilla, and place it in the skillet.
- Cook until the bottom is golden brown, then flip and cook the other side until golden and the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with cilantro if desired and serve.
If you make this or any of my other recipes, be sure to Instagram it and hashtag #thegarlicdiaries!