Dr Pepper Is The Unexpected Ingredient You Need For Tender Pulled Pork

Pulled pork is one of the easiest barbecue dishes to make. You can just pop a whole pork shoulder into the slow cooker, then let the low, slow heat work its magic. And while that will help you "pull" the pork, you'll certainly need to add additional ingredients to create that unforgettable flavor you're looking for. Enter Dr. Pepper, that sweet soda that brings us right back to childhood — it turns out it's the perfect way to create tender, delicious (and flavorful) pulled pork.

When it comes to whipping up some homemade barbecue, pulled pork is a great place to start if you're not familiar with many techniques because it's so easy to cook. While the cooking method is simple, you want to make sure it's melt-in-your-mouth tender and loaded with flavor. Barbecue sauce is a must, but adding Dr. Pepper helps to tenderize the meat while also imparting a sweet flavor balance to that vinegar-based barbecue sauce.

Believe it or not, soda acts as a meat tenderizer. It's acidic and loaded with sugar, both of which break down meat; it can be used as a marinade or added to the meat while it cooks. In the case of pulled pork, the sweet cherry flavor of Dr. Pepper creates balance with whatever spicy or savory elements you use to enhance the pork's flavor. Smoky peppers like chipotle are a great contrast here, but a classic bottle of barbecue sauce works, too.

Since pork shoulder is a huge piece of meat, you'll want to just add the Dr. Pepper to the slow cooker (or the Dutch oven, if you're cooking the pork on the stove) rather than try to marinate the pork in it beforehand. You'll need at least one can of soda, but two will work better; the pork might not be fully submerged, but that's alright.

Once the pork is cooked, remove it from the Dr. Pepper before shredding. But if you're dressing the pork with store-bought barbecue sauce, reserve about a half-cup of Dr. Pepper to blend into the sauce; it will make that store-bought stuff taste so much better.

While chipotles are great for spice, and Dr. Pepper is great for sweetness, there are other ways to enhance flavor while the pork cooks. Add a couple of garlic cloves or an onion, which will cook into the Dr. Pepper; the scent of the garlic will infuse into the pork, too. But since garlic's flavor mellows as it cooks, it will be more of an undertone and not overpowering.

Also, make sure to use good-quality pork shoulder (also called pork butt). If possible, source it from your local butcher. If you're purchasing from a grocery store, look for meat that is darker pink, and choose the one with the most marbling; these often signal good-quality cuts and will give you the best flavor.

Finally, don't shred the pork until it reaches the right temperature for maximum tenderness. While pork only needs to be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit, let the pork shoulder reach 205 degrees; this will make it melt in your mouth and shred with ease.