Slowly braised in sweet peaches and spicy hot honey, this peach hot honey pulled pork is fall-apart tender and makes one incredible sandwich!
You can’t go wrong with a mess of pulled pork at any summer gathering! Bonus points if said pulled pork is dressed to the nines which luckily is the case here today.
Peaches and hot honey play a pretty mean flavor game together, I must say. Slow cooking pork in all that goodness can only mean great things.
Great things doesn’t even give justice to this pork to be honest. More like pure gold in a pot and hey, it even looks like it with all those gorgeous golden peaches!
Look, I’ve had some amazing pulled pork in my time on earth but this one takes the cake and I will stand by that forever.
This Pulled Pork features…
- A fall-apart tender texture
- Sweet peach flavor from both fresh peaches and peach nectar
- A sweet and spicy honey flavor
- Easy to prep ahead of time and endless ways to enjoy it
Making the Pulled Pork
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Paprika
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Pork butt
- Vegetable oil
- Peach nectar
- Hot honey
- Peaches
Choosing Your Pork Cut
You will need about 4 lbs boneless pork butt or shoulder (also called Boston butt) for this recipe. Despite the misleading name, the pork butt is located in the upper shoulder of the pig and actual pork shoulder is located in the lower portion of the shoulder. I prefer using pork butt for this recipe in particular because it’s more marbled with fat and cooks down a bit more tender than pork shoulder, but both will work.
To prep the pork for cooking, trim any excess fat from the outside and rub pork all over with the spice rub. Then get a good sear on all sides and it’s ready for braising.
Tips for Perfect Pulled Pork
- Rub pork with spice rub – a simple mix of smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper adds tons of flavor to the pork.
- Sear pork – this forms a flavorful crust on the exterior of the pork building a flavor base for braising.
- Use peach nectar and fresh peaches – using a combo of both will get lots of peach flavor into the meat.
- Cover pot with a layer of foil and lid for braising – this adds an extra layer of insulation so the pork cooks up super tender.
- Braise pork at 300F 3-4 hours – the pork is done when it pulls apart easily with a fork.
- Toss pork back into pan juices – this is where all the flavor is. Optionally, fold additional diced peaches into the pork after shredding for extra peach flavor.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this pork.
- Use another fruit – try nectarines or mango in place of the peaches.
- Adjust heat level – skip the hot honey and use regular honey for a mild pulled pork. Alternatively, for a more spicy kick, add hot sauce or cayenne pepper to taste in addition to the hot honey.
Serving Suggestions
The amount of ways you can use pulled pork are pretty much endless! You can enjoy it the traditional way in a sandwich with barbecue sauce, but feel free to try the following suggestions below as well.
- Quesadillas or taco
- Burrito bowls with your favorite rice or quinoa as a base and toppings
- Nachos
- Salads
- Pizza
One bite of this melt-in-your-mouth tender pulled pork and you will never be turning to any other recipe again. The juicy peaches and hot honey add SO much incredible flavor to the meat and the fact that it gets slow cooked in all that goodness just seals the deal here.
You’ve got an incredible sandwich game in your future, no doubt about that.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
You’ve gotta try these other summer sandwiches next!
Peach Hot Honey Pulled Pork
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Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 lbs pork butt or shoulder, excess fat trimmed
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup peach nectar
- 1/2 cup hot honey
- 2 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and finely diced
- 1-2 additional diced peaches, barbecue sauce, and buns for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300F. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder. Rub spice mixture evenly all over pork shoulder or butt.
- Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven (or a large oven-safe high-walled skillet) over medium-high heat. Place pork shoulder in pan and sear on all sides until a deep golden brown. Remove pan from heat.
- Pour peach nectar and hot honey into pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on bottom of pan. Arrange peaches alongside pork. Cover Dutch oven with a layer of tin foil, top with lid, and bake at 300F 3-4 hours until pork pulls apart easily with a fork (be careful removing the foil and always use a tongs).
- Shred pork using two forks and toss back into juices in Dutch oven. Fold additional diced peaches into pork if desired, season pork with additional salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm with barbecue sauce in buns. Enjoy!
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