Can You Use a Pork Ribeye Roast for Pulled Pork? Everything You Need to Know

Pulled pork is a quintessential BBQ dish that features succulent, fall-apart tender pork doused in a flavorful sauce. While pork shoulder is the traditional cut used, pork ribeye roast can also make delicious pulled pork. The ribeye roast comes from the loin primal and features the same marbling and flavor as a beef ribeye steak. When cooked low and slow, this underutilized cut can yield fork-tender shredded pork perfect for sandwiches, tacos, nachos and more.

Here’s a complete guide to using pork ribeye roast for pulled pork, including benefits, preparation tips, recommended cooking methods, serving suggestions, and mouthwatering recipe ideas. Let’s get pulling!

Benefits of Using Pork Ribeye Roast

Pork ribeye roast offers several advantages for pulled pork

• Tender and juicy – The ribeye is a naturally tender cut that stays moist when cooked properly.

• Rich, beefy flavor – Abundant marbling gives pork ribeye a beef-like taste and luscious texture

• Impressive presentation – The boneless roast has a uniform shape that looks elegant served whole

• Lean yet succulent – Less fat than shoulder but still enough for flavor and moisture.

• Budget-friendly – More affordable than pork shoulder or brisket.

With its balance of leanness, tenderness and rich pork flavor, ribeye roast shines in pulled pork.

Prepping the Pork Ribeye Roast

Proper preparation is key to ensuring tender, juicy pulled pork:

• Trim excess fat – For easier shredding, trim thick areas of surface fat. Leave a bit for moisture.

• Score the fat cap – Crisscross cuts allow seasoning and smoke to penetrate.

• Brine overnight – A salt, sugar and spice brine boosts moisture and flavor.

• Pat very dry – Remove all moisture so the spices and smoke adhere.

• Rub with spices – Coat all sides with a flavorful dry rub of paprika, brown sugar, garlic, chili powder and black pepper.

Once prepped, it’s time to start cooking low and slow!

Recommended Cooking Methods

These slow, moist-heat cooking techniques work best for pulled pork:

• Smoking – The classic choice, infusing rich smoky flavor over 8-12 hours. Use wood chips like hickory, apple, cherry.

• Roasting – Cook in a 250°F oven for 6-8 hours until fall-apart tender.

• Braising – Brown roast first in a Dutch oven, then braise with liquid for 4-6 hours.

• Slow cooker – Convenient set-it-and-forget it option. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

• Sous vide – Locks in moisture perfectly. Cook 1-2 days at 165°F.

For fork-tender meat, cook until internal temperature reaches 200-205°F. Let rest 30 minutes before shredding.

Serving Suggestions

Piled high on soft buns or tacos, pork ribeye roast makes insanely delicious pulled pork. Serve it:

• On brioche, pretzel or potato buns
• Wrapped in tortillas or tucked in taco shells
• Atop mac and cheese or cornbread
• With coleslaw, pickle chips and fried onion strings
• Doused in your favorite BBQ sauce – sweet, spicy, vinegar-based
• Alongside baked beans, collard greens, cornbread and potato salad

The options are endless for how to showcase these flavorful shredded meat masterpieces!

Satisfying Recipe Ideas

Ready to pull some pork ribeye roast? Here are some mouthwatering recipe ideas:

• Dr Pepper Pulled Pork with spicy BBQ sauce
• Cuban Mojo Pulled Pork with garlic and citrus
• Smoky Pulled Pork with bourbon molasses mop sauce
• Pulled Pork Nachos piled high with cheese, beans, pico de gallo
• Carnitas Street Tacos with salsa verde, queso fresco, lime
• Pulled Pork Banh Mi Sandwiches with quick pickled veggies
• Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese Bowl with gooey cheese sauce
• Italian Pulled Pork Subs with salami, provolone and peppers

With the right seasoning and cooking method, pork ribeye roast can make outrageously delicious pulled pork that will have everyone asking for seconds. Give this underrated cut a try for your next backyard BBQ or game day extravaganza. Just be prepared for some very happy guests!