Slow cooker pulled pork. Pork made in slow cooker is iconic and for good reason. Cooking low and slow with aromatics gives tender, smoky-sweet, and juicy meat that falls apart at the touch of a fork. Every bite is coated in rich barbecue sauce laced with fragrant spices to bring bold, comforting flavor. Pile it high on burger buns, tuck it into tacos, load it on fries, or serve it alongside crisp slaw. Perfect for backyard gatherings, lazy weekends, and feeding a crowd!
Why I Love This Effortless Yet Flavorful Dish
What if your slow cooker could do all the hard work for you? Honestly, there is something comforting about meat slowly cooking away in a slow cooker. No frantic timing, no complicated technique, no need to hover over the stove. Give a well marbled pork shoulder several hours in the slow cooker, and watch how it turns into impossibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth succulent meat strips. Add smoky-sweet barbecue sauce, and make the amazingly flavorful dinner that’s remarkably effortless.
Barbecue sauce is the core flavor of this dish. Use bottled sauce on busy weeknights, or make your own when you have time. Stir in a little apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and chicken broth (stock) for extra flavor. Be generous with the seasoning. Once pork is cooked, save the juices, and spoon some of the amazingly flavored juices back over the meat. A generous spice rub is equally important. Cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and onion powder build the essential flavors from within low and slow.
Pile the tender pork onto warm buns, and add some crisp slaw, and let the barbecue sauce drip down the sides. Who could possibly mind a little extra sauce on their fingers? A little mess, but with lots of flavor. And then there’s always the promise of tomorrow’s leftovers, perhaps crisped in a skillet, or simply tucked into tacos. Sometimes, the best meals leave you with a full table, and just enough leftovers to make tomorrow delicious, too.
Key Ingredients In Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Pork - Pork shoulder or butt.
- Spices - Smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper.
- Barbecue sauce - The key flavor.
How To Make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Prep the ingredients - Remove the rind from pork, and rub with the spices. To make the sauce, simply mix together barbecue sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and stock (broth).
Layer and cook in slow cooker - Place onions and garlic in the slow cooker followed by pork. Pour the sauce around the meat, and then cook on low or high until the meat is pull-apart tender.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 1 ½ kg pork shoulder
Spice rub:
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup chicken broth (stock)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ⅓ cup barbecue sauce, homemade or store bought, plus extra for serving
Cook pork:
- 2 large onions, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
To serve:
- Burger buns
- Coleslaw
Instructions
Prep pork:
- Remove rind from pork shoulder and pat dry with a paper towel.
Make spice rub:
- Combine together paprika, cumin, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and ground black pepper in a small bowl. Season with salt.
Coat pork:
- Coat the pork generously withe spice mix, pressing the seasoning into the meat.
Make sauce:
- Combine together apple cider vinegar, chicken broth (stock), brown sugar, and barbecue sauce in a small bowl.
Layer the slow cooker:
- Scatter the onions and garlic across the bottom of the cooker. Place the seasoned pork on top. Pour the sauce around and over the pork.
Cook low and slow:
- Cover and cook on low for about 8-10 hours, or until the pork is exceptionally tender and pulls apart easily. The precise cooking time depends on the size of the meat and your slow cooker.
- Alternatively, cook on high for about 5-6 hours.
Rest before pulling:
- Transfer the cooked pork to a large tray, and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes.
- Using two forks, shred the pork into long strands, discarding large pieces of fat. Return some of the cooking juices in the slow cooker to the meat, and toss, tasting as you go.
- Finish with more barbecue sauce if you like.
Serve:
- Add to burger buns or tacos, and top with coleslaw and more barbecue sauce.
Video
Nutrition
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Amy says
Slow cooker is my BFF!
Si5 says
That bbq-pork combo is always a hit!