This slow cooker pulled pork recipe always yields fantastic results every single time, no matter what cut of pork you use! Rub the pork with a homemade blend of seasonings, sear the outside, and pop it into the crockpot! Go about your day; this delicious meal will be ready when you get hungry!
Serve on Kaiser roll buns, homemade brioche buns, or pretzel buns (yum!), and top with another big dollop of honey BBQ sauce.
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This pulled pork recipe is one of my favorite easy dishes because you can just set it and forget it! Plus, it's perfect for serving a large group, bringing to potlucks, or even enjoying on a picnic!
It's an ideal dish for hosting because you can prepare it in the morning, and it will be ready to serve for dinner! This way, you still have the whole day to get anything else ready without having to worry about the main course!
🥘 Ingredients
The key to this tasty pulled pork is the seasoning rub! Use fresh herbs and spices for the best flavor!
- Brown Sugar - 3 tablespoons of light brown sugar, divided into 1 tablespoon and 2 tablespoon portions.
- Smoked Paprika - 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika.
- Cumin - ½ teaspoon of ground cumin.
- Salt - 2 teaspoons of salt.
- Pepper - ½ teaspoon of pepper.
- Garlic Salt - ½ teaspoon of garlic salt. You can also use garlic powder if that's what you have on hand.
- Rubbed Sage - ½ teaspoon of rubbed sage.
- Oil - 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Pork - 3-4 pound boneless pork shoulder. Go ahead and trim off any excess fat. Of course, this recipe will work well with various pork cuts, so use whatever you like!
- Water - ¾ cup of water.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - ½ cup of apple cider vinegar.
- Tomato Paste - 3 tablespoons of tomato paste.
- Honey (optional) - 2 tablespoons of honey for some sweetness.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
This easy pulled pork recipe is so simple that you'll never want to make it another way again! Just grab your slow cooker, a small bowl, and a frying pan to sear the meat!
This recipe is for 10 servings, so add on some yummy sides and get ready to serve a crowd!
Make the Seasoning Mix
- Mix the seasonings. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons each of smoked paprika and salt, and ½ teaspoon each of cumin, pepper, garlic salt (or garlic powder), and rubbed sage. Rub the spice mixture all over your 3-4 pound pork, coating all sides.
- Sear the meat. In a large frying pan, heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned pork and sear all of the sides, until browned (about 5 minutes). Transfer pork to a plate and set aside.
Prepare the Sauce Mix
- Mix the sauce. Add ¾ cup of water, ½ cup of apple cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar (add optional 2 tablespoons of honey, if desired) to the drippings in the frying pan. Then, whisk or stir ingredients together to make a thin sauce.
- Cook. Transfer the sauce from the frying pan into your slow cooker and add the seasoned pork. Cook on low for eight hours, or on high for six hours.
- Shred the meat. Once cooked, pull the meat apart (add salt or pepper to taste). Add your favorite barbecue sauce, then pan fry for a nice crispy texture on the edges of your pulled pork (optional).
Look at my post on what to serve with pulled pork for some yummy recipes and ideas to round out your meal! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Customizing Flavor: Enhance the taste by adding optional ingredients like pineapple juice, mustard, crushed red pepper flakes, and liquid smoke. Mix in your preferred flavors to tailor the dish to your liking.
- Marinating for Depth: For deeper flavor, marinate the seasoned pork in the fridge overnight. Remember to take it out 30 minutes before cooking to allow it to return to room temperature.
- Serving Suggestions: While the pulled pork is ready to serve straight from the crockpot, for added texture, pan-fry the shredded meat until the edges are crispy.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Leftover pulled pork can be kept in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 4-5 days.
You can also place the pork (once cooled) into a container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Just transfer it to the fridge and let it thaw out overnight when needed.
Reheating
Place your pulled pork into a baking dish and add a splash of broth, if needed. Cover it tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 250°F (120°C) until hot, about 20-30 minutes.
To reheat in the slow cooker, just add the pork back into the crockpot along with some broth or drippings. Cook on low heat until heated through.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
You should aim for about 5 ounces per serving or 3 people per pound of pulled pork. However, remember to keep in mind that the pork will lose about half of its weight during the cooking process.
To calculate how much pork to buy, simply multiply the number of guests by .33, which will give you how much-cooked pork you need. Then, multiply that number by 2 to determine the weight of the raw pork you need to buy!
Pork butt or pork shoulder are my favorite options for preparing pulled pork. These cuts have a rich flavor and are incredibly tender and juicy! Choose one with a lot of marbling, as this melts off and creates a ton of flavor! However, you'll still want to trim excess fat around the edges.
While nothing bad will happen if you don't add any liquid, I recommend having some. The pork itself will generate moisture, but the added liquid will help ensure the meat stays moist and juicy!
🐷 More Tasty Pork Recipes
- Moo Shu Pork - A tasty homemade version of this popular Chinese takeout dish!
- Pan-Seared Pork Chops - Delicious pork chops are seared to perfection and super flavorful!
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork - If you are in a time crunch, this pulled pork recipe can help you out!
- Pork Belly Burnt Ends - These bite-sized pieces of pork are truly addicting!
- Smoked Pork Belly - Get the smoker started and get ready to enjoy some satisfying pork!
- BBQ Baked Pork Spareribs - Juicy ribs are baked in the oven and coated with your favorite barbecue sauce!
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📖 Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 3-4 lbs pork (boneless shoulder is recommended, trim excess fat)
Seasoning Mix/Rub
- 3 tablespoon light brown sugar (divided, 1 tablespoon and 2 Tbsp)
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon rubbed sage
The Sauce
- ¾ cups water
- ½ cups apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon honey (optional)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Seasoning Mix
- In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon of the light brown sugar, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic salt (or garlic powder), and rubbed sage. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork, coating all sides.
Sear
- In a large frying pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add the pork and sear all of the sides, until browned (about 5 minutes). Transfer pork to a plate and set aside.
Sauce Mix (with drippings)
- Add water, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste and remaining 2 tablespoon of the light brown sugar (add optional honey, if desired) to the drippings in the frying pan, whisk or stir ingredients together to make a thin sauce. Transfer the sauce from frying pan into your slow cooker and add pork.
Cook, Pull & Serve
- Cook on low for eight hours, or on high for six hours.
- Once cooked, pull meat apart (add salt or pepper, to taste). Add your favorite barbecue sauce, then pan fry for a nice crispy texture on the edges of your pulled pork (optional).
Notes
- Optional things we like to add at times include pineapple juice, mustard, crushed red pepper flakes, and liquid smoke. Simply add what you like to customize the flavor!
- If desired, you can wrap your seasoned pork and let it sit in the fridge overnight to intensify the flavors. If you do this, I recommend taking it out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to bring it back to room temperature.
- You can definitely serve this pulled pork after it is done in the crockpot. However, if you like, you pan fry the shredded meat to make the edges nice and crispy!
Sergio says
Ya van varias veces que la hago y queda genial, gracias por compartir.
"I've made it several times now and it turns out great, thanks for sharing."
MIKAEL says
Au top !!!