Crockpot Pulled Pork | Easiest Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

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This amazing Pulled Pork Recipe is a crowd-pleasing, super simple way to cook pulled pork. You only need a crockpot or slow cooker and a few hours to cook!So delicious with my favorite homemade Macaroni and Cheese and Coleslaw.

Crockpot Pulled Pork | Easiest Recipe - Lauren's Latest (1)

What is Pulled Pork?

Pulled Pork is an American dish, originating from the South which uses shredded pork shoulder as the main ingredient with other regional-based sauces added on after cooking slowly over a smoker, wood fire, or in a slow cooker or crockpot.

Crockpot versus Smoker

Both a Crockpot and a smoker work beautifully for cooking pulled pork. Not everyone has a smoker, so your Crockpot or slow cooker will do. You are essentially braising this large piece of meat to get that glorious, shreddable texture. You can definitely just use a dutch oven and bake this meat low and slow in the oven as well, but I find cooking it in the crockpot is the easiest way to make this pulled pork recipe. You just set it and forget it which is my kind of recipe. If you do have a smoker, you MUST try my smoked pork butt recipe.

What Cut of Meat is Best for Pulled Pork?

Pork Shoulder, sometimes referred to as Pork Butt, is the cut of pork used for all Pulled Pork Recipes. It is some of the most tender and flavorful meat after being cooked low and slow. Partly because it’s naturally very fatty, but also because it just falls off the bone after cooking.

I used a hefty 3-pound roast that I’ve lightly trimmed. When pork shoulders go on sale, pick up one or two, and make this easy meal for your family. You will all love it! (Beware when buying from Costco; You’ll need several crockpots to cook it all!) Freezing extra raw pork is a great solution.

Crockpot Pulled Pork | Easiest Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2)

The Best Sauce to Cook Pulled Pork In

For this slow cooker pulled pork, I find it best to add in some cooking liquid and flavorings for maximum flavor. Here is what I like to add for the cooking:

BBQ sauce. Use a really good BBQ sauce that you love. We like KC Masterpiece. Gordon’s parents swear by Sweet Baby Ray’s. It really doesn’t matter. As long as YOU like the taste of the BBQ sauce you’re using, that’s all that matters.
Yellow Onions. I love the flavor these give off. After hours of cooking, these just melt into the sauce leaving flavor behind.
Water.This acts as the majority of cooking liquid. I didn’t love the way chicken broth or beef broth tasted, so I much prefer water.
Lots of Salt and Pepper. This helps anchor the flavor of the meat and helps create that sweet-savory mix that pulled pork is known for.

After the pork is completely cooked, I like adding in more bbq sauce, brown sugar, yellow mustard and minced garlic. Oh mama, is it good!

How to Make Pulled Pork

I love Crockpot meals on a busy weeknight! Throw everything in and forget about it until it’s done. This recipe is no different. For full recipe details and ingredient increments, see the printable recipe card below.

Add Pork Butt and Cooking Liquid into Crockpot

In a crockpot, placepork, water, bbq sauce, salt, pepper, and onion.Cover and turn crockpot on.

How Long to Cook Pulled Pork

The only thing you need when cooking large cuts of meat is time–and lots of it! For best results, cook8-10 hours on low.If you don’t have that much time, cook for4-5 hours on high.

Pull the Pork

Remove all meatfrom the crockpot.Spoon off fatfrom the remaining liquid in the crockpot and discard.Pour out remaining cooking liquidand set aside.

Shred or ‘pull’ porkremoving excess fat and gristle as you go.Return to crockpotand stir ingarlic, bbq sauce, brown sugar, mustard, and more salt and pepper.Add incooking liquid as neededto moisten. Cook another 30 minutes to 1 hour. Serve on white bread, rolls, hamburger buns or however you’d like with any of my favorite BBQ side dishes:

Homemade Rolls to make sandwiches.
Classic Coleslaw because this combo is out of this world.
Mexican Street Corn because that is just delicious.
Tangy Baked Beans…another southern side that makes my heart sing.
Homemade Cornbread that is sweet and tender
Macaroni and Cheese….a favorite you can get at any BBQ joint

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How to Store Leftovers

Any leftover Pulled Pork can be saved by refrigerating in an airtight container for up to 4 days!

To reheat, simply warm in the microwave, lightly covered (to retain moisture), until heated through, stirring occasionally.

To freeze, place in an airtight freezer safe bag or container. If using a ziplock bag, be sure to remove as much of the air as possible. Pulled pork will stay fresh in the freezer for 3 months.

Love this Pulled Pork Recipe? Try These Pork Recipes:

Smoked Pork Butt
Loaded Pulled Pork Nachos
Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwich Recipe
Carolina BBQ Pulled Pork Frito Bites
Sweet Potato Pulled Pork Sliders
Crispy Cheese Pulled Pork Tacos with Sesame Slaw

Below is the printable recipe card. Save it and enjoy, friends!

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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This amazingPulled Pork Recipeis a crowd-pleasing, super simple way to cook pulled pork. You only need a crockpot or slow cooker and a few hours to cook!

servings 6 servings

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Ingredients

For cooking:

▢ 3 lb. pork shoulder trimmed
▢ 1 cup water
▢ 1 cup BBQ sauce
▢ salt &pepper
▢ 1/2 yellow onion diced

After cooking:

▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
▢ 2 cups BBQ sauce
▢ 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
▢ 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
▢ salt & pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

In a crockpot, place pork, water, bbq sauce, salt, pepper, and onion. Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours until very tender. (Or cook on high heat for 4-5 hours or until very tender.)
Remove all meat from the crockpot. Spoon off fat from the remaining liquid in the crockpot and discard. Pour out remaining cooking liquid and set aside.
Shred pork removing excess fat. Return to the crockpot and stir in garlic, bbq sauce, brown sugar, mustard, and more salt and pepper. Add in cooking liquid as needed to moisten. Cook another 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Serve with homemade or Hawaiian sweet rolls and coleslaw.

Nutrition

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pulled pork, pulled pork crock pot, pulled pork recipe, slow cooker pulled pork

Crockpot Pulled Pork | Easiest Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

FAQs

What is the best liquid to cook pulled pork in? ›

Transfer everything to a large slow cooker and add a splash of liquid — water is great, but so is broth, apple juice, or beer if you have them handy. Cover and cook on low until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily.

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How do you keep pulled pork moist in a slow cooker? ›

Set the cooker to low; the high setting will boil the meat instead of braise it, so it's only a quicker trip to an undesirable outcome. Pork shoulder self-bastes and stays moist, and is nearly impossible to overcook. After the meat is done, the fat can be skimmed off the braising liquid.

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Should pulled pork be covered in liquid in slow cooker? ›

For an all-American classic, I use a mix of ketchup, grainy mustard, apple cider vinegar, and Coca-Cola. Your liquid should not cover your pork in the slow cooker: it should only come up about a quarter of the way up the sides.

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What is best cut of meat for pulled pork in slow cooker? ›

When it comes to making pulled pork, look for a boneless pork shoulder. Sometimes it's also called a pork butt or Boston butt. You can find bone-in pork shoulders, though I prefer a boneless pork shoulder for more meat in my slow cooker.

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Why do you put vinegar in pulled pork? ›

This thin, vinegar-based finishing sauce, which differs from a BBQ sauce, is the secret ingredient to kick up my smoked pulled pork. After you've pulled your pork butt, drizzle over the meat and combine. The vinegar adds contrast to the smoky flavor and cuts through the fat in the meat.

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How do I get more flavor in my pulled pork? ›

We use brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, a good amount of salt & pepper, and a pinch of cayenne! Make sure you use all of the seasoning! Also, really rub it into the pulled pork, get all of the nooks and crannies!

How to thicken up slow cooker pulled pork? ›

In a small prep bowl, add 2 tbsp water to 1 tbsp cornstarch and mix until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to BBQ sauce in pot, whisking until well integrated. Continue to whisk until sauce thickens slightly. (Repeat cornstarch process for thicker sauce.)

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What happens if you put too much BBQ sauce in pulled pork? ›

Does it taste as bad as you feared? If it's too sweet, consider adding some salt and something acidic (like vinegar). But gently does it: add only in small amounts and taste it regularly as you go along, until you reach the point where you're happy with it.