Slow cooker BBQ pulled pork is tender shredded pork shoulder cooked low and slow with a simple dry rub, flavorful braising liquid, and BBQ sauce-no smoker required. The crock pot does most of the work while the pork becomes fall-apart tender. Tossed with BBQ sauce after shredding, this easy slow cooker pulled pork is perfect for sandwiches, tacos, bowls, and meal prep.
This is more than a basic slow cooker pulled pork recipe. I'll walk you through the small steps that make truly great bbq pulled pork: choosing the right cut, seasoning it well, cooking it until it shreds easily, saving and defatting the flavorful juices, and adding just enough back to keep the pork moist and rich, along with bbq sauce.
↓ Recipe
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe Highlights
- Tender and juicy - With fall-apart meat from low-and-slow cooking.
- Easy crock pot method - Simple prep and mostly hands-off cooking.
- Made with pork shoulder - For the best flavor, moisture, and shreddable texture.
- Great for meal prep - Pulled pork reheats and freezes beautifully for BBQ sandwiches, sliders, tacos, and bowls.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Pork shoulder - Also labeled pork butt or Boston butt. It has the fat and connective tissue needed for tender, shreddable, classic BBQ pulled pork texture.
- Onion - Adds savory flavor to the braising liquid, cut into chunks it's the support for the pork shoulder.
- Broth - Chicken broth adds moisture and savory depth.
- Vinegar - Apple cider vinegar gives classic BBQ tang and balances the richness.
- Tomato paste - Adds body, color, and a little umami depth to the cooking liquid.
- Worcestershire sauce - Brings savory, tangy depth and helps build BBQ flavor.
- Seasonings - Use my BBQ-style dry rub, or use your favorite pork rub.
- BBQ sauce - Add after shredding so the flavor stays bright and the pork stays saucy, not greasy. My BBQ sauce recipe takes about 5 minutes, or use your favorite.
- Molasses - Adds deep, smoky-sweet BBQ flavor to the braising liquid.
- Brown sugar - Just a little balances the vinegar and rounds out the sauce.
- Liquid smoke (optional) - Just a few drops adds some background smokiness.
Please see the recipe card for measurements and salt.
Chef's Tip: Best Cut of Pork for Pulled Pork
Pork shoulder is the best cut for slow cooker BBQ pulled pork because it has enough fat and connective tissue, including collagen, to become tender and shreddable during long, slow cooking. It may be labeled pork shoulder, pork butt, Boston butt, or shoulder roast, but there are differences. Boston butt comes from the upper shoulder and is the best choice because it's well-marbled and meaty, while picnic shoulder comes from lower on the leg and usually has more bone and skin.
Substitutions and Variations
- Season ahead - For deeper flavor, season the pork with salt and dry rub up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate.
- Vinegar options - Apple cider vinegar gives classic BBQ tang. For a softer flavor, use a little less vinegar and more broth, or try part apple cider vinegar and part balsamic vinegar or apple balsamic vinegar for a deeper, slightly sweeter note.
- Sauce variation - Instead of BBQ sauce, try tossing the shredded pork with ranchero sauce or red enchilada sauce for a Southwestern-style version that's great for tacos, rice bowls, and nachos.
How to Make Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
Cook on low for 7-9 hours, depending on the size of the pork and your slow cooker. The pork is done when it pulls apart easily with two forks and reaches about 205°F internally.
- Cut onion into large chunks and lay flat on the bottom of the crock.
- Season the pork well with salt and dry rub and place on top of the onions.
- Mix the broth ingredients.
- Pour over the seasoned pork shoulder, place the lid on top and slow cook on low for 7-9 hours.
- It is done when the pork pulls apart easily with forks and a safe internal temperature around 205°F. Start by sticking a paring knife into the pork to test doneness.
- Remove the pork to a large dish and strain the juices from the onions. Discard onions and reserve broth. Place the broth in the refrigerator.
- With large forks or gloved hands, begin to pull pork shoulder apart, removing any large hunks of fat.
- After fat is removed, continue to shred the pork. Add bbq sauce starting with ½ cup.
- When fat has solidified on top of the pork broth, remove from and discard. Add broth to the pulled pork to moisten, start slow and keep adding until it is as moist as you prefer. Save the extra broth! Label and freeze for using in soups, beans, and other recipes. It is delicious.
Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Plan for shrinkage - Pork shoulder loses about half its weight during slow cooking. A 4-pound boneless pork shoulder will yield about 2 pounds of shredded pulled pork.
- How much to buy - Plan on about 6 ounces cooked pork shoulder per person, or more if you want generous servings and leftovers.
- Cook until shreddable - Pulled pork is done when it pulls apart easily with forks. Time is a guide, but tenderness is the real test.
- Save the cooking juices - Strain and defat the broth, then add some back after shredding to keep the pork moist and flavorful. Save it and freeze.
- Add BBQ sauce at the end - Toss the shredded pork with BBQ sauce after cooking so the flavor stays fresh and you can control the sauciness.
- Make pulled pork ahead - For meal prep, party prep, entertaining, and freezer prep.
Serving Ideas
Serve slow cooker BBQ pulled pork warm with extra BBQ sauce (or Ranchera Sauce) on the side so everyone can adjust the sauciness.
- Sandwiches and sliders - Pile pulled pork onto toasted hamburger buns or hot dog buns, slider rolls, Hawaiian-style rolls, or thick-cut gluten-free bread. Add creamy coleslaw, pickles, or pickled red onions.
- Tacos - Spoon pulled pork into warm corn tortillas and top with slaw, avocado, cilantro, jalapeños, or lime crema.
- Bowls - Serve over rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, or salad greens with beans, corn, avocado, and a drizzle of BBQ sauce.
- Baked potatoes or sweet potatoes - Split hot baked potatoes and top with pulled pork, BBQ sauce, green onions, and a little cheese if desired. Try whipped sweet potatoes topped with the pulled pork.
- Nachos - Layer tortilla chips with pulled pork, cheese, beans, jalapeños, and toppings for game day or casual entertaining.
- Mac and cheese - Spoon pulled pork over creamy mac and cheese for a hearty comfort-food dinner.
- Lettuce wraps - Use crisp lettuce leaves for a lighter, low-carb option.
Storage and Freezing
Store pulled pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For the juiciest leftovers, save extra defatted cooking broth and spoon a little over the pork before reheating. Reheat gently on the stovetop, in the microwave, or covered in a low oven until hot.
Pulled pork also freezes well. Freeze it with a little defatted cooking liquid in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Freezing in meal-size portions is good too. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently with extra broth or BBQ sauce as needed.
More Pork Recipes
Pork is so versatile! From finger-licking baby back ribs to creamy pork chops and my favorite smoked pork tenderloin, try some of my other pork recipes.
If You Make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Please leave me a comment and let me know who you served it. I love to hear from you and your comments inspired other readers too. Thanks for supporting my site.
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
Equipment
Ingredients
Pulled Pork
- 2 pound pulled pork
- 2-3 teaspoons kosher salt
- ⅔ cup chicken broth
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 large white onion sliced into thick pieces for the crock bottom
- ½ cup low sugar bbq sauce like my homemade, recipe on site
Dry Rub for Pulled Pork (makes extra)
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated garlic powder or 2 ½ teaspoons fine garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or gold brown monk fruit blend
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons coriander
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder or ⅛ less for less heat
Instructions
Prep the pork
- Remove any netting from the pork shoulder. Season with salt if your dry rub is salt-free, then coat the pork evenly with 2-3 tablespoons of dry rub.
Mix the braising broth
- Whisk together the broth, vinegar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and molasses until smooth.
Start the pork
- Arrange the onion slices in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the seasoned pork shoulder on top, then pour the braising liquid over the pork. Cover and cook on LOW for about 9 hours. Timing will vary depending on the size of the pork shoulder and your slow cooker. Smaller ones cook a little faster.
How to know when it is done
- Pork shoulder is done when a paring knife slides in easily and the meat shreds effortlessly with forks. Go by tenderness and shred-ability, not just timing.
Finishing pork
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place in a large casserole dish or sheet pan. Discard the onions. Strain the cooking liquid, then defat it with a fat separator or refrigerate until the fat solidifies on top and can be removed, about 1 hour.
Pull the pork
- Using gloved hands or forks, shred the pork, removing any large pieces of fat. Toss the pulled pork with BBQ sauce to taste, adding a little defatted cooking liquid as needed to keep the pork juicy.
Notes
Nutrition
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