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 secret to tender pulled pork? ›

Cooking the pork low and slow makes it incredibly tender. If you'd prefer to make this in the oven, see our oven pulled pork recipe.

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Should I add liquid to slow cooker for pulled pork? ›

Pull the pork from the fridge to take the chill off while you chop a few onions and smash garlic cloves. 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.

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Do you put fat up or down in crockpot pulled pork? ›

Worgul recommends placing the pork in the slow-cooker fat side up. The fat will render thoroughly during the cooking process and by placing the meat fat side up, it makes it much easier to remove excess fat before serving. "The cooker will be nearly filled with fat and liquid after hours of cooking.

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Should I sear pork before slow cooking for pulled pork? ›

Preparing the pork

I prefer to season the meat before adding it to the slow cooker with my favourite spices, along with salt and pepper. I also recommend browning the meat slightly prior to slow cooking which will help maximise the flavour. However, this is a step that can be left out if you don't have enough time.

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

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. The pork will make more liquid as it cooks, and you need to leave room for that.

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Why add apple cider vinegar to pulled pork? ›

Why add apple cider vinegar to pulled pork? Pulled pork relies on both the vinegar's acidity and the low-and-slow cooking process to tenderize the meat, breaking down the protein to give the dish its signature moist, fall-apart texture. Cider vinegar also provides a tangy counterpoint to the fatty pork.

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Do you put fat up or fat down pulled pork? ›

But if you're making smoked pulled pork, we recommend fat side down. Add in that protective buffer and focus on getting the most moist meat possible with the best bark.

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Should you flip pork shoulder in slow cooker? ›

Close the Proofer and allow the pork to cook for a total of 10 or 11 hours. Midway during the slow cook process you can turn the pork over once. After 10 hours check the interior of the pork with a thermometer. We recommend a temperature of 195-200 °F / 90-93 °C for tender, juicy pork which pulls apart easily.

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What liquid to add to dry pulled pork? ›

Not today, dry pork

If your plans for pork don't include BBQ sauce, Home Cook World suggests using other liquids like broth, apple juice, or an apple cider and vinegar combo.

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How do you cook pulled pork the night before? ›

You can smoke your meat the day before. Pull it, put it into foil pans, and cover it with foil. Make absolutely sure you cool the meat correctly. Then pull your smoker out to the party the next day for show and use it to heat the pork in the foil pans.

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Is it OK to make pulled pork ahead of time? ›

Make ahead of time: The pulled pork can be made ahead of time and refrigerated, covered for a day or two. It can also be frozen for several months. It's easy to reheat, and tends to keep it's flavor and moisture better than other reheated meats.

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Why is my pulled pork still tough? ›

However, if the pork is cooked too long, it may become dry and hard instead of tender. When the internal temperature of the meat reaches 210 degrees F or more, the muscle fibers become tougher, and the meat becomes dry and chewy.

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How do Chinese make pork so tender? ›

How do you tenderise pork for stir fry? Velveting is a Chinese technique that helps keep meat tender during stir frying. Adding cornstarch and bicarb to your meat during the marinating process helps to coat your meat, giving it a velvety feel that makes the meat feel extra soft.

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What is the easiest way to tenderize pork? ›

A brine is essentially just salt and water. It helps prevent moisture loss during cooking, and the salt also helps tenderize the meat from the inside out. If you want an extra juicy piece of pork, brine it before cooking. You can make an effective brine just with salt and water, but additional seasonings do help.

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Does lemon juice make pork tender? ›

Lemon juice and vinegar are often used in marinades for meat for several reasons: Acid: Both lemon juice and vinegar contain acid, which helps to break down the muscle fibers in meat, making it more tender. This is especially helpful for tougher cuts of meat, such as flank steak or chicken thighs.

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