Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Made it? Rate this recipePork shoulder rubbed with a smoky brown sugar spice mix, cooked low and slow on a bed of onions until it falls apart, then tossed with BBQ sauce and piled onto toasted brioche buns with crunchy coleslaw.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Season the Pork
Mix the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels and rub the spice mixture over every surface, pressing it in so it sticks. If your shoulder is one very large piece, cut it into 2 or 3 chunks so it fits in the slow cooker in a single layer and cooks evenly.
Chef's Tips
- ›Use thawed pork only. Frozen meat stays in the unsafe temperature range too long in a slow cooker.
- ›You can rub the pork the night before and refrigerate it, covered, for deeper seasoning.
Build the Slow Cooker
Scatter the sliced onion and smashed garlic over the bottom of a 6-quart (5.7 L) slow cooker. Pour in the apple cider vinegar, chicken broth, and 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the BBQ sauce. Set the pork on top of the onions, fat side up. The onions act as a rack and flavor the cooking liquid.
Chef's Tips
- ›The liquid should come only partway up the pork. The meat releases plenty of juice as it cooks.
- ›Fat side up lets the fat baste the meat as it renders.
Cook Low and Slow
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours, until the pork pulls apart easily with two forks. Pork is safe to eat at 145°F (63°C), but for shredding it needs to reach roughly 195-205°F (90-96°C), when the connective tissue has broken down. Keep the lid on during cooking; each time you lift it the cooker loses heat and the cook time stretches.
Chef's Tips
- ›LOW gives the most tender, juicy result if you have the time.
- ›If a fork meets resistance, cover and cook another 30-60 minutes.
Make the Coleslaw
While the pork finishes, whisk the mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the coleslaw mix and toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving so it stays cold and crunchy.
Chef's Tips
- ›Make the slaw at least 20 minutes ahead so the cabbage softens slightly.
- ›A pinch of celery seed is a classic addition.
Shred and Sauce
Lift the pork onto a cutting board and shred it with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Strain the cooking liquid, skim off the fat, and return the onions to the pot. Add the shredded pork back in with the remaining 1 cup (240 ml) BBQ sauce and about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the defatted cooking liquid. Stir and keep on WARM for 10 minutes so the meat absorbs the sauce.
Chef's Tips
- ›Add cooking liquid gradually: you want moist, not soupy.
- ›Taste and add a splash of vinegar if the sauce tastes too sweet.
Assemble the Sandwiches
Toast the brioche buns cut side down in a dry skillet or under the broiler until golden. Pile a generous portion of pulled pork on each bottom bun, top with a mound of coleslaw and a few pickle slices if you like, and close with the top bun. Serve any extra pork in a bowl alongside.
Chef's Tips
- ›Toasting the buns keeps them from going soggy under the sauce.
- ›Put the slaw on the sandwich or on the side, whichever you prefer.
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About This Recipe
What is this dish?
Pulled pork is pork shoulder cooked slowly until it is tender enough to shred with a fork, then tossed with BBQ sauce. This slow cooker version uses a dry spice rub and a little vinegar and broth to mimic the flavor of a long barbecue without a smoker.
Why you'll love it
The active work is about 15 minutes. The slow cooker does the rest while you are out, and one shoulder feeds a crowd or gives you several meals of leftovers.
When to serve
Serve it for casual weekend dinners, game days, birthday parties, or potlucks. It also works for meal prep, since the meat reheats well and can go into tacos, rice bowls, or baked potatoes later in the week.
Quick tips
Use pork shoulder, keep the lid closed, shred while hot, and sauce the meat with a mix of BBQ sauce and its own defatted juices.
Ingredient Highlights
Pork Shoulder
Shoulder has plenty of fat and connective tissue, which melt into gelatin over a long cook. That is what makes the shredded meat moist and tender instead of dry and stringy.
Apple Cider Vinegar
A little acidity balances the sweetness of the BBQ sauce and brown sugar and keeps the finished pork from tasting heavy.
Smoked Paprika
Smoked paprika gives a gentle smoky flavor, which is the closest a slow cooker can get to the taste of a smoker.
Substitution Options
Use any BBQ sauce you like, from sweet Kansas City style to a tangy vinegar sauce. Chicken broth can be replaced with water or apple juice for a sweeter result. Brioche buns can be swapped for potato rolls or slider buns. For a gluten-free meal, use gluten-free buns and check that your BBQ sauce and broth are labeled gluten-free. Coleslaw mix can be replaced with shredded green cabbage and a grated carrot.
Chef's Tips
Techniques that separate good from great
Crisp the Edges
Spread the sauced pulled pork on a sheet pan and broil for 3-5 minutes until the tips are browned and slightly crisp. This adds the texture of smoked pulled pork without a smoker.
Reduce the Juices
Simmer the strained, defatted cooking liquid in a small saucepan for 10 minutes until it reduces by half, then stir it into the pork. It concentrates the pork flavor without making the meat watery.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving · Estimated values
* Estimated per serving based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Equipment Needed
- Slow cooker (6-quart / 5.7 L)
- Small mixing bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- Cutting board and knife
- Two forks or meat claws
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Skillet (for toasting buns)
Kitchen tools for this recipe
The equipment this recipe is cooked with.
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Quick Tips
- Choose pork shoulder (also sold as pork butt or Boston butt). Leaner cuts like pork loin dry out and will not shred properly.
- Do not add more liquid than the recipe calls for. Slow cookers trap moisture, and too much liquid dilutes the flavor.
- Shred the pork while it is still hot; it pulls apart far more easily than once it cools.
Recipe Variations
Different ways to make this dish your own
Carolina Style
Skip the thick BBQ sauce and toss the shredded pork with a thin sauce of cider vinegar, a little brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and salt. Serve with a vinegar slaw.
Pulled Pork Tacos
Season the rub with extra cumin and a pinch of oregano, toss the meat with salsa instead of BBQ sauce, and serve in warm corn tortillas with pickled onions.
Root Beer Pulled Pork
Replace the broth with 1 cup (240 ml) of root beer for a sweeter, slightly spiced cooking liquid. Reduce the brown sugar in the rub by half.
What to Serve With
Perfect pairings to complete the meal
Classic Sandwich Plate
Serve sandwiches with dill pickles, baked beans, and potato chips or corn on the cob.
Pulled Pork Bowl
Spoon the pork over rice or mac and cheese with coleslaw and pickled jalapenos on top.
Loaded Baked Potatoes
Split baked potatoes and top with pulled pork, shredded cheddar, sour cream, and scallions.
Storage & Reheating
Keep it fresh and plan ahead
Refrigerator
Store pulled pork in an airtight container with some of its juices for up to 4 days. Keep the coleslaw separate for up to 3 days.
Freezer
Freeze the sauced pork in freezer bags, pressed flat, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Make-Ahead
Cook the pork a day ahead, shred, and refrigerate in its juices. The flavor improves overnight.
Reheating
Reheat in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of broth or water until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C), or microwave in short bursts, stirring between each.
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