Simply Set it and Forget it for the Best Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
This is truly the best slow cooker pulled pork recipe – a make a head favorite and the ultimate crowd pleaser. Tender, juicy pork shoulder is rubbed with a classic spice blend, then cooked low and slow in the slow cooker until it simply falls apart. It’s also one of the easiest ways to feed a hungry crowd, or just you on a busy day!
Tossed with its own savory juices and a touch of BBQ sauce, it’s rich, smoky, and full of flavor without being fussy. Perfect for piling high on soft buns with coleslaw, tucking into tacos, making quesadillas- It’s about as easy and versatile as it gets, making it perfect for a beginner or a busy cook.
How to make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
The best thing about this recipe is you only need three simple, inexpensive ingredients- pork shoulder, root beer or Coke-a-Cola and a Spice Rub. From there, the slow cooker does all the work until its time for you to decide how you want to serve it.
It starts with a basic spice rub, which is easy to make yourself, although any store bought BBQ rub will do. To make your own, simply combine common household spices of brown sugar, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and cumin in a bowl.
Once the spice mixture is ready, coat the pork shoulder generously with the rub. If you have time, let it sit for a few hours or overnight with the rub by placing it in a vessel, such as a disposable aluminum pan or a pyrex glass dish, cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. This will add a deeper level of flavor, but is optional.
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Once ready to cook, place the seasoned pork shoulder in the crock pot, add a can of Root Beer or Coke-a-Cola to the slow cooker and set on low. That’s it. Now you can go to bed, go to work, go watch a Harry Patter marathon… whatever floats your boat. Check back about 8 -10 hours later and your pork shoulder should be falling apart when a fork is inserted into the meat. There really is no way of overcooking this, so timing is more about convenience than anything else.
Once the meat is done and shreds easily with a fork, turn off the slow cooker and let the meat cool down enough to handle. This will take about an hour.
Once cool enough to handle, remove the pork carefully to a large bowl or pyrex casserole dish to shred it and discard any large pieces of fat. Reserve the liquid.
Once the pork is shredded, if it is dry, slowly add some of the reserved liquid a few tablespoons at a time, just enough to moisten.
From here you have options. You can refrigerate until ready to reheat. You can clean the slow cooker and return the pulled pork, toss with BBQ sauce and let your guests serve themselves, or freeze the pulled pork for a later date.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Foolproof: The slow cooker guarantees tender pork every time.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Perfect for parties, game day, family dinners, or meal prep.
- Crowd-Pleaser: Adults and kids alike can’t resist it.
- Flexible: Serve it on rolls, on a plate or in a salad
- Freezer Friendly: Simply package and freeze for a later date and an easy weeknight meal.
- Doubles Well: Easily adjustable for a large crowd or future meals
How to Serve Pulled Pork
Pulled pork is endlessly versatile. Try serving it a few different ways:
- On soft potato rolls with coleslaw and pickles
- Stuffed in tacos with pickled onions or mango salsa or a homemade quesadilla
- Tossed into mac & cheese for the ultimate comfort food
- Over a salad with cheese and toppings
Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe
Choose the Right Cut of Meat: For the most flavorful pulled pork, look for a pork shoulder (also called “Boston butt”) with good marbling throughout. The fat is essential—it slowly melts as the pork cooks, keeping the meat juicy and adding rich flavor. Avoid cuts that look too lean, since they’ll dry out in the slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Ingredients
Pork Rub
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper personal preference
- 1 tsp ground cumin
In the Slow Cooker
- 4-6 lb pork shoulder
- 1 can Coke or Root Beer
For Serving
- 1 Jar of your favorite bbq sauce – (I like Sweet Baby Rays original bbq sauce)
Instructions
- Make the pork rub and cover the pork in the rub. If you have time, you can do this up to 24 hours in advance. I recommend placing it in a disposable foil pan and covering with plastic wrap or tin foil.
- When ready to cook, place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker and add one can of Root Beer or Coke-a-Cola.
- Turn onto low and cook for about 8 hours and up to 12 hours (you can't over cook this!) The meat should fall apart with a fork.
- When done, let the meat cool down and then remove the meat to a large dish, such as a casserole dish, and shred the meat, discarding any large pieces of fat.
- If the meat seems a little dry after shredding, gently fold in some of the liquid left behind in the slow cooker to lightly coat the meat.
- Now you have options! You can coat the meat in BBQ sauce and serve, you can refrigerate for a later time as is, or you can freeze for an easy meal in the future.
