My signature pulled pork recipe is slow roasted for 12 hours. This is my easy pulled pork recipe made in a slow cooker, a recipe loved by readers all around the world! High returns for minimal effort, pork is rubbed with a secret spice mix, slow cooked until the meat pulls apart effortlessly then tossed in a simple-yet-flavour-loaded homemade BBQ Sauce.
Super economical, makes loads, freezes 100% perfectly and insanely moreish. Make sliders or a big Southern BBQ dinner plate complete with classic sides like Mac and Cheese, Cornbread and Coleslaw!
Easy slow cooker pulled pork
No self respecting BBQ shack would cook pulled pork in a slow cooker. They do an overnight smoke, with a pork babysitter on duty all through the night to stoke the coals, monitor and maintain the temperature, and occasionally give the pork a good spray with their secret-formula spritzer.
I do not do that.
I need my beauty sleep.
(Also, I don’t have a smoker).
So here’s how I make pulled pork in a slow cooker. Simple. Totally hands off. Makes loads, super economical. Amazing result for minimum effort!
What you need for pulled pork
Here’s what you need for pulled pork made in a slow cooker – a spice rub and some kind of liquid for a braising liquid to infuse with flavour, add a touch of sweetness and keep everything nice and moist.
I like to use beer – any beer other than dark brown beers like stout or Guinness. Apple cider – alcoholic or non alcoholic – or similar fruit ciders (like pear) are also terrific. For non alcoholic, apple juice works really well. Emergency fallback: water!
Best pork for pulled pork?
The best pork for pulled pork is bone in Pork Butt – also known as Boston Butt – or pork shoulder. It’s well marbled with fat so it’s juicy, and it’s a tough cut of pork so it needs the long cook time to become tender enough to shred – which means more flavour infusion time!
Difference between pork butt and pork shoulder
While both are cut from the shoulder of pig, the pork shoulder comes from the lower end (upper leg) whereas pork butt is the upper part near the back which is why the shape is more rectangle block-like. Here’s an excellent diagram from Cooks’ Illustrated!
Homemade barbecue sauce
And here’s what you need for the homemade Barbecue Sauce. It’s my base recipe for all things barbecue sauced – from pork ribs to chicken, beef ribs to brisket.
Sometimes I change it up a bit – depends on the protein and purpose of the dish, but fundamentally the same ingredients!
How to make pulled pork
We’re bypassing the step to sit by a smoker through the whole night, and just opting for a simple home version here. So all I need you to do is:
rub pork with spice mix;
plonk in slow cooker with beer, set and forget;
brown in oven – optional step, but totally worth it for that extra little edge of flavour (besides, you need to use a pan for shredding anyway, so you may as well throw it in the oven for a bit!);
shred, douse with BBQ sauce, devour.
PS I slow cook it with the thick layer of fat on it so it looks blubbery and unappetising when you pull it out of the slow cooker but it does all sorts of wonderful things to the pork as it slow cooks – imagine the spice rubbed layer of fat slooooowly dripping down the pork and basting it for hours!
Pulled pork should be tender…but not mushy!
When I see pork being shredded with a food processor and vigorously mixed with sauce until it resembles baby food, it makes me want to cry.
We want tender, juicy pork that can be pulled apart effortlessly, but still has the texture of meat – we don’t want mush! To achieve that, you just need to cook it for the right length of time (10 hours on low is long enough) and toss with the sauce gently rather than vigorously stirring it like it’s a pot of soup!
How to serve pulled pork
The two classic ways to serve pulled pork are:
1. Sliders – stuffed in soft rolls with Coleslaw*. Terrific way to serve loads of people – this recipe will make around 20 sliders;
* If you or your hips are anti mayo, try the RecipeTin No Mayo Coleslaw – it’s very, very good!
2. Southern BBQ Dinner Plate – complete with classic sides like Baked Mac and Cheese, Corn Bread, steamed corn slathered with butter, Coleslaw (or this No Mayo version) and a side of something green (pictured: simple steamed greens drizzled with butter, salt and pepper).
This recipe makes loads of pulled pork. Pork butts are BIG – so there’s no getting around that!
If you use shoulder you can get smaller pieces. But actually, you don’t want to make this with much less than 2kg / 4 lb because otherwise the pork will cook too quickly and lack the time it needs for the flavour to infuse.
Besides, it freezes 100% perfectly. And imagine how smug you’ll feel knowing you’ve got a stash of this in your freezer??? Shove it in a bread roll for a quick meal anytime! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Easy slow cooker BBQ pulled pork
Ingredients
- 3.5-4.5kg/ 5-7lb pork butt / pork shoulder , bone in, fat cap on (Note 1)
- 1 cup beer , apple cider or apple juice (Note 2)
RUB:
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp paprika powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
BBQ Sauce:
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar (Note 3)
- 3 cups tomato ketchup (or Aussie tomato sauce)
- 1 cup water (or use remaining beer!)
- 3 tbsp molasses , orginal (not blackstrap, Note 4)
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 4 tsp mustard powder
- 3 tsp garlic powder
- 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp Tabasco or cayenne pepper (optional, for spiciness)
Instructions
- Mix the Rub together, then rub all over the pork.
- Place in a slow cooker, pour over beer. Slow cook on low for 10 hours. Pork should be tender enough to easily shred.
Browning in oven (optional, recommended):
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
- Transfer from slow cooker into a roasting pan (reserve liquid).
- Scoop fat off surface of juices in slow cooker and drizzle over pork (about 1/3 cup), then roast pork for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, cut thick layer of fat off top and discard. Spoon over 1/4 cup fat from slow cooker juices, then roast 15 minutes.
Shredding:
- Shred pork using 2 forks. Pour over BBQ sauce, toss gently.
- Serve stuffed in sliders with Coleslaw, or make a Southern dinner plate with Coleslaw, Mac and Cheese, Corn bread, steamed corn & green beans tossed in butter, with Margaritas to quench your thirst!
Barbecue Sauce:
- Place all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes or until thickened.
- Add 3/4 – 1 cup of juices from slow cooker until sauce is syrup consistency.
- Adjust to taste: sweetness with brown sugar / honey, salt and sour with vinegar. Use per recipe.
Recipe Notes:
- Pressure cooker / instant pot – With a slightly smaller pork (2-2.5 kg/4-5lb), I make this in my pressure cooker, 1 hr 20 minutes on high.
- Oven – 7 to 8 hours at 130C/270F, covered with double foil in a roasting pan with 2 cups of water (plus the beer per recipe). I rarely do this simply because of logistics – I don’t like to leave the house or sleep with the oven on! But by roasting, you do get an amazing crust which I compensate for by roasting the pork briefly after slow cooker. Note: slow cooker yields juicier pork.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
This is how my post-trip reunions with Dozer go down…..
I have a 3 pound pork shoulder blade roast. How much time should I put it in the slow cooker for?
Hi Nagi, can I use beef for this recipe?
Hi. I’m making mine in the oven and I have two 10 lb each. I doubled the rub recipe. My question is, do I double the amount of cooking time as well?
The recipe timing is for a 7 pound piece so it will take longer but I don’t think it will be double. Just check it at 10 hours and see if it pulls apart nicely and if not then check it every 30 minutes after until it is fully cooked then proceed with the recipe as written! N x
Thank you Nagi, I cooked it for 11 hours and it fell off the bone nicely. The only thing is that next time I make this recipe I will put parchment paper than foil because some of the foil broke onto the meat maybe because of the acid from the beer. Love your recipes. Thanks
I’ve just realised I have bought blackstrap molasses not molasses. Will this still be ok? Will it change the amount used? Thank you!
You can’t use blackstrap Shannon – I’m sorry! It has a REALLY strong flavour and it won’t work! (Taste a bit of blackstrap and you’ll see what I mean!!) N x
Forgot to give 5 stars and wanted to mention that my husband was tasked with bringing home a can of beer and of course he got stout-but I have to say it was fine and I wouldn’t hesitate to use that beer again.
I cooked the pork overnight in my slow cooker (happy our bedroom door closes tightly) and we had it for dinner. Daughter and grandson were visiting and grandson devoured three big sandwiches, and who could blame him. Delish. We didn’t make the BBQ sauce however since we were lucky enough to have a jar of 17th St. BBQ sauce (one of the best). But next time you bet I’ll make it with yours. You never fail to give us easy, delicious winners.
Dear Nagi,
Just wondering in this recipe it says 3 cups of tomato sauce to make the sauce . Just wondering if it is the right amount. I watched the video too . Didn’t seem to have that much sauce. I followed the recipte looks like a lot of sauce. Thank you.
What would you substitute for the slow cooker juices if you’re making just the bbq sauce? Thanks!
You could add some chicken stock then adjust the seasonings as per the recipe! N x
This is amazing. The BBQ sauce is delicious. How long does the sauce last in the fridge? Bottled some, it’s that good.
It will keep for a few weeks!!
Excellent. Thank you Nagi. You’re recipes are awesome. Thank you 😊
Hi Nagi, do you know how long the bbq sauce will keep? I’ve made far too much!
Freeze for months!!! N x
Hi Nagi
Do you have a particular slow cooker that you would recommend?
Hi Krysten! I have an old Breville Fast/Slow Cooker that I love but I haven’t used the current model so not sure if it is the same. One of my staff has a Sunbeam Secret Chef HP8555 that she swears by because it has a searing function and is extra large. Another staff member likes the Breville Flavour Maker BSC560BSS which is extra large and heavy duty cast aluminum that can be used to sear on the cooktop and can go in the oven. Both of those ones hold a whole lamb leg or pork shoulder. It really depends on what you use it for and how large you need it to be! N x
Hi Nagi, can you use a pork loin for this recipe?
Yes Ivana – see the recipe notes at the bottom. It won’t be as juicy though as that cut lacks connective tissue. N x
This Pulled Pork with BBQ Sauce seems super delicious and amazing . Super excited to try this unique recipe, thanks for sharing this recipe with us.
Has anyone made this with boneless pork butt? How can I tweak the recipe cooking time (with Instant pot) for boneless pork butt?
Can I leave the pork in the fridge overnight in the slow cooker with marinade and beer? Then I can switch on slow cooker first thing in morning and have dinner on time. Would this. work?
Im a big fan of your receipes and always chk tin eats out when trying a new recipe. Thanks so much. Aisling from Ireland 🙂
You can do the rub and leave it in the fridge overnight then I would just add the beer and switch on in the morning! N x
Thanks Nagi. That’s what I did. I am going to cook at medium for the first 2 hours too, try and speed the dish up. Needs to be ready for tea. Fingers crossed xx
Thanks Nagi. That’s what I did. I am going to cook at meduim for the first 2 hours too, try and speed the dish up. Needs to be ready for tea. Fingers crossed xx
Realized I don’t have brown sugar. Could I use honey?
I think that will be ok Abby! N x
I also would like to know if there is a substitute I can use instead of molasses. I have treacle and also pomegranate molasses – would either of these work?
Treacle would work fine! N x
Hi Nagi, I’d like to make your pulled pork with bbq sauce but I’m isolation and I don’t have molasses, what can I use as a sub?
So when do you take the bone out?
It should just slide out when you take the fat cap off. Just pull it out and throw it away! N x
Made this and was excellent! Some changes as was with 1.2kg pork neck. Cooked 5.5hrs in oven covered at 135, then 1hr covered at 70. Used cranberry juice instead of beer (1 cup and 2 cups water) as I had drank all the beer in the house the night before!
That is totally something I would do (just maybe wine, not beer!)!! N x
Omg HELP… I just realised I put apple cider vinegar in the slower cooker with the meat. It has been cooking for about 4 hours. Do you think if I tip it out and add the apple juice it will be ok or do you think it will have ruined the meat?
Hi Krystal – it really is going to depend on how it tastes. I would not pour it out as all the meat flavour will go with it. Taste the juices now and if they are too acidic, maybe add a cup of chicken stock or the apple juice if you have some on hand – you want to dilute the vinegar. The meat will still cook to fall apart tender – you might just have to drain off a good bit of the juices at the end. Let me know how it turns out!! N x
Thanks for being my go to site for my bucket list recipes. Made my first pulled pork today – winning!!! Absolutely delicious & totally achievable.