Description
This Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe features tender, flavorful pork shoulder cooked low and slow with a smoky dry rub and tangy cooking liquids. Perfect for a hands-off meal, the pork is shredded and tossed in BBQ sauce, making it ideal for sandwiches or a hearty main dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Rub
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Main Ingredients
- 4 lb pork shoulder (Boston butt)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup your favorite BBQ sauce (for serving and tossing)
Instructions
- Prepare the pork: Trim any large pieces of excess fat from the pork shoulder to avoid greasy results.
- Make the dry rub: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to create the spice rub.
- Apply the rub: Rub the spice mixture evenly over all surfaces of the pork shoulder to infuse it with flavor.
- Set in slow cooker: Place the seasoned pork shoulder in the basin of your slow cooker.
- Add liquids: Pour chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce around the pork, avoiding pouring directly on top to keep the rub intact.
- Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the pork is very tender and shreds easily with a fork.
- Remove and shred: Carefully take the pork out, discard any excess fat, then use two forks to shred the meat completely.
- Skim fat: Skim any excess fat from the cooking liquid left in the slow cooker to keep the pork moist but not greasy.
- Toss with sauce: Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and mix with about 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and 1/4 cup BBQ sauce for flavor and moisture.
- Warm and meld flavors: Cook on the WARM setting for 15 minutes to let the flavors combine thoroughly.
- Serve: Serve hot on buns with extra BBQ sauce for a classic pulled pork sandwich experience.
Notes
- Trimming excess fat helps reduce greasiness in the final dish.
- Use low-sodium broth to control salt levels.
- Adjust cayenne pepper amount to your preferred heat level.
- Cooking times may vary depending on your slow cooker model.
- Leftover pulled pork can be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: pulled pork, slow cooker pork, BBQ pulled pork, easy pulled pork recipe, slow cooker recipes
