Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This is my favorite crockpot recipe of all time- and I’ve been making it for almost 20 years now (20? gah!) I still remember my first bite into this flavorful, buttery-tender meat. My friend Christine had served it up and I immediately demanded asked for the recipe. Since then, every member of my family, immediate and extended, has been served this Slow Cooked Pulled Pork at one time or another because it’s one of those recipes that’s incredibly easy (set-it-and-forget-it). It’s also one that ensures people will be asking for more.

Today the blue recipe card that features my much-younger, much-neater, pre just-snap-a-picture-on-my-phone handwriting is blotted with stains and crinkled a bit from being pulled out and used so many times. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork was and still is “the” recipe to ensure that “wow!” factor for a successful meal but without a lot of effort. Plus it feeds a ton of people so it’s the perfect party recipe.

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Right out of the slow cooker, the roast is ready for shredding. The onions are as soft as butter.

Success is achieved in two quick steps. First a dry rub of brown sugar, paprika, salt and pepper is patted all over the meat which is then placed over onions in the pot. And since this is a Carolina-style pulled pork, a quick wet sauce is made featuring cider vinegar, Worchestershire, crushed red pepper flakes, dry mustard, garlic, and a tiny bit of cayenne. Truly incredible.

Then low and slow is the key to absolute perfection for success. I can’t stress enough that low temperature is the way to go with this roast. I’ve made the mistake of trying to cook it on high before and it just doesn’t quite get as tender as when it’s cooked on low for 8 to 10 (or even more) hours.The roast in these pictures was a 6-pounder and I actually cooked it overnight for 10 1/2 hours.

Before I leave you all so you can add the pork shoulder to your next grocery list (I’ll bet you have most all the other ingredients already in your pantry), I want to give a quick personal “thank you!” to my friend Chris- This recipe always reminds me of when you served it on sandwiches and wow’d us all. 😉 And to all you other awesome friends- Why not serve this up for some of your friends… they’ll never forget you and they’ll be sure to thank you.

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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

8 hrs

Total Time

8 hrs 5 mins

 

I highly recommend cooking this recipe on low to allow the time necessary to make this meat be fall-apart-tender. Cook for at least 8 hours, and up to 10 hours depending on the size of your roast. This is a good one to cook overnight. Serve with your favorite barbecue sauce on buns or with the reserved vinegar sauce atop garlic mashed potatoes.

Course: Slow cooker

Servings: 10 -12

Author: Good Dinner Mom

Ingredients

• 2 large onions, quartered
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon paprika, regular or smoked
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pork butt or shoulder roast, 4 to 6 pounds (boneless or bone-in)
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• Accompaniment options: Hamburger buns, favorite bbq sauce, cole slaw, garlic mashed potatoes
• Cook's Note: If your roast is on the larger size, feel free to double the rub ingredients (brown sugar, paprika, salt and pepper)

Instructions

1. Place onions in slow cooker. Combine brown sugar, paprika, salt and pepper; rub over roast. Place roast over onions.
2. Combine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar, mustard, garlic salt, and cayenne. Stir to mix well.
3. Drizzle about 1/3 of the vinegar mixture carefuly over the roast, ensuring the rub stays intact on the meat. Cover and refrigerate the remaining vinegar mixture.
4. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low 8 to 10 hours (I have tried cooking this recipe on high in the past and the meat never comes out as tender as when cooked on low, but if you must cook it on high, cook it for 6 hours)
5. Drizzle another 1/3 of reserved vinegar mixture over roast during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
6. Remove meat and onions from slow cooker. Shred meat. If desired, add some of your favorite barbecue sauce to the shredded meat with extra to pour over top. Serve pork with onions on buns, passing around remaining vinegar mixture to drizzle over sandwiches. Another serving method (our favorite) is to serve as a main dish with garlic mashed potatoes on the side, drizzled with the vinegar mixture.

Recipe from long-time friend, Chris Calder Coombs.