Slow-Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
Smoky, sweet, fork-tender pulled pork from a humble pork shoulder. 8 hours in the slow cooker, zero attention required, infinite sandwich potential.
- Total time:
- 8 hr 10 min
- Servings:
- 8
- Per serving:
- 480 kcal
- Cost per serving:
- $2.80
- Difficulty:
- easy
Step-by-step
Mix sugar, paprika, garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Rub all over pork.
Place pork in slow cooker. Pour vinegar and stock around it.
Cook on LOW 8 hours (or HIGH 4 hours) until fork pulls meat apart easily.
Transfer to a board. Shred with two forks. Discard fat and bone.
Toss shredded pork with BBQ sauce and ½ cup of the cooking liquid.
Pile on buns. Top with slaw if you like.
Cook's tip
Pork shoulder (also called Boston butt) has the right fat content. Loin will be dry. Bone-in is more flavorful.
Storage
Refrigerate 5 days.
Freezer: Freezes 3 months in sauce. Reheat in slow cooker on low.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480
- Protein
- 32g
- Carbs
- 38g
- Fat
- 22g
- Fiber
- 1g
- Sugar
- 18g
- Sat Fat
- 7g
- Sodium
- 920mg
Estimates based on USDA FoodData Central. See our nutrition disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do this in an Instant Pot?
Yes. pressure cook 75 minutes on high, natural release 15 minutes. Texture is very close to slow-cooked.
What BBQ sauce works best?
A balanced sauce with vinegar, sugar, and smoke. Sweet Baby Ray's, Stubb's, or homemade Carolina vinegar sauce all shine.
Reviews
Tola O.
3 days ago
Made this for Sunday lunch — the smoky bottom turned out perfect. Family demolished the pot in twenty minutes.
✓ Would make again
Marcus B.
1 week ago
First time cooking this and the timing notes saved me. Did not lift the lid once. The crust at the bottom was the best part.
✓ Would make again
Aisha K.
2 weeks ago
Loved it but added an extra scotch bonnet — we like it spicy. Recipe scales well, made a double batch.
✓ Would make again
Reviews shown are illustrative pre-launch. Real user reviews appear here as the community grows.
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