Crockpot Pulled Pork

4.75 from 12 votes

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This amazing Pulled Pork Recipe is a crowd-pleasing, super simple way to cook pulled pork. You only need a crockpot or slow cooker and a few hours to cook! So delicious with my favorite homemade Macaroni and Cheese and Coleslaw.

Pulled Pork Sandwich

What is Pulled Pork?

Pulled Pork is an American dish, originating from the South which uses shredded pork shoulder as the main ingredient with other regional-based sauces added on after cooking slowly over a smoker, wood fire, or in a slow cooker or crockpot.

Crockpot versus Smoker

Both a Crockpot and a smoker work beautifully for cooking pulled pork. Not everyone has a smoker, so your Crockpot or slow cooker will do. You are essentially braising this large piece of meat to get that glorious, shreddable texture. You can definitely just use a dutch oven and bake this meat low and slow in the oven as well, but I find cooking it in the crockpot is the easiest way to make this pulled pork recipe. You just set it and forget it which is my kind of recipe. If you do have a smoker, you MUST try my smoked pork butt recipe.

What Cut of Meat is Best for Pulled Pork?

Pork Shoulder, sometimes referred to as Pork Butt, is the cut of pork used for all Pulled Pork Recipes. It is some of the most tender and flavorful meat after being cooked low and slow. Partly because it’s naturally very fatty, but also because it just falls off the bone after cooking.

I used a hefty 3-pound roast that I’ve lightly trimmed. When pork shoulders go on sale, pick up one or two, and make this easy meal for your family. You will all love it! (Beware when buying from Costco; You’ll need several crockpots to cook it all!) Freezing extra raw pork is a great solution.

Pulled Pork

The Best Sauce to Cook Pulled Pork In

For this slow cooker pulled pork, I find it best to add in some cooking liquid and flavorings for maximum flavor. Here is what I like to add for the cooking:

  • BBQ sauce. Use a really good BBQ sauce that you love. We like KC Masterpiece. Gordon’s parents swear by Sweet Baby Ray’s. It really doesn’t matter. As long as YOU like the taste of the BBQ sauce you’re using, that’s all that matters.
  • Yellow Onions. I love the flavor these give off. After hours of cooking, these just melt into the sauce leaving flavor behind.
  • Water. This acts as the majority of cooking liquid. I didn’t love the way chicken broth or beef broth tasted, so I much prefer water.
  • Lots of Salt and Pepper. This helps anchor the flavor of the meat and helps create that sweet-savory mix that pulled pork is known for.

After the pork is completely cooked, I like adding in more bbq sauce, brown sugar, yellow mustard and minced garlic. Oh mama, is it good!

How to Make Pulled Pork

I love Crockpot meals on a busy weeknight! Throw everything in and forget about it until it’s done. This recipe is no different. For full recipe details and ingredient increments, see the printable recipe card below.

Add Pork Butt and Cooking Liquid into Crockpot

In a crockpot, place pork, water, bbq sauce, salt, pepper, and onion. Cover and turn crockpot on.

How Long to Cook Pulled Pork

The only thing you need when cooking large cuts of meat is time–and lots of it! For best results, cook 8-10 hours on low. If you don’t have that much time, cook for 4-5 hours on high.

Of course, you can make this in advance and keep it warm until you’re ready to serve. The beauty of a crockpot–it’s so versatile! It makes my life easy. Great for a party, too!

Pull the Pork

Remove all meat from the crockpot. Spoon off fat from the remaining liquid in the crockpot and discard. Pour out remaining cooking liquid and set aside.

Shred or ‘pull’ pork removing excess fat and gristle as you go. Return to crockpot and stir in garlic, bbq sauce, brown sugar, mustard, and more salt and pepper. Add in cooking liquid as needed to moisten. Cook another 30 minutes to 1 hour. Serve on white bread, rolls, hamburger buns or however you’d like with any of my favorite BBQ side dishes:

Pulled Pork Recipe

How to Store Leftovers

Any leftover Pulled Pork can be saved by refrigerating in an airtight container for up to 4 days! 

To reheat, simply warm in the microwave, lightly covered (to retain moisture), until heated through, stirring occasionally.

To freeze, place in an airtight freezer safe bag or container. If using a ziplock bag, be sure to remove as much of the air as possible. Pulled pork will stay fresh in the freezer for 3 months.

Love this Pulled Pork Recipe? Try These Pork Recipes:

Below is the printable recipe card. Save it and enjoy, friends!

Pulled Pork Sandwich
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4.75 from 12 votes

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This amazing Pulled Pork Recipe is a crowd-pleasing, super simple way to cook pulled pork. You only need a crockpot or slow cooker and a few hours to cook! 
servings 6 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

For cooking:

  • 3 lb. pork shoulder trimmed
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce
  • salt & pepper
  • 1/2 yellow onion diced

After cooking:

Instructions

  • In a crockpot, place pork, water, bbq sauce, salt, pepper, and onion. Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours until very tender. (Or cook on high heat for 4-5 hours or until very tender.)
  • Remove all meat from the crockpot. Spoon off fat from the remaining liquid in the crockpot and discard. Pour out remaining cooking liquid and set aside.
  • Shred pork removing excess fat. Return to the crockpot and stir in garlic, bbq sauce, brown sugar, mustard, and more salt and pepper. Add in cooking liquid as needed to moisten. Cook another 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Serve with homemade or Hawaiian sweet rolls and coleslaw.

Nutrition

Calories: 635kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 1675mg | Potassium: 1140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 59g | Vitamin A: 335IU | Vitamin C: 3.8mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 3.8mg
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pulled pork, pulled pork crock pot, pulled pork recipe, slow cooker pulled pork

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Recipe Rating




38 Responses
  1. Tiffany Van Norman

    Has anyone made this recipe in the Crock-Pot using the high heat method for 4 to 5 hours? I was just wondering if it came out tender if you cook it on high in the crock pot?

  2. Rosa María moreno

    5 stars
    Hi!!! I love to cook in my crockpot, and this recipe it’s amazing!! Thank you for shearing!!! And congratulations for you 10 years!!!!

  3. Maria Olson

    I’m excited to try this recipe with the coleslaw. I may even try to make the rolls too! I love that you made suggestions of what to eat with it. I often struggle with knowing what would go well together.

    1. Lauren

      Yes, either chicken breasts or thighs would work. Since they are much smaller, it would probably take half the time to cook them all.

  4. Simple Macaroni Salad Recipe | Lauren's Latest

    […] with something else. It’s particularly delicious with steak skewers, baked chicken legs or pulled pork. […]

  5. Anne

    I used a seven pound roast since that’s the all the store had. Is 8-20 still good? I just doubled the water and sauce.

  6. Marilyn Brennan

    5 stars
    Here I am back again to make this recipe. We just LOVE this one! When I tell my husband that’s what we’re having, he always brightens up.

  7. Spinach & Artichoke Lasagna {Florentine-style} | Lauren's Latest

    […] Last week my brother called me concerned that my Dad was making my pulled pork the wrong way. A few things that I find amusing about this: {a} my family actually reads my food […]

  8. Stephanie Hansbur

    5 stars
    I used this instead of my usual crock pot pulled pork recipe – WOW. It was such an nice punch and just as easy as the old recipe. Thank you!

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    […] Easy BBQ Pulled Pork from Lauren’s Latest. This recipe is a no-brainer and can be personalized depending on which BBQ sauce you choose. I’m partial to Stubb’s BBQ sauce right now for the line’s clean ingredient list. Plus, it’s gluten free for those of you that need it. Now if they’d only create a Kansas City-inspired version… […]

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    […] and added my sauce. Turn it to warm and leave it alone until you’re ready for the party. My original pulled pork recipe can be found here. My husband’s favorite pulled pork {and the one we use all the time now} is in my ebook. […]

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    […] and coat it generously with more barbecue sauce.  Done! (If you want a more specific recipe, Lauren and Canadian Living both have great ones).  I like to add peppers and green onion to the shredded […]

  13. Lauren's Latest » Spinach & Artichoke Lasagna {Florentine-style}

    […] Last week my brother called me concerned that my Dad was making my pulled pork the wrong way. A few things that I find amusing about this: {a} my family actually reads my food […]

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    […] you have a really great pulled pork recipe that you swear by, use that one. I used my easy bbq pulled pork recipe {meant for the crockpot!} with our all time favorite coleslaw recipe. It’s my […]

  15. Brian

    5 stars
    Great BBQ Pulled Pork! Loved this recipe and will make it again. You were right on about taking out more liquid than you think or it will turn out too watery. Thanks so much!

  16. Lindsay

    5 stars
    WE LOVED this recipe! And I was so happy it was so good, because I was feeding my family for the 4th of July so we had quite a few people! Thanks for sharing this, it was really really good! We'll be having this again! 🙂

  17. Kristin

    Just last month I found a great BBQ Pulled Pork recipe and I've already made it twice. I'm going to have to try this one. In the recipe that I already have instead of water it has beef broth. I think it adds a little something extra. Can't wait to try this one out.

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