This slow cooker pulled pork turns out perfectly every time! Set it and forget it for Carolina-style pulled pork that's great year-round for every occasion, from winter game-day to summer backyard parties.
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This is such an easy pulled pork recipe, and I make it during the winter AND in the summer! Since it's made in the slow cooker, there's no oven heating up the house, no grill to monitor.
Sometimes I like to mash-up recipes to tailor them to my taste and cooking style. That's what I did here, combining ideas from my Art of the Slow Cooker cookbook and a few other stray ideas from here and there.
It's a bit Western North Carolina-style barbecue with a splash of South Carolina-style thrown in. I'm not sure where this ends up on the spectrum between the two, but my husband is from North Carolina and he loves this. So there you go.The seasoning is fabulous because it has everything - apple cider vinegar, coffee, brown sugar, mustard, molasses - all of those flavors you want in a pulled pork rub.
Ingredients
- Bone-in pork shoulder: Choose bone-in pork shoulder, as the bone will add even more flavor. It's also usually a bit cheaper per pound than boneless.
- Apple cider vinegar: This is where that Carolina barbecue flavor comes from. It also helps to break down and tenderize the meat as it cooks.
- Brown sugar and molasses: You'll get all that roasty toasty flavor from the molasses, and gentle sweetness from the brown sugar.
- Coffee: It blends with the sugars and spices and adds depth of flavor.
- Chili powder, dry mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper: These dry ingredients are going to get mixed with the others to form a wet rub that is to die for!
Instructions
First, combine all rub ingredients in a small bowl and mix together until a paste forms.
Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Save some of the paste mixture and set aside.
Then, using your hands (a cook's best tools), spread the paste mixture all over the pork, being sure to work into all of the nooks and crannies of the meat.
Wrap the pork tightly and let marinate in the fridge for a few hours, or preferably, overnight.
Remove the pork from wrapping.
Heat some vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the pork on all sides and place in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Add vinegar and reserved paste mixture to the skillet and bring to a boil. Be sure to scrape the pan for any fond left behind by the pork. Pour the liquid over the pork, place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-10 hours.
This is a great recipe to do overnight. But be warned - the smell of delicious pork will wake you in the night!
Remove the pork from the slow cooker (do not discard remaining liquid) and let it cool considerably, but not all the way to room temp. The longer you let it cool, the better the fat will distribute throughout the meat.
When the pork has cooled down some, it's time to shred!
At this point, many people will tell you to "take two forks and shred the pork". Um, no. This will take you forever. And wear you out. Use your cook's best tools again - your hands - and get in there and shred it up.
Once the pork is 'pulled' add it back into the slow cooker and mix it with the remaining liquid. Heat up the meat on low until it starts to simmer, then switch the heat to warm. You are now ready to eat!
FAQ
Plan for ½ pound of meat per person before the pork is cooked. The pork shoulder will lose about 40% of its weight during the cooking process, and take into account the weight of the bone if you buy bone-in pork shoulder. So if you buy 4 pounds of pork, you'll have about 2 pounds once the cooking is done, which would feed 4-6 people. HOWEVER - it seems like pulled pork keeps dividing into more and more meat the more you shred it! So, really that 4 pounds could feed more like 8-10 people, depending upon how you are serving it. Pulled pork tacos are going to use less meat than pulled pork sandwiches, etc. Err on the high side, and the meat freezes well, so you can just save leftovers for later.
Pork shoulder is the best cut of meat for pulled pork. All of that marbling, when cooked low and slow, will help the pork to just fall apart, and keep it from drying out.
Leave the pork shoulder in the slow cooker on low for 6-10 hours. Depending on the size of your piece of meat. Longer cooking time is always better for pork shoulder! You'll know the pork is done when it falls off the bone and it pulls apart easily.
Your hands are your best tools for shredding it. It's so much easier and so much faster than using two forks. Just make sure the pork is cool enough to handle.
Yes! Due to the high fat content, pulled pork freezes very well. Freeze in an airtight container for up to two months.
Allow to thaw completely in the fridge. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Place the pork in a pan covered tightly with aluminum foil and cook for 20-30 minutes, depending on the amount of pork you have.
Serving suggestions
What should you serve with pulled pork? This is a rich filling dish. Serve with something light and acidic, like a fresh salad.
- The smoky dressing on this Roasted Vegetable Salad with Charred Lemon Vinaigrette would complement the pork perfectly.
- For a hearty side dish in winter, Brussels Sprouts Salad with Mâche and Tarragon Vinaigrette will do the trick.
- When summer is busting out all over, try a Zucchini Salad with Herbs, Almonds, and Lemon-Caper Dressing.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Ingredients
Pork
- 3-6 lbs pork shoulder depending upon the size of your slow cooker
- apple cider vinegar use ¼ cup per pound of pork
Rub
- 1 tablespoon strong coffee use instant expresso if desired
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika I used smoked, hot or sweet is also fine
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon molasses
Instructions
- Combine all rub ingredients in a small bowl and mix together until a paste forms.
- Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Set aside about ¼ of the paste mixture and refrigerate.
- Using your hands (a cook's best tools), spread the paste mixture all over the pork, being sure to work into all of the nooks and crannies of the meat.
- Wrap the pork tightly and let marinate in the fridge for a few hours, or preferably, overnight.
- Heat some vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the pork on all sides and place in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker.
- Add vinegar and reserved paste mixture to the skillet and bring to a boil. Be sure to scrape the pan for any fond left behind by the pork.
- Pour the liquid over the pork, place the lid on the cooker and cook on low for 6-10 hours. I usually go the full 10, especially if you are cooking a larger piece of meat.
- Remove the pork from the cooker (leaving remaining liquid in the cooker) and let it cool considerably, but not all the way to room temp. The longer you let it cool, the better the fat will distribute throughout the meat.
- At this point, many people will tell you to "take two forks and shred the pork". Um, no. This will take you forever. And wear you out. Use your cook's best tools again - your hands - and get in there and shred it up.
- Once the pork is 'pulled' add it back into the slow cooker and mix it with the remaining liquid. Heat up the meat on low until it starts to simmer, then switch the heat to warm and serve.
Notes
- Be sure the pork has cooled enough to handle before shredding it with your hands.
- The longer you let the pork cool before shredding, the better the fat redistribution. Just don't let it get all the way to room temperature.
- Be sure to read the post above for answers to FAQs and serving suggestions.
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