Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
This Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is incredibly easy to make, and works great as the main course or as added protein for other recipes. We make a batch every week, and after testing various methods for doing it (like searing vs no sear), this is my favorite way to make it.
Pulled pork is the next best thing to chicken breast as far as keeping protein on hand goes. And this is a great recipe staple that you can do SO many things with!
Even though you can make pulled pork via many different ways and cooking methods, like in the oven, in the smoker, in the instant pot, or even braised on the stove for several hours, making it in the slow cooker is the easiest method by far.
Plus, you won’t be heating up the entire kitchen for several hours like you would if you used the oven.
If you don’t own a slow cooker yet, the one that I purchased was a $17 investment (lol) and has lasted me for 10 years with no problems. It’s one of the cheapest and best kitchen purchases I have ever made.
Is it the best slow cooker? Maybe not, but it seems that paying more just gets you more features. Performance should be good with any well-rated crockpot. Plus you can make tons of recipes in them, like Slow Cooker Beef Ragu or Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip.
Tips for Best Results
Rest the meat before shredding – Try to let the pork sit for an hour after cooking before you shred it. This will maximize the moisture of your meat. If you shred right away after cooking, the juices won’t have a chance to redistribute evenly back through the roast (even though technically those juices will still be in the pot, it won’t be as evenly moist).
Have a plan for spicing or saucing the meat – When I make Smoked Pork Butt I don’t add a spice rub or sauce, because the point is to taste the applewood. But here, even though it’s the same exact cut, you’ll want to add some flavor because there’s no browning happening. I share suggestions below.
Strain and add the juices back to the meat – By the end of cooking, you’ll notice that the pork will be sitting in its own juices. Do not throw these juices away! I pour the liquid through a strainer and incorporate it back into the meat. If it’s too liquidy for you, I recommend reducing it on the stovetop and still including it. Don’t waste the flavor.
What Cut of Meat to Use
The classic and best cut of meat to use for pulled pork is a pork shoulder, which you may also see named at the store as “pork butt” or “Boston butt.” I prefer a boneless pork shoulder roast that has been tied, but you could do a bone-in pork shoulder as well.
For a leaner pulled pork, you can get away with using the top loin boneless roast, but it won’t be as moist as your typical pulled pork. I have a method below for removing excess fat from the meat that you may find helpful.
Flavor Suggestions
Unless you are planning to toss in some BBQ Sauce at the end, I recommend seasoning the pork shoulder. This could be as simple as salt and black pepper, and perhaps some garlic powder, though I absolutely love rubbing on some homemade Sazon Seasoning or Pork Rub. You could try any pork-specific rub here.
Another simple flavoring is to cook the pork in pineapple juice, which is a magical flavor combination with this kind of meat. Simply add a small 6-ounce can to the slow cooker along with the other ingredients. Apple juice is another nice complementary choice.
If you want to make the rub slightly sweet without adding liquid, add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. I have tested this and have never had issues with the sugar burning in the bottom of the slow cooker. You can also try adding 2 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce for extra savory flavor, or 2 tsp of liquid smoke for a smokiness reminiscent of the grill.
Once the meat is rubbed down, the seasoned pork is ready to go into the slow cooker!
Do you need to add liquid?
It is not necessary to add any liquid to the slow cooker, unless you want to. When I do a spice blend, I add no liquid at all. Even if you add a can of pineapple juice, the meat will not be completely covered, and that’s fine. In my testing, I have found that adding chicken broth conflicts a bit too much with the flavor of the pork, so that’s not recommended.
Why I don’t sear the meat
In short: because I don’t think it’s worth the trouble. I’ve tested searing and don’t think it makes a noticeable difference in flavor here. Most of the meat you’ll be eating later is interior, and doesn’t get a sear anyway. I’ve concluded it’s not worth the effort, which is nice because honestly it’s a pain to sear a 4 pound hunk of meat.
How Long to Cook:
Cook the pork butt for 8 hours on low, until the interior reads at least 200F, which will ensure that all of the connective tissue breaks down. I’ve owned a few different brands of slow cookers over the years, and the timing can vary by an hour or two, which is why it’s best to go off temperature. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can grab a fork and see how easily the pork shreds. If it doesn’t seem easily shreddable, it’s not done yet.
Once you’re done cooking, there will be liquid in the crockpot that the meat gave off while cooking. Don’t throw this cooking liquid away! You’ll want to incorporate it into your shredded pork.
Remove the pork to a board and let it rest for at least 20 minutes, but ideally an hour. This allows the interior juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat, giving you a moister end result.
Once the meat has rested, shred it with a fork. It should yield quite easily to the fork, and fall apart nicely.
Now, collect the remaining liquid from the crockpot in a measuring cup or small bowl. You can see that most of it is pork juice, but there’s a small layer of fat at the top:
If the fat bothers you, chill the measuring cup in an ice bath and in the fridge until the fat hardens on top:
Then you can easily discard the fat.
Pour the remaining liquid through a strainer all over the pulled meat:
If you don’t mind adding the rendered fat back to the meat, you can just pour the liquid through a strainer all over the pork right after cooking.
How to Serve It
The pulled pork is now ready to enjoy, and can be used for many different recipes like Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Pulled Pork Bruschetta, or added to this Bacon Cheddar Jalapeno Grilled Cheese.
For a nice BBQ spread, toss the meat in my sweet, spicy, smoky BBQ Sauce (or your personal favorite barbecue sauce) and serve with a side of Coleslaw, Homemade Cornbread, and Red Potato Salad.
For more slow cooker recipes, I recommend Slow Cooker Short Ribs, Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili, and Indian-Style Shredded Beef. This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, Whole 30 compliant, low carb, paleo, and keto friendly.
Recipe Tips and FAQ:
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Yes, it freezes beautifully! Store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
While you can reheat it in the microwave, I think it tastes best when it’s reheated in a skillet. Add a small amount of fat like neutral olive oil, butter, or lard, and cook the leftover meat for a few minutes until warmed through. If you want to reheat frozen pulled pork, thaw it in the fridge overnight first.
I’ve owned a few slow cookers and all of them have only had two settings: low and high. I always use the low setting. In my opinion, the high heat setting is too aggressive for this cut of meat. If you do high, it still typically takes a minimum of 4 hours.
Yes, definitely. The best way to combat this is to first get a feel for your own slow cooker, since models can vary in heat intensity, and also the size can impact cooking time. If you’re cooking a smaller pork shoulder that’s 3 pounds, you should check the temperature earlier than you would for a 5 pound shoulder. The pork is done when it reaches at least 200F and shreds easily with a fork. Try not to go over 205F.
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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Ingredients
For the Pulled Pork:
- 4 lb boneless pork shoulder (aka pork butt)
- salt*
- pepper
- Sazon seasoning optional
Compatible Side Dishes:
- Coleslaw (summer)
- Red Potato Salad (summer)
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts (winter)
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes (winter)
Instructions
- Season the pork all over with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you’d like, then place it in the slow cooker.
- Cover with a lid and cook on low for about 8 hours**, until it reaches an internal temperature of 200F.
- When the pork is done cooking, remove it to a board, and let cool for at least 20 minutes but ideally one hour, before shredding with a fork.
- Take the leftover liquid from the crockpot and strain it to remove any solids.
- If you don't mind the fat, add the liquid back to the shredded pork and toss well. If you want to remove the excess fat, chill the liquid in an ice bath in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes until the fat solidifies, then discard, and pour the remaining liquid over the meat.
- Serve the meat as is, or toss with BBQ Sauce and stuff into Homemade Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
Post updated with more tips, instructions, and photos in June 2018. Originally published in September 2013. This post contains an affiliate link.
314 Comments on “Slow Cooker Pulled Pork”
Can you use a pork tenderloin?
I don’t recommend it. That’s the type of cut that should be cooked to 145 and sliced. It won’t shred well and it doesn’t have much fat.
great steps to follow…i did brown it a little but otherwise followed these directions pretty close…i may have been a little light on the salt…it cooked perfectly in 8 hours at low…exactly 190…and after sitting for 20 it pulled apart perfectly…i only added a little of the juice back in…all very delicious. thanks!
This is incredibly good! We have been using a Pit Barrel Cooker for pulled pork for a while now – with consistently amazing results – but decided to try this recipe because of weather conditions. It was easy and really flavorful! I did cook it a little hard (around 180°) but adding the liquid back without the fat took away any dryness. Thank you!
Giving this a try today. How much of the Sazon seasoning do you use?
I’m making this also but I don’t know either how much Sazon. How much did you use?
Simple and delicious! Just FYI for anyone reading this – the National Pork Board recommends 145 degrees for medium rare and 160 degrees for medium. When I checked mine after 7 hours on the low heat setting, it was already up to 175 degrees – more than enough. Not quite overcooked, but I think 190 degrees might be much more than needed.
*Editing to add my comment, that after letting it rest and shredding it, it fell apart. I don’t know how much it would hurt to go longer, but I don’t think it’s necessary. Happy eating!
The temperature recommendations you’re referring to are for different cuts and preparations of pork. Those are great for things like pork chops. For pork shoulder however, a minimum of 190 is considered the general doneness, so it shreds properly and the collagen breaks down. Glad it still pulled nicely and you enjoyed it!
Most BBQ champs will tell you to cook it to about 210 degrees for maximum shredability.
Absolutely delicious! My new go to pulled pork recipe! Thank you for a great recipe.
I didn’t see carbs listed in the nutrition info. I assume there would be zero. Is that why you didn’t list carbs or was it an oversight?
The field doesn’t show up if it’s zero (which in this case, it is).
Excellent seasoning. My family loved it!
All my days of cooking I have always seared any meat before cooking it in the crockpot after reading this recipe I decided not to….. What a waste of time indeed!!! The pork came out amazing so moist and tasty!!! Don’t get me wrong I like the crunchy outside of a good BBQ roast pork/beef but you don’t really get that with a crockpot anyway do you. Fantastic recipe definitely has made it to the ranks of my cook book!!! Thanks:)
Amazing! Used a homemade seasoning blend with turmeric, salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, and Italian seasoning blend. Turned out fantastic!!
For those using Insta-Pot slow cook style; look at cooking temps when selecting temp at original setting. Low is quite low, medium is 195. If you choose low temp, pork will never get to 195 needed to make it shred
Making this now! Yummy! Half way through I’m gonna throw onions and peppers in! Using onion soup mix seasoning on it. Cant wait ti try it!
I just made this and my wife who only loves restaurant pulled pork loves this. Thankyou so much will deffintely look forward to marking more of your recipies.
Thanks for your help and your recipe. We usually do not eat beef or pork so I needed a lot of help. I followed your recipe for the rub, tied the pork butt and set my crockpot on low. After 8 1/2 hrs. my thermometer read 160. What to do? Went to church and left the crock pot on low. After 12 hrs. it still read 160. So I checked my Pampered Chef thermometer and it said Pork medium- 160 degrees Pork well- 170 degrees. So what I am saying there is a difference of opinion….right? This was a trial run for me. We will be entertaining later this month. Thanks again for your help
That’s helpful you have a thermometer. The temperatures you mentioned are not applicable in this setting. For pulled pork, the meat needs to be cooked to at least 195 in order to properly shred. How many pounds was your piece of pork?
Gonna make delicious enchiladas with this recipe!💥🌶
Pork came out great. A keeper
The best way I have found to reheat the pork is in a Ziplock bag in boiling water, think boil-in-a-bag. It allows the pork to retain all it’s own juices. I freeze the leftovers in quart size bags so it is all ready to go from the freezer.