How to make The Best Slow Cooker Pulled Pork! Everyone is sure to love this amazing slow cooker pulled pork. The perfect blend of spices make it tender and so flavorful.
How to make The Best Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is a big claim but I can tell you I’ve tried a lot of pulled pork recipes and this one is at the top of my list! So simple yet plenty of flavor! This has been enjoyed as sandwiches, as tacos, as nachos and even just on it’s own. Short of going through a major process of slow smoking the meat, this slow cooker version will be your new favorite and the best go-to option for slow cooker pulled pork without all the work! And it’s perfect for busy days when you need to have a meal for entertaining. I’ve made this many times for many crowds, and it’s always gone by the end of the night.
What makes this the best slow cooker pulled pork?
Just the right blend of spices (most you should have on hand) rubbed into a pork shoulder roast make for a flavorful meat that has a tiny bit of kick but is generally mild enough for even picky eaters. Want some bold flavor? Up the spices to your liking… if you like spicy you can up the cayenne!! And I love setting out several different types of BBQ sauce so that everyone can make their own flavor combos.
MY LATEST VIDEOSCheck out my video showing you just how easy it is to make this slow cooker pulled pork recipe:
What is the best cut of meat for pulled pork?
- pulled pork is generally made using pork shoulder
- there are two pieces to the shoulder usually available at the store – the butt and the picnic shoulder
- the first generally works the best, but I’ve had great results with the picnic shoulder too
What is also love is that…..
There is no need to brown anything up ahead of time which makes this a quick start meal.
How long do you cook pulled pork in a slow cooker?
Throw it in early in the day and let it slow cook for at least 8 hours (or even longer) for best results.
For meat like this to properly shred, it needs to reach an internal temperature of 205 degrees F. It will seriously fall apart. If your meat is hard to shred, it’s not done yet.
A little bit of apple cider vinegar goes in here too and it really does the trick to break down the meat to make it more tender plus gives it just the right zip of extra flavor. I haven’t tested it another way, but I’m guessing apple juice would work well also.
A few of my favorite sides to serve up alongside this pulled pork are:
How to make the best slow cooker pulled pork! The perfect homemade spice blend makes it great for sandwiches, tacos and more!!
- 4 pound pork shoulder
- 2 tablespoons paprika (try smoked paprika for more of that smoked flavor)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup water
- Mix together all of the dried spices and rub into all sides of the pork
- Place vinegar and water in bottom of slow cooker
- Carefully add pork (so you don't wash off spices)
- Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours
- Remove pork and shred (remove any large fatty pieces and discard)
- Add juices from slow cooker as desired
Tip 1: Save a bit of seasoning and toss it with cooked pulled pork to add extra kick (but just a tad, you don't want to ruin the delicious flavors of the meat!)
Tip 2: If you want brown crispy ends you can put shredded meat on foil lined baking sheet and broil for a couple of minutes in the oven (watch carefully!)
Useful tools for making this pulled pork include:
- pulled pork shredder claws
- meat thermometer (a great investment if you cook any types of meat, I use mine almost every day)
This really is the BEST pulled pork!!!
I substituted tomato juice for water with satisfactory results.
Can a Boston Butt be used instead of the shoulder roast?
Yes, it can.
Same thing.
HI. I would like to make this for a get together on Saturday. Can it be made ahead of time and then rewarmed? Or could I shred it and then keep it warm in the slow cooker until my guests arrive?
Hi Debbie,
You can make it ahead of time and it will still be delicious! I have found the longer I let it cook on low the better it is so if it’s ready mid-afternoon, shred it and then let it remain cooking until your guests arrive. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we have!
Thanks for the quick response. But I just came across your jalapeño peach barbecue sauce. I’m definitely making that. Trying to decide which pulled pork recipe to go with: this one or the one listed with the barbecue sauce. Which would you suggest?
I just made it. It is delicious!
That’s awesome! Glad you loved it 🙂
I’m cooking an 8 pound shoulder. Do u think 8 hrs. Is enough time or should I cook on high for last couple of hours?
I would start it out on high for a couple of hours and I would try and cut it into a couple of smaller chunks to it will cook more evenly. Test the temperature to ensure it’s fully cooked before serving.
With the 4lb shoulder, about how many people can you feed? Trying to decide if I need a bigger piece of meat.
Thanks.
Hi Becky! The kind of general rule of thumb would be 1/3 pound per person, so it will easily feed 12. But, if you are serving it on buns and with sides, I’d say it will go a lot further.
By the time a four pound shoulder cooks for eight hours, it’ll feed six people who are average eaters.
I MADE MY BEST PULLED PORK A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. I BOUGHT A PORK ROAST THAT COMES IN A NETTING. REMOVE THE NETTING, PUT IN CROCK POT ADD 1 PKG. DEHYDRATED ONION SOUP MIX & 1 PKG. DRY BROWN GRAVY, AND A BOTTLE OF BEER, WHATEVER YOU HAVE IS FINE. COOK ON LOW 8 – 10 HOURS. REMOVE THE FAT, THEN SHRED. SAVE THE JUICE, MAKES A GREAT GRAVY, JUST THICKEN IT. I LIKE SOME PULLED PORK, DILL PICKLE SLICES, AND A LITTLE HORSERADISH ON MY SANDWICHES!
That sounds delicious Bobbie! Thanks for sharing your recipe!! The horseradish and pickle topping sounds amazing.
Jennifer – Hello, I made the Crock Pot version, what would you suggest if doing in the oven – we are going to he beach without a slow cooker – great recipe and perfect seasoning – I love they are all fresh and not a packet –
Hi Lisa!! I haven’t actually tried it myself, but I believe the best way to do it in the oven would be to use a dutch oven if at all possible and to cook it on a low heat (300 degrees) for about 6 hours until fully cooked. Those low temps are best for creating tender meat. Have fun at the beach!!!
Jennifer, this recipe sounds delicious. I was wondering, if I added BBQ sauce should I add it after it’s been shredded and then put it back in the slow cooker on warm or low to cook more? Or should I add it just before it will be served?
You can add some to the whole batch of shredded meat if you like, or, I usually just serve it with some extra so that everyone can add exactly how much they like 🙂
Any tips on how to save leftovers?
Hi Amye! Depending on how much is left, I like to divide the leftovers into 1/2 or 1 pound portions. Then I wrap those in plastic wrap and place in small freezer baggie. I squeeze out all the air and then place all the smaller freezer bags into one large bag that I label.
Do you trim the fat at all before?
It kind of depends. I usually just put the whole thing in and then pull the fat off before shredding as it seems much easier that way.
I am putting in 8 lbs of pork. Should I double the water and vinegar?
Hi Patty! So sorry I missed your question! We have been traveling and I haven’t always been able to get connected. Did you make the pork? I think you could go either way, I would certainly double the vinegar but the pork itself might produce enough extra liquid on it’s own.
I also have an 8 lb. butt roast that I’m going to put in the crock pot tomorrow. Can’t wait to try your recipe. Suggestions on how long to cook an 8 lb roast? Your recipe is for a four pound roast for 8 hours.
Thanks!
It’s hard to say for sure, but cutting it down into a couple smaller pieces will help it cook a little faster and a little more evenly. The most important thing is that the pork reaches an internal temp of 205 degrees which is ideal for shredding.
I’ve made this recipe twice in the last 2 weeks, that’s how much we like it! It was easy & perfect for a crowd. The flavor really comes out when I left it on warm past the 8 hours of initial cooking.
Thanks Lauren! So glad you like it!
I like to make pulled pork quesadillas with my extra pulled pork. They go wild for it and it’s so easy.
Warm the wrap with a little butter, flip it in the pan then top with cheddar cheese, thinly sliced.
Then top with pulled pork, fold and serve with barbecue sauce for dipping.
I like to add avocado!
Sounds so delicious!
I’ve never cooked pork before and I’m so excited to try! At Trader Joe’s I could only find a 2 lb. pork roast. Will this cut work? Would you change the amount of act and spices? Thanks so much!!
*acv
Hi Molly! Pork shoulder (also called pork butt) works the best for pulled pork but you could either use the same seasonings and slice the pork roast or you may be able to shred the pork roast it may just take a little more elbow grease. Let me know how it turns out!
Hi
I’d love to try this recipe but substitute the sugar. Would maple syrup or honey work?
Thanks 🙂
Nicole
Hi Nicole! Yes, I think honey will work just fine. I would drizzle it over the pork after you put it in the slow cooker. Let me know how it turns out!
Could I use white vinegar instead of apple cider will that make a big difference?
Hi Lori! Yes, it should be fine, however, I would reduce it by half as it will be more acidic than apple cider.
does this recipe have a bar- b – que flavor to the pork? i’m having a bar b que meatball entree so not sure i want another bar b que selection. it doesn’t call for bar b que sauce so trying to decide. it does sound wonderful!
Hi Lori! It does have a bit of a smoky flavor and tends to go well with BBQ sauce.
Hi – do you need to rotate the roast in the slow cooker or occasionally spoon the liquid over it, or just rub the seasoning on the meat and only let the bottom part sit in the vinegar and water? Thanks
Hi Janice! Good question!! I’m actually going to update this post with some notes as I’ve made it several times since then and have a few extra tips. It will be totally fine and totally delicious if you do nothing else just because there is moisture in the cooking process by having it in the slow cooker. However, if you cut it up into chunks so that more of it is sitting in the liquid, it will be that much easier to shred when it’s done.
Thanks for the quick reply – making it tomorrow and looking forward to yumminess!
If I’m cooking 14 lbs. of pork would I need to lengthen the cooking time?
Perhaps. What size slow cooker are you using? I’m thinking that you should cut it into chunks that are a few inches each and maybe divide into two slow cookers? Then maybe 8-10 hours on low…
This recipe sounds great! I’m embarrassed to ask this but I have Frozen pork loin chops in the freezer. Would these work for this recipe? Thanks in advance!
Hi Abby! While you could certainly use the seasonings and make some delicious pork chops, in order to make pulled pork you will need to use a pork shoulder that will shred after cooked 🙂
This recipe is amazing!!! My hubby typically uses a smoker to make pilled pork and this crock pot recipe is absolutely the best alternative to smoking the meat. I used smoked sea salt and it gave it that hint of smoked flavor and I also added a teaspoon of ground mustard. Otherwise followed the recipe. Thank you for this!! Will definitely be making again!!!
Hi Kerri! Thanks so much for this, it makes me so happy! We worked really hard on developing this recipe and we love it too!
Hi! Your recipe calls for a 4lb pork shoulder. I got one that is 2.5lbs. Do I need to reduce the amount of liquid (vinegar and water) to the recipe? Trying to make it in the morning and it’s only on second time using the crockpot! Thanks!
Hi Krista! Yes, I’d go about 1/2 on the rest, give or take. The beauty of slow cooking is how flexible it is, most recipes don’t require you to be too exact! Let me know how it turns out!
I have a 7lb pork shoulder. How long do I cook it and do I need to adjust the other ingredients?
Hi Karen! I’d probably double the rest of the ingredients, make sure you use at least a 6 quart slow cooker, cut the pork into 3 or 4 pieces before cooking and then it should probably take around the same amount of time but possible account for 8-10 hours just to be sure.
Hi There,
I was just wondering how spicy it is with the cayenne pepper? My children are not that great with spicy food. Can I leave it out without altering the flavour too much, or is there an alternative I could use instead? Thanks
It’s really not spicy at all, but you could leave it out too.
Would a pork loin work with this recipe?
Some people have success with pork loin as pulled pork and prefer it because it doesn’t have as much fat, but I find that it’s much more difficult to shred and doesn’t have as much flavor.
I wouldn’t find a shoulder under 8 pounds. Any suggestions on cooking time and if I should increase the amount of spice rub?
As long as you have a large enough slow cooker, I would cut this into 3-4 smaller pieces and then it will cook more evenly. I would suggest doubling the spice rub.
Went with this for a 3 lb. pork loin. Cut it in half a rubbed the two chunks on all sides. Amount of rub here was just right. It pulled perfectly at 205 degrees after 5 hrs side by side in the oval crock pot with one flip after 3 hrs. Drained juice, pulled and added the juice back in. Left that on warm for 30 min. before serving on good rolls with peppers and provolone.
(My mods were a tiny drizzle of honey and 1/4 cup of white vinegar to the rest.)
Anyone made this in the Instant Pot/pressure cooker?
If so, which setting and for how long?
I did in the Instant Pot last a few days ago. I used Manual, High pressure, 90 min + natural release.
I opened, shredded, took out a lot of the sauce and put back to 10 more minutes of high pressure + natural release.
Since the pressure cooking method don’t let the water escape that much, you will end up with a lot more sauce than if do you the slow cooking method, so I just took out part of the sauce.
I followed the recipe as it is, just changed the cooking method and it’s delicious!!
The Instant Pot can be awesome for making pulled pork and quick! Thanks for all the tips!!
I made this recipe yesterday for dinner and my family LOVED it! My husband especially. I always thought I needed to smoked pork for it to be worth eating but this was a delicious alternative to smoking. I live in North Carolina and love a good bbq sandwich. I made a vinegar based bbq sauce as well and I will be making this recipe again!!
Thank you sharing your recipe!!
Hi. I’m making this today and wondering, rather hoping, it will be done in 4hrs on high in the crockpot. Any idea?
Thanks!
Hi Julie! Sorry for not getting back to you sooner! What did you end up doing? I find that larger cuts of meat like this do much better on low. If high is the only choice, sometimes cutting it into smaller pieces helps.
Hi!
I tried this recipe for the first time last night. I pulled it out of the slow cooker this morning and the meat was really quite tough and didn’t pull apart super easy – is that normal? I’ve left it to marinate in BBQ sauce to try and tenderise it a bit, but I was wondering what I might have done wrong? I thought i followed the recipe to a T – but maybe it was a misshapen T…
Send help! Pulled pork is on the line!
Hi Zeina! What cut of pork did you use? Bone in or boneless and what size? I’m wondering if it just needed to cook a little longer?
Hi! I’ve made a very similar recipe in the oven befor and I’m a huge fan, so I’m excited to try this crockpot version. Is this a bone in pork shoulder?
Hi Carolyn, we typically use boneless, but bone-in would be fine too.
Made this today, thoroughly disappointed, cooked it for 8 hours, found it tough, tasteless and quite boring!!!
So sorry you didn’t enjoy Sharon. How do you usually prefer pulled pork to be seasoned? Not sure if you are looking for suggestions, but if the pork was tough, most likely it needed to be cooked longer. How many pounds did you make? You might enjoy the recipe I’ll be posting tomorrow, for Caribbean pulled pork and I will also include instructions for pressure cooking.
Tried this recipe out with my new slow cooker. Boyfriend raved about it. We added about 4 tablespoons of our favorite barbecue sauce to it and now this is our go to recipe whenever we are craving pork! A must try for everyone!
So glad you enjoyed!! It is a good one and one of my favs too!
If the liquid cooks down more than expected before the pork is done cooking, should you add more water/vinegar to it? What is your opinion?
Yes, I would add a little more.
Hello Jennifer,
First, I’m amazed by your prompt responses (and hopeful)! I am looking to make this for a graduation party… but would like to make vast amounts ahead – enough for 75 people… so I’m hoping to use my roaster – and do this in several “cooks”. Would be grateful for your advice using the roaster (I think I can fit at least 3 shoulders in there ) and – wondering about being able to freeze until day of the party (3 weeks) – and of course, accounting for thaw time) and just do a crockpot slow/low reheat. Thank you in advance for your kind consideration!
Hi Kelly! I think this would totally work. I would cook it on a low setting and I’m thinking it could take longer than 8 hours with that much pork. I’d probably cut each piece into 2-3 smaller chunks to help it all cook more evenly. You will want the internal temp of the pork to be about 190-225 degrees to be cooked enough to easily shred. The finished pulled pork freezes really well and then I would thaw for a day or two in the fridge and then just add some broth and reheat on low. This will be perfect for serving a large crowd! I would plan about 1/4 – 1/3 pound per person depending on your guests and how much other food you are having. Will you be sure to let me know how it turns out?
Hi Jennifer,
I just got this in the crockpot and was wondering – could I do this on partial low and then bump it up to high at the end for a bit quicker cooking? If so, would 4 hours on low and 2 on high be about right? Thanks!
Hi Ashton! i would actually do the opposite and put it on high for a couple of hours first, then on low until it’s done. Cutting it into smaller chunks will help it cook faster too.
Thank you so much! I’ll be sure to let you know how it turns out! I’m a pretty big flop as a cook but crock pot recipes are so easy, they’re always my go-to! 🙂
Making this sounds delicious.! What size crock pot did you use?
I use my 4 quart or my 6 quart when making this recipe… anywhere in that range should work 🙂
Fat side up or down? Thanks
I actually will trim it down a bit if it has too much fat, otherwise, I don’t think it makes a huge difference one way or the other in the slow cooker.
Thanks for your reply. I made this today and it was delicious. I turned it over at 5 hrs. At 9 hrs it was falling off the bone and ready to be pulled. It was amazing!
Can you cook the pork on high for 5 hours???
You probably can… I find the meat turns out much more tender by cooking it on low over a longer time, though. For easier shredding you want the internal temp of the meat to be around 190 degrees.
Hi your recipe sounds amazing. I plan to make it a day or 2 before serving what would recommend is the best way to store it then reheat?
Hi Nick! It’s perfect for making ahead, I would just let it cool completely and put in an airtight freezer bag or container. If you can, pour the juices off and store separately and then add back what you need to it in the slow cooker to warm. I would just warm it on low for a couple of hours.
I have pork tenderloin at the moment. Can I use it for this recipe? If so, what alterations, if any would you suggest?
Yes, I have several readers use a pork tenderloin or roast with great success and I don’t believe that made any adjustments.
Hello…What type of rolls or crusty buns do you serve your pulled pork on?
Also, what sides do you typically serve with pulled pork sandwiches? Thank you,
It kind of depends but especially if I’m serving a crowd I like to set out some small slider buns, some hard rolls and some soft homestyle hamburger buns for a good variety. I prefer the sliders myself. It’s also a treat on Hawaiian Rolls.
I really REALLY liked the result. It was delicious !!! My kids, my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We added once it was cooked some BBQ sauce but it wasn’t necessary as the meat was delicious as is … we’ll do it again for sure !! Next time we’ll have some friends over so they can enjoy that too !!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Sebster! It’s a family favorite of ours as well! Thanks for trying it!
I tried this and really didn’t like it….the pork was just SO plain. I hope others find it to work out better than I did!!
Hi Jade! Thanks for the feedback. People seem to love this one, I’ll bet you’d just prefer a much spicer pork. I also have a Caribbean Jerk Pulled Pork but you may want to add some extra spice to that one as well.
I’ve actually made this twice now, and added a bit of honey bbq sauce at the very end for some extra liquid and flavor; maybe something like that would help you, Jade? 🙂 I can’t do anything spicy so I went with honey bbq, but maybe a spicier sauce would be perfect for you!
Hi Jennifer,
This was so good! I only had 1 lb of pork butt so just used half the ingredients, it was actually perfect for only 2 people. My husband said it was the best pulled pork I’ve ever made. Will definitely be making this again.
I’m so glad you liked it Anne! And, good to know it works in smaller portions too!
Hello Jennifer –
I just wanted to follow up and let you know that I made about 25 pounds of this (in batches) for our graduation party. I froze 5lb increments in freezer bags. Thawed out and reheated gently in the roaster… turned out wonderfully! Thank you!
Hooray! Thanks for letting me know!
PLEASE NOTE THAT WHEN SCROLLING THROUGH COMMENTS, YOU WILL BE REDIRECTED TO AN ADVERTISEMENT AND CANNOT GET BACK TO THIS PAGE!
Slow Cooker Gourmet is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Hi Rosie! I’m so sorry that happened to you!! Were you on a mobile device? Even though we watch like a hawk, sometimes those spammy ads sneak their way in before we can get them shut down. It actually has nothing to do with my Amazon affiliate program, as what happened to you is of no benefit to me or my site and is just as frustrating for me as it is for you when it happens. I am following up on this and hopefully will get them taken care of for good. Thanks for letting me know!
Delicious! I made this for my boyfriend and me to give it a try before we serve it for a family party. We tried it on Hawaiian buns and wrapped in lettuce leaves. The lettuce leaves were awesome! Thank you for an all time favorite.
That sound perfect! Thanks Micki!
Hi there I’m new to slow cooking – can you please tell me if I take the find off the pork shoulder before putting all the spices on ?
Hi Simone! When making in the slow cooker, I go ahead and remove any netting and trim off any excess or tough fat around the edges.
hi I was wondering if its best to cook on the bone or not?
Hi Charmaine! I’ve done both with this recipe, and although the bone-in version might have slightly more flavor, I’ve never noticed much of an overall difference, so I’d go with whichever you prefer!
Cam you use the same recipe with chicken instead of the pork?
I think you could although I’d probably add a little BBQ sauce as well.
I made this last weekend for a back yard event and it turned out great. While a few sauces were offered on the side, no one used any. Ribs are on deck for this weekend.
Awesome!!! Glad everyone enjoyed!! I love serving this to a crowd, it’s so easy and always turns out well 🙂
which slow cooker you are using? Brand? Size?
Hi Stefan! For this recipe I suggest a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker. Just a basic slow cooker works great! I usually make this in my Cuisinart Multi-cooker.
I have almost a 8lb pork with a bone. In other answers you’ve said to cut it into 3/4 chucks to cook 8/10 hrs. Does that mean cut it fully off the bone or cut slits into the meat?
Cut it into separate pieces, but you could leave the bone into one of those pieces. Basically just making it so that it can cook more evenly vs. having to get all the way down to the center.
I’m going to make this tomorrow – but just to check, there’s no bone in this shoulder right?
Sorry, just read the comment above – all good!
Let me know how it turns out!
I made this today…..OMG, it was PERFECT! Thank you for the recipe. Definitely will make this one a lot!
Thanks Josh! Glad you liked it!
Wondering if I should brine the pork first if making a large amount?
I have approx. 16 lbs. of pork shoulder total. I’m new at this so any help would be appreciated.
Hi Sara! No need to brine when slow cooking it, it will stay super juicy on it’s own!! I’d just make sure it’s in small enough pieces (4 pounds or so max) to cook evenly.
Hi again Jennifer! I’m making this again for the fourth time, but in HUGE quantities for a potluck! I have one 7.5lb shoulder and one 5.5lb shoulder. The larger one is going in a 7qt crockpot, and the smaller in my 5qt crockpot. How should I cut them beforehand to get the most even cooking time between the two? And especially for the larger one in my larger crockpot, should I adjust the amount of liquid or how much spice I mix? Thanks so much!
Hi Ashton! I’d probably cut the larger one to 2-3 pieces and the smaller into 2 just to help them cook more evenly. And I’d probably double the spice on that bigger one, liquid you may need to add a little extra but probably not double as it will make its own liquid.
I hate to be “that guy” that leaves a bad review, but I honestly have to say I’m pretty disappointed with this recipe. Outside of using pieces of pork shoulder rather than a whole roast, I followed this recipe exactly and the flavor just wasn’t there.
Yes, my house smelled amazing and the texture and “shredability” of the pork was great, but for the most part, the meat was flavorless and boring. With a bit of BBQ sauce added, it was edible, but I can’t see making this again.
Sorry it didn’t fit your tastes, Jim. A few people find it spicy and a few people think it’s bland while most think it’s just right 😉 Goes to show how you have to adjust to fit your own personal tastes.
Hi! Thanks for this wonderful recipe. I am at the moment cooking a 5 KG (11 pounds) pork shoulder and I have read that it should cook in the oven for at least 10 hrs. Is this correct??
Plus my husband and I have different ideas…. I believe the meat should not be turned or rotated, but just let it be, fat-side up! He instead believes it should be turned every 2 hrs or so…
Any tips are very welcome!!
Thanks! Maria
Hi Maria! For a large chunk of meat it can actually help a little to rotate it in the slow cooker a couple of times if you can. This allows it to stay in the juices and become even more tender. But this is not critical! The most important thing is that it gets to an internal temp of 205 degrees F in order to shred easily.
OMG, I just made 22lbs of pork butt with this recipe for a sweet 16 party this weekend. My house smells amazing and the pork was pull apart prefect! I have a go to recipe that I’ve been using for years and I had to throw it away since this is my new one. Thank you so much! Also, i made a bbq sauce to go with this using the core ingredients of the rub for a perfect match I flavor…. can’t wait to wow my guests.
That’s awesome!! Thanks so much for letting me know!!
Can I reduce time to 4 hours on high then switch to low temp. Trying to make this tonight but dont have 8 hours? Would 6 work? Only making about 2.5 lbs
yes, you could do a couple of hours on high and then switch to low. Also, cut pork into smaller pieces and it will cook faster. To shred, pork needs to reach internal temp of 205 degrees. Let me know how it turns out!
Hi Jennifer!
Recipe sounds amazing!
It’s the first time I’m going to prepared pulled pork, so I’m a bit lost.
Do I understand it correctly that you put the pork in the crockpot without roasting it first?
That is correct, Ivanna. Hope you enjoy it!
So many crappy pop-up ads on your page that I didn’t even want to wait for the recipe, yet was so annoyed I made sure to wait over a minute for this portion to load, then dodge more ads so that I could comment
I apologize for the trouble you experienced. I checked with Jennifer and she said there are actually no pop up ads on her site so I would suggest making sure you don’t have a virus on your computer. Sorry for the trouble but hope you’ll come back and try a recipe sometime!
I have an 8 lb pork shoulder should I still cook it 8 hrs or should I go longer with it?
Hi Maureen,
I would cook it 8-10 hours. In my experience with cooking pulled pork, the longer it can cook the more tender it is so since you are using a larger cut of meat, I would cook it a minimum of 8 hours and see if it is as tender as you would like it. If you want it more tender allow it to cook longer.
Most of all, hope you enjoy it!
I have made this twice!! It is soooo delish! Making again this weekend!!
Yay! I’m so glad you like it, Becky!
Can I make like a carolina sauce from the juice in the crock pot? If so, how do I do that? thank you!
Hi Jennifer! I actually don’t really know, I’ve never made anything like that before! Hopefully someone else will jump in here with an idea!
Hi! I’ve made this twice now, and really enjoyed it. It’s super quick and easy. My variations (small) – I use white pepper instead of pepper, half smoked paprika and half sweet, and chipotle instead of cayenne (more flavour, not as hot). We also found we can take the pork out at the end and reduce the sauce to make a nice barbecue sauce to drizzle over the meat. Thank you for sharing this one!
Sounds like you’ve made some delicious alterations, Suzy! So glad you are enjoying this recipe, it’s one of my favorites, too!
The pork came out very tender but it was a little too spicy for me. I think next time I will only use 1/4 tsp. of black pepper and maybe 1/4 tsp. or no cayenne pepper at all. Thanks for the recipe. I now have the courage to cook pulled pork.
Thanks for the feedback Fran!
Hi, Cna i do this with the meat from frozen?
Hi Anna! No, you will need to thaw the meat first before slow cooking.
Hey guys thanks for this recipe, we made it today and by my surprise it came out delicious, I will be making again soon
I mixed the leftover spice rub mix to a pound of ground pork to make spicy, oven-baked meatballs…..they turned out delicious!
The pulled pork is still cooking, but based on the meatballs, I know I am going to love it!
That’s an amazing idea Stefanie!! Thanks for sharing and be sure to let me know how the pork turns out!
I cut everything in half b/c I had a smaller piece of pork. I kept the liquid as in the original, but could have cut that in half, too. I didn’t want it to dry out! Only major difference is I cut an onion into 8 wedges and rested the meat on the onions. Very, very good pulled pork!
That’s awesome news!! So glad you loved it, and that you were able to adapt it successfully to make half!!
Hello, was wondering if I could add liquid smoke to get a smoky flavor? How much would I add? Thanks.
Yes, I’m sure that would work too! I’ve never used liquid smoke, so I’m not sure how much to advise you to use. I would check the label and see if the specific brand has a recommendation per pound of meat?
I used a couple of squirts of Liquid Smoke to mine and it came out fine!
My wife said it’s the best slow cooker pulled pork I’ve ever made. It was delicious. Used a 4 lb pork butt and it made 3 meals. Gonna make it again next weekend!
That’s awesome!! So glad you loved it!
I just made this, its been in my slow cooker all morning and it hasn’t been 8 hrs yet and its already shredded and completely off the bone. I bought a 6 lb. Pork butt because the bone, but this has zero flavor. I folowed your instructions to a T, what do you think went wrong. (I even added a lil bit extra of all seasonings because it was so big & i like spice).
I’m so sorry it didn’t turn out like you’d hoped! I’ve been trying to think of what could have gone wrong. It could be that you just got a piece of meat that wasn’t the best, or perhaps the flavors of the spice rub are just not to your taste. You could try adding extra spice or even some BBQ sauce to the shredded meat. I get a variety of responses on this one, from it’s way to spicy to it doesn’t have enough spice, so I think a lot of it just has to do with individual taste.
Hi! Just wanted to say I enjoyed reading your method. I was looking for a recipe that didn’t add liquid, since meat dishes in the slow cooker often, to me, taste a little watery and blown-out. So I used a similar dry rub to yours, but happen to have some alderwood smoked salt and smoked peppercorns, so I used those, and added some cumin which I also love. But instead of putting any liquid in, I simply lightly oiled the bottom and sides of the crock and placed the pork in dry. I used a Boston butt shoulder roast trimmed of a little excess fat, and had cut it into three chunks to get more dry rub on more surface area. For the first hour it looked like not much was happening, but by the time I got home it was perfectly cooked, I had about a cup and a half of liquid in the bottom, and the pork shredded easily but also had a soft dark “crust” on the outsides, which gave it a little more oven-roast texture. I strained and defatted the liquid, and added it back to the shredded pork along with a little barbecue sauce. Total cook time was about 6 hours on low, and it had switched to “warm” by the time I got home. I would definitely do it this way again! – only, I was a little heavy handed on the salt perhaps. The meat was fine but the liquid came out a little salty, so when I reduced it I cooked a few potato slices in it to absorb a bit of the saltiness.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this!! I love how you made these adjustments and it really sounds delicious!!! I will be trying out your version as well!!
This really is the best pulled pork in a slow cooker I have ever had.
I had a 3 lb pork butt I’d gotten on sale and decided to do this with it. I used all the seasoning/liquid because I was far too lazy to try and figure out the math. This cooked almost 12 hours while I was at work. When I got home I shut the cooker off. While I made the rest of my meal I strained, removed the fat and cooked down the liquid leftover some (probably could have gone further but I was hungry!) I then used that liquid to moisten the servings of it.
I ended up with six 4-oz servings of pork from my 3lb roast but it had a pretty thick layer of fat on it.
Thank you for a great recipe. This has been saved and I will definitely make it again.
That’s awesome!! Thanks so much Stephanie!!
Can you cook this in an instant pot? I don’t have a regular crockpot.
Yes! You can follow the instructions in this pulled pork recipe: https://slowcookergourmet.net/slow-cooker-pressure-cooker-caribbean-jerk-pulled-pork/
Thank you so much for the information, I’ll be making this for my jobs potluck tomorrow. Looking forward to hearing everyone’s opinions on it.
Hi Jennifer
Excellent recipe – my whole family love it. The minor changes I made were:
– I chopped 2 onions and added them to the crockpot before adding the pork. The onions really absorb the flavour of the spice rub, so once the pork is shredded, I add the onions with the liquid to the meat (step 6).
– I changed the cider/water ratio to 50/50 (half a cup each) for a little extra sweetness.
For my family of 4, we get at least 3 dinners and one lunch from a 4.5 lb shoulder – great value.
Thanks Charlie! The onions sound delicious!
Have you rubbed the pork the night before to let it marinate?
I haven’t but I would think that would be even that much better!