Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Chili
Satisfy your cravings for chili but use pulled pork for variation! Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Chili is full of classic flavor and can be assembled in the slow cooker in minutes. Try a twist on chili for a hearty meal that works for any time or season.
Ingredients Needed
Don’t be intimidated by a longer ingredient list! Once you have everything out on the counter and ready to assemble, it only takes a few minutes to get everything into the slow cooker.
- Boneless pork shoulder roast – This recipe uses about 2 pounds of pork shoulder roast and depending on your slow cooker size, you may need to cut it in half or thirds to fit. This roast is the perfect meat for slow cooking since it is so flavorful and shreds super easily when cooked until tender!
- Onion – Dice one small yellow or white onion.
- Garlic – Mince 2 cloves of garlic or use a premade jarred variety.
- Jalapeno peppers – Remove the ribs and seeds and finely dice 2 peppers for the perfect amount of flavor and heat.
- Pinto beans – Use one large can of pinto beans and be sure to drain and rinse.
- Diced tomatoes – Use regular canned diced tomatoes. Fire-roasted tomatoes can also work for a smokier flavor.
- Tomato sauce – A can of plain tomato sauce adds to the thick, savory chili base.
- Seasonings – Use a few spices to make the best smoky chili flavor that complements the pulled pork. You’ll need chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cumin, and dried cilantro.
- Mexican beer – Choose your favorite variety of Mexican beer for a rich flavor that highlights the pulled pork. If you prefer to leave out the beer, chicken broth will also work as a substitute.
How To Make Pulled Pork Chili In The Slow Cooker
No extra sautéing or browning required! Follow these steps and your chili is set to simmer for the day.
- Once you’ve measured spices, opened cans, and diced peppers and onions, simply add all the ingredients to the slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-9 hours. (Since you want the pork to truly cook low and slow for maximum tenderness, low is the preferred setting vs. high heat.)
- Remove the pork roast and shred it with forks on a plate or cutting board.
- Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and stir to combine all ingredients.
- Serve a bowl of pulled pork chili with a sprinkle of shredded cheese and a spoonful of sour cream or as desired!
What To Serve With Pulled Pork Chili
Pulled pork chili is a pretty robust meal on its own, but there are plenty of complementary options to serve on the side. Cornbread (especially a cheesy one), or chips are great options for dipping and variation of texture. Saltine crackers are commonly served with traditional chili and you might like them here, too!
Since the chili is so hearty, a light, fresh salad would be another great side option. Try a simple garden salad or Tomato Corn Salsa.
If you’re planning to serve this chili for a party or large gathering, you may want some appetizers! Try serving fresh-mixed guacamole or Slow Cooker Spicy Queso alongside chips and a raw veggie tray.
Best Toppings For Pulled Pork Chili
Top off your bowl of pulled pork chili with any number of fresh toppings. Try one or a few to find your favorite combination:
- Shredded cheese (If you have time, fresh grated cheese is the best option!)
- Sliced green onion
- Freshly chopped cilantro
- Crushed tortilla chips or corn chips
- Diced avocado
- Scoop of sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt
- A drizzle of hot sauce
Storing and Reheating
Pulled pork chili is great for making ahead! It stores well in both the refrigerator and freezer and tastes just as delicious as leftovers.
Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months. To easily reheat from the freezer, freeze in individual portions and defrost in the fridge. I like to use Souper Cubes to divide up portions easily and only defrost what you need.
Reheat in the microwave or over the stove.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Chili
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 jalapeno peppers diced, ribs and seeds removed
- 15 ounces pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 30 ounces diced tomatoes
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
- 8 ounces Mexican beer chicken broth can be substituted
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to slow cooker
- Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours
- Remove pork roast from slow cooker and shred with forks
- Return to slow cooker and stir to combine
- Serve with cheese and sour cream or as desired
Notes
- If desired, remove excess fat from pork before cooking or when shredding.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing in individual portions for convenience when defrosting and reheating. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
- Top pulled pork chili with shredded cheese, green onion or freshly chopped cilantro, crushed chips, avocado, or sour cream.
- To make this chili spicier, increase the amount of chipotle chili powder.
Nutrition
Pulled Pork Chili FAQs
- What is the best meat for pulled pork? I prefer using boneless pork shoulder for the best flavor, but boneless pork butt (upper shoulder) can also work. Pork shoulder also typically includes a layer of fat that is easy to remove. When the meat cooks to 205 ℉, it will shred perfectly!
- Do you cut the fat off pulled pork before cooking? If you like, you can remove any excess fat before cooking. You can also easily remove excess fat when you remove the meat to shred before adding it back to the slow cooker.
- Is this pulled pork chili recipe spicy? This recipe is pretty mild with just a hint of spicy heat if followed just as written. To add more heat, increase the chipotle chili powder, and reduce it if you’d like it to be less spicy.
- Can I use leftover pulled pork to make pulled pork chili? Yes, this recipe also works well with leftover pulled pork and can be a great way to repurpose those leftovers! If you use leftover pulled pork, be sure to reduce the cooking time since the meat will essentially just need to heat through along with the other ingredients. The cooking time should be about 1-2 hours on high for 2-4 hours on low.
This was really good! I used 2 cans of ranch beans with jalapeños so I didn’t have to add any additional. I also used the beer option and it was nice and thick. We had some naan bread with it but tortillas or biscuits would be good too. It definitely has some heat! Highly recommend it!
Hi! I’m wondering if it would be ok to use beef broth instead of chicken… I accidentally grabbed the wrong one at the store, whoops!
yes!
Hello! I am loving the look of this recipe and am thinking about making a small batch on the stove with 2 leftover pork chops for my husband and I. I think I will half the other recipe ingredients and keep an eye on the wateriness of it before adding in the broth. Do you think I don’t have enough pork for the recipe? And what about cooking it on the stove? Do you have any advice for me? Thank You!!
Hi Amber! If your pork chops are about a pound, I think you’ll be good! Are they already cooked? Bone in or out? If cooked already I would add them in with the broth to let them simmer until tender so that they don’t get too tough.
I am going to try to adapt this recipe using leftover smoked pulled pork!! I will try to update on how I try turns out! The recipe sounds amazing as is, but I’m trying to find something creative to do with around 3lbs leftover pork and we’re pretty sick of sandwiches at this point ?
I can’t wait to hear how it turns out, Tiffany!
Hello! Could this recipe be frozen, then thrown in the crockpot while still frozen? would I need to cook the pork before freezing?
Thanks!
Hi Nichole! You can freeze it all raw, but I always recommend thawing all food (especially meat) before slow cooking. A slow cooker will not bring frozen food to a safe temperature quickly enough if frozen and could cause illness. Better safe!!
I made this and it did come out a bit more soupy than like chili. It was good though, I did skimp on some of the ingredient(mainly the chipotle Chili sauce ) only because I am not a fan of spicy food and wasn’t sure exactly how spicy that would make it. So the little bland is on me but it still is good. I would tweak it some next time but it’s good.
Hey Jennfifer,
Could I use leftover pulled pork I made this week and then make it into the chili? Any suggestions or modifications needed? Thanks!
Yes, that work work! You can just reduce the cooking time a bit, but I wouldn’t worry too much, your pork will stay juicy and tender as long as you keep it on low.
Can I use pork tenderloin instead?
I’m not sure it would work as well. The pork tenderloin doesn’t shred very easily. Maybe if you cut it up into bite sized pieces?
YES! YES! YES! The pork tenderloin keeps it from being greasy.
I decided to go shopping and bought boneless pork shoulder roast but it’s four pounds. So I added extra can of tomatoes and spices and broth
It’s in the crockpot now!
I wish you had stated that or how large your crockpot is. I have to cook for a crowd, so I don’t want to make something banking on it being enough when it’s not. How many does this serve?
Hi Ellie. This should provide about 6 large bowls (1 1/2 – 2 cups each). I would recommend using a slow cooker in the 4-6 quart range.
Hi- If you happen to see this, I was planning on making this tomorrow but could not fine boneless pork shoulder, only bone-in. Have you tried the recipe with bone-in, or do you know if it changes cook time, etc? Thanks!
Hi Kate! I would try cutting the roast into a couple of pieces if you can. Then the cooking time shouldn’t change much, and hopefully it will be tender enough just to pull out the bone after cooking.