My signature pulled pork recipe is slow roasted for 12 hours. This is my easy pulled pork recipe made in a slow cooker, a recipe loved by readers all around the world! High returns for minimal effort, pork is rubbed with a secret spice mix, slow cooked until the meat pulls apart effortlessly then tossed in a simple-yet-flavour-loaded homemade BBQ Sauce.
Super economical, makes loads, freezes 100% perfectly and insanely moreish. Make sliders or a big Southern BBQ dinner plate complete with classic sides like Mac and Cheese, Cornbread and Coleslaw!
Pulled Pork
No self respecting BBQ Shack would cook pulled pork in a slow cooker. They do an overnight smoke, with a pork babysitter on duty all through the night to stoke the coals, monitor and maintain the temperature, and occasionally give the pork a good spray with their secret-formula spritzer.
I do not do that.
I need my beauty sleep.
(Also, I don’t have a smoker).
So here’s how I make pulled pork in a slow cooker. Simple. Totally hands off. Makes loads, super economical. Amazing result for minimum effort!
What you need for pulled pork
Here’s what you need for pulled pork made in a slow cooker – a spice rub and some kind of liquid for a braising liquid to infuse with flavour, add a touch of sweetness and keep everything nice and moist.
I like to use beer – any beer other than dark brown beers like stout or Guinness. Apple cider – alcoholic or non alcoholic – or similar fruit ciders (like pear) are also terrific. For non alcoholic, apple juice works really well. Emergency fallback: water!
Best pork for pulled pork?
The best pork for pulled pork is bone in Pork Butt – also known as Boston Butt – or pork shoulder. It’s well marbled with fat so it’s juicy, and it’s a tough cut of pork so it needs the long cook time to become tender enough to shred – which means more flavour infusion time!
Difference between pork butt and pork shoulder
While both are cut from the shoulder of pig, the pork shoulder comes from the lower end (upper leg) whereas pork butt is the upper part near the back which is why the shape is more rectangle block-like. Here’s an excellent diagram from Cooks’ Illustrated!
Homemade barbecue sauce
And here’s what you need for the homemade Barbecue Sauce. It’s my base recipe for all things barbecue sauced – from pork ribs to chicken, beef ribs to brisket.
Sometimes I change it up a bit – depends on the protein and purpose of the dish, but fundamentally the same ingredients!
How to make pulled pork
We’re bypassing the step to sit by a smoker through the whole night, and just opting for a simple home version here. So all I need you to do is:
-
rub pork with spice mix;
-
plonk in slow cooker with beer, set and forget;
-
brown in oven – optional step, but totally worth it for that extra little edge of flavour (besides, you need to use a pan for shredding anyway, so you may as well throw it in the oven for a bit!);
-
shred, douse with BBQ sauce, devour.
PS I slow cook it with the thick layer of fat on it so it looks blubbery and unappetising when you pull it out of the slow cooker but it does all sorts of wonderful things to the pork as it slow cooks – imagine the spice rubbed layer of fat slooooowly dripping down the pork and basting it for hours!
Pulled pork should be tender…but not mushy!
When I see pork being shredded with a food processor and vigorously mixed with sauce until it resembles baby food, it makes me want to cry.
We want tender, juicy pork that can be pulled apart effortlessly, but still has the texture of meat – we don’t want mush! To achieve that, you just need to cook it for the right length of time (10 hours on low is long enough) and toss with the sauce gently rather than vigorously stirring it like it’s a pot of soup!
How to serve pulled pork
The two classic ways to serve pulled pork are:
1. Sliders – stuffed in soft rolls with Coleslaw*. Terrific way to serve loads of people – this recipe will make around 20 sliders;
* If you or your hips are anti mayo, try the RecipeTin No Mayo Coleslaw – it’s very, very good!
2. Southern BBQ Dinner Plate – complete with classic sides like Baked Mac and Cheese, Corn Bread, steamed corn slathered with butter, Coleslaw (or this No Mayo version) and a side of something green (pictured: simple steamed greens drizzled with butter, salt and pepper).
This recipe makes loads of pulled pork. Pork butts are BIG – so there’s no getting around that!
If you use shoulder you can get smaller pieces. But actually, you don’t want to make this with much less than 2kg / 4 lb because otherwise the pork will cook too quickly and lack the time it needs for the flavour to infuse.
Besides, it freezes 100% perfectly. And imagine how smug you’ll feel knowing you’ve got a stash of this in your freezer??? Shove it in a bread roll for a quick meal anytime! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Pulled Pork with BBQ Sauce - easy slow cooker recipe
Ingredients
- 3.5-4.5kg/ 5-7lb pork butt / pork shoulder , bone in, fat cap on (Note 1)
- 1 cup beer , apple cider or apple juice (Note 2)
RUB:
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp paprika powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
BBQ Sauce:
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar (Note 3)
- 3 cups tomato ketchup (or Aussie tomato sauce)
- 1 cup water (or use remaining beer!)
- 3 tbsp molasses , orginal (not blackstrap, Note 4)
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 4 tsp mustard powder
- 3 tsp garlic powder
- 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp Tabasco or cayenne pepper (optional, for spiciness)
Instructions
- Mix the Rub together, then rub all over the pork.
- Place in a slow cooker, pour over beer. Slow cook on low for 10 hours. Pork should be tender enough to easily shred.
Browning in oven (optional, recommended):
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
- Transfer from slow cooker into a roasting pan (reserve liquid).
- Scoop fat off surface of juices in slow cooker and drizzle over pork (about 1/3 cup), then roast pork for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, cut thick layer of fat off top and discard. Spoon over 1/4 cup fat from slow cooker juices, then roast 15 minutes.
Shredding:
- Shred pork using 2 forks. Pour over BBQ sauce, toss gently.
- Serve stuffed in sliders with Coleslaw, or make a Southern dinner plate with Coleslaw, Mac and Cheese, Corn bread, steamed corn & green beans tossed in butter, with Margaritas to quench your thirst!
Barbecue Sauce:
- Place all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes or until thickened.
- Add 3/4 - 1 cup of juices from slow cooker until sauce is syrup consistency.
- Adjust to taste: sweetness with brown sugar / honey, salt and sour with vinegar. Use per recipe.
Recipe Notes:
- Pressure cooker / instant pot - With a slightly smaller pork (2-2.5 kg/4-5lb), I make this in my pressure cooker, 1 hr 20 minutes on high.
- Oven - 7 to 8 hours at 130C/270F, covered with double foil in a roasting pan with 2 cups of water (plus the beer per recipe). I rarely do this simply because of logistics - I don't like to leave the house or sleep with the oven on! But by roasting, you do get an amazing crust which I compensate for by roasting the pork briefly after slow cooker. Note: slow cooker yields juicier pork.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
This is how my post-trip reunions with Dozer go down…..
Alyta Brinkworth says
Nagi this was amazing! Well worth the extra steps and loved by all the family (and the friends we gave the extras to!) Thank you!
Nikki Tye says
Hi Nagi,
A lot of your recipes use garlic or onion powder. Can these be substituted for fresh garlic and onion?
Nikki Tye says
Hi Nagi,
A lot of your recipes use garlic and onion powder, can these be substituted with the fresh garlic and onion?
Stephanie says
A little more work than the usual dumping everything in the slow-cooker, but stunning results well-worth the effort. Did this for father’s day in lockdown along w some asian coleslaw, cream of spinach soup and fresh bread and my family really enjoyed it!
KB says
A bit of a brag here because I’m so spoilt – my hubby makes this often and together with your coleslaw recipe it is a simply devine, indulgent treat. Your site is our favourite “go to” now so thankyou for all the delicious recipes and ideas.
Simon Herreen says
Hi Nagi,
Any tips for making ahead to avoid getting up overnight…. either the day or the night before to serve for lunch
Nagi says
Hi Simon, you can simply make a day in advance and just reheat in the microwave 🙂 N x
Mimi says
Hi Nagi
I prepared my BBQ sauce yesterday and ready to mix with the meat but I find my sauce taste too much vinager. How can I Adjust before tossing
Nagi says
Hi Mimi, sorry you found it too sour – just add a little sugar to balance it out. N x
Mama Mia says
Hi Nagi,
I just bought an instant Pot, would like to try this Pulled Pork recipe in it.
What is pork butt or Boston butt called in Australia ? Apparently it’s different from pork shoulder which I can only find at the butcher.
Nagi says
Hi Mama Mia, Harris farm sell Pork Butt, it’s similar to pork shoulder (I talk about this in the blog post) – N x
Mama mia says
Hi Nagi, I did ask my local butcher & he said after the pork shoulder is the pork neck.. so can I just use the pork neck to make this Pulled pork? I lived in Melbourne ?
Carolyn Josephson says
If I slow cook in the oven, do I still do the “Browning in the Oven” section?
Nagi says
Hi Carolyn, you can – it’s an optional step!
Carolyn Josephson says
Thanks for the speedy response! It’s in the oven now!!! 😂
Jackie says
Oh my!! This pork was a-may-zing!! I didn’t read through the recipe very well the first time so I had to use just water in the slow cooker, and I used treacle instead of molasses but it still came out so delicious!! I cooked a 2.5kg pork leg and it made enough for maybe 4 meals for our family of 5. We had it with apple slaw in freshly made bread rolls – yum, yum, yum!!! I’ve frozen the leftovers in batches to use later on.
Tara says
If I don’t have time to simmer the bbq sauce can I put it all in slow cooker?
Nagi says
Hi Tara, you need to simmer it for it to thicken 🙂 N X
Astrid M says
This was SO GOOD I almost licked the plate. Confession: I did not make the bbq sauce bc I didn’t have molasses. I’m sure it would have been wonderful, but the meat was SO GOOD it didn’t need any sauce! (So I saved the calories for dessert lol.) I paired this dish with corn casserole and coleslaw. I enjoyed it so much I forwarded the recipe to 2 separate friends to make as well. Very easy. Plan ahead for cooking time- I woke up at 6am to start the slow cooker. Next time I may leave it cooking over night for a lunch menu.
Corinne says
Hi Nagi,
I havent tried this yet.
What can I use if I can’t get molasses?
Thanks
Nagi says
Hi Corinne, I’d try treacle instead. N x
Gizela Tahuri says
OMIGOSH I just tried this tonight and it was amazing! Don’t be alarmed at how tangy the sauce is cos when you add the sauce AND the shredded pork because it’s match made in heaven. Thank you Nagi for another beaut recipe 🙂
Cristina says
It doesn’t say how much beer to use ? How many fl oz if in a can or glass ?
Nagi says
Hi Cristina – it’s there listed as the second ingredient. N x
PercyB says
Really? Because I don’t even see it listed in the ingredients. I see that you say to pour the beer over it in the instructions. You must’ve forgotten it!!
PercyB says
So sorry….i just found. Durhh!!!
Tim says
Excellent, as usual. This is a great, and really easy recipe. Thanks again, one happy camper here!
Nagi says
You’re so welcome Tim!!! N x
Tim says
Also wanted to say; appreciate the humour in your posts. I agree, food processors and any kind of meat don’t mix. Those sorts of travesties should probably go on trial at the Hague…
On that, keep fighting the good fight!
Kelly says
How long would I cook a pork tenderloin in the slow cooker?
Nagi says
Hi Kelly – I talk about this in the recipe notes. It just depends on the size of it – N x
Laura says
This is literally the BEST pulled pork sandwich I have ever had!! The pork is tender and juicy and the bbq sauce is out of bounds! My husband and my kids loved it.
We have a meat smoker at our house, so we changed the recipe slightly and smoked the meat with apple wood for 3 hours prior to putting it in the slow cooker. It added an excellent depth of flavour. What a great recipe! I can’t wait to try out some of your other recipes!!
Nicart says
Hi nagi, i am not a big fan of pork could I use chicken instead?
n v says
Thanks for the recipe. It was perfect.
Nagi says
You’re so welcome!! N x