This is the BEST Slow Cooker Pulled Pork you will EVER have! Spices, honey and apple cider vinegar make a spice paste for the pork then it get’s slow cooker for 10 hours! Fall apart tender and load with so much flavor!
Love using a slow cooker at home? Check out my Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken for an amazing fakeaway dinner, and my Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken is great on tacos!
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slow cooker pulled pork
Slow cookers are a great way to cook pulled pork low and slow without keeping the oven on all day. The meat ends up super tender, juicy, and loaded with flavor. This Pulled Pork Slow Cooker recipe is really easy to make and is pretty much impossible to mess up.
When I say this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is easy to make I mean it. I place the pork roast in the slow cooker overnight and when I wake up I have perfectly cooked tender pulled pork. I like to cook the pulled pork overnight and place it in the fridge to keep it fresh during the day, before reheating it for dinner. You will need 11 hours to cook this pulled pork so make sure you give yourself enough time to cook.
The roast gets cooked in a homemade dry rub made of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. There is no liquid added to the slow cooker.
Ingredients for Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
- Pork: For this recipe, I used a pork shoulder roast, however, pork butt or a pork leg joint would work as well. You may need to slice the leg joint to fit it into the slow cooker.
- Olive oil: Olive oil keeps the pork from sticking to the slow cooker.
- Seasoning: Tons of flavor is added with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, mustard powder and paprika along with salt and pepper. This creates a rub that is rubbed all over the pork shoulder before cooking.
- Honey: Is added for a little sweetness. Along with the spices and apple cider the honey helps to make a paste that sticks perfectly to the roast while it’s cooking.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds acidity and a nice tang to the sauce!
- Barbecue Sauce: I love to use homemade barbecue sauce like my Bourbon Barbecue Sauce. It’s such an easy recipe! Your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce will work too!
- Buns: I make my own hamburger buns and they are PERFECT for pulled pork sandwiches! With 11 hours of cooking, there is certainly enough time to whip up a batch.
How to make this Pulled Pork Slow Cooker Recipe
- Make the rub: In a small bowl combine garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, mustard powder, salt, pepper, vinegar and honey.
- Mix until it forms a paste.
- Place the roast in the slow cooker on top of the onions. Pour the spice mixture on top of the roast. Use your hands or a rubber brush to make sure the whole roast gets covered in the sauce.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook the roast on low for 8-10 hours or high for 6 hours.
- Shred the meat in the slow cooker using tongs or two forks.
- Make sandwiches: Toast buns then top with coleslaw, pulled pork and barbecue sauce. Enjoy!
Storage instructions
- Store: After the pulled pork has cooled completely, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat this pulled pork slow cooker recipe in a pot on the stove, the oven, or the microwave until heated through. Feel free to add more BBQ sauce if needed!
- Freeze: This Pulled Pork recipe freezes really well! Store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 4 months. Thaw completely before reheating.
Tips for Success
- Don’t add liquid to the slow cooker! The pork cooks absolutely perfectly without any extra liquid, and the liquid will just make it watery and less flavorful.
- Shred the meat either with two forks or a hand blender! My hand blender shreds slow-cooked meat in just two minutes. It’s SO easy!
- You can serve this pulled pork slow cooker recipe on buns, wraps, in a baked potato or baked sweet potato, or even on its own with a side salad. It’s also an amazing topping for loaded pulled pork nachos!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best liquid to cook pulled pork in?
None at all! Keep that pork dry! It will produce its own liquid while it slow cooks.
Should you sauce pulled pork?
Really, it’s up to you, but I’d say yes! I love pulled pork smothered in barbecue sauce. It’s salty, sweet, and addictive! The pork will be juicy and delicious on its own as well.
Do you put BBQ sauce on before or after cooking pulled pork?
Add it after! The sauce itself doesn’t need to be cooked, just heated up. The pork secretes liquid when it is cooking, so if you add the BBQ sauce at the beginning, it will be too liquidy in the end.
What should I serve pulled pork with?
- Three Cheese Mac and Cheese
- Spicy Pepper Jack Mac and Cheese
- Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges
- Baked Fries
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- The BEST Baked Beans
- Berry Fruit Salad
- Cucumber Avocado Salad
more delicious Sandwich Recipes to try!
- Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Sandwich
- Asian Sloppy Joes
- Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
- Italian BLT Grilled Cheese
- Easy Grilled Vegetable Panini
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Barbecue Sandwiches
Ingredients
- olive oil for drizzling
- 1 large onion, cut into large chunks
- 3-4 lb boneless pork shoulder roast
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup honey
Instructions
- Drizzle oil in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the onion on top.
- Make the rub: In a small bowl combine garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, mustard powder, salt, pepper, vinegar and honey.Mix until it forms a paste.
- Place the roast in the slow cooker on top of the onions. Pour the spice mixture on top of the roast. Use your hands or a rubber brush to make sure the whole roast gets covered in the sauce.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook the roast on low for 8-10 hours or high for 6 hours.
- Shred the meat in the slow cooker using tongs or two forks.
- Make sandwiches: Toast buns then top with coleslaw, pulled pork and barbecue sauce. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Did you make this?
I’d love to hear your feedback! Leave a review and make sure to share your pictures on social media! Don’t forget to follow @thechefsavvy.
Julie
Oh my. This is my kind of recipe! Your pictures are making me hungry (and I just ate dinner). Can’t wait to try!
Maya @ Treats and Eats
This looks great Kelley! We’re totally on the same wavelength again because I’ve got something similar coming up! But I’ve never actually used a slow cooker before- do you use the standalone type or one of those rice cooker/slow cooker combos?
Kelley
Hi Maya!
Yes I just have a stand alone slow cooker. They are awesome!
Thanks!
Kelley
Gayle
Kelley this sandwich looks amazing! I can almost taste it, I just love your pictures! This looks like the best slow cooker meal!
mira
This sandwich looks juicy and delicious! Need to try and make it soon! Love the sauce!
Justine
I’m all for pulled pork in the slow cooker! It’s the only way! Love this recipe, Kelley! Pinning for later!
Joanne Bruno
Gotta love a good slow cooker meal for those crazy weeknights!! This looks great!
Dannii
This is one of my favourite sandwiches to make. Especially with some homemade coleslaw.
Sarah
This is my kinda sandwich! The meat looks so ultra-tender and fall-apart juicy! Perfection. 🙂
Alison
Who doesn’t love a good pulled pork sandwich? And with summer right around the corner, this recipe would be perfect for a picnic or barbeque! I love that you did it in the crock pot, making it fuss free! My co-blogger and I would love to have you check us out sometime over at InPSCYHfulliving.com where we dish about mindful, beauty, style and living tips 🙂
Justin
These look delicious! Pulled pork is one of my favorites and I always order it when I see it on a menu.
Have you ever tried cooking the pork in the slow cooker with root beer? It works really well. I need to post that recipe, but I want to try your method too.