Couldn’t Be Easier Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork couldn’t be easier, plus, it turns out juicy and flavorful every time. It’s great to keep on hand in the freezer for quick meals.

We Are Big Fans of Pulled Pork

My husband and I are huge fans of pulled pork. If there is pulled pork on a restaurant menu, it’s likely one of us orders it.

It’s just so versatile and is used in so many different ways. Sandwiches, soups, nachos, tacos – you name it, we’ve probably had it! And, on those busy days when you haven’t had time to meal prep, you can grab some pulled pork out the fridge or freezer and quickly make a wonderful dinner (see below for some quick, fun meal ideas).

We like it so much that we make our own at home all the time. Most of the time, my husband does it on the smoker. It takes some time, but it’s oh, so worth it.

But, let’s say you don’t have a smoker. Well, that’s no reason to not have some delicious pulled pork around the house!

That’s why I decided to put together this delicious slow cooker recipe for pulled pork. You don’t need a smoker. All you need is pork, a slow cooker, a few ingredients you can find in your local grocery store and time.

What Meat Should I Use?

You may be tempted to go for the best cut of meat on a pig which (in my opinion) is the pork tenderloin or pork loin. Both of these cuts are very tender and very lean.

But, to get good pulled pork, you need fat and connective tissue that breaks down and flavors the meat over the long time that it is cooking. The tenderloin or loin does not have that, but the pork butt and pork shoulder do.

So, for the best pulled pork recipe, definitely go for the more semi-tough cuts of either pork butt or pork shoulder. They really are the best cut of pork to get that tender, juicy meat.

Is There a Difference Between Pork Butt and Pork Shoulder

Both a pork butt roast and a pork shoulder roast are relatively inexpensive cuts of meat that lend themselves well to a longer cooking time with lower heat. Interestingly, both the pork butt and pork shoulder are cuts taken from the pig’s shoulder. However, they do come from different parts of the shoulder.

The pork butt is taken from the thickest section of the shoulder and contains a lot of connective tissue and fat marbling. The pork shoulder is taken from just above the front leg and may contain less fat and marbling than the pork butt.

The term “pork butt” can be a bit misleading as it’s a shoulder cut. The origin of pork butt comes from the late 1700’s when this cut was stored in special barrels called “butts”. I guess the name stuck!

You will also sometimes see this cut referred to as “Boston Butt”. This is a reference to the fact that this cut of meat originated in Boston. Ok – history lesson over!

While there may be instances where you would want to use one rather than the other (here is a great article explaining this), I find both of these work very well in this slow cooker recipe. It’s more of a question of what is readily available in your local grocery store and price. For this particular recipe, I used pork shoulder.

Why Use the Slow Cooker?

​Using a slow cooker is perfect for this recipe. A cut like a pork shoulder needs a lot of time to cook so that the fat and connective tissues render themselves into liquid. That liquid is the key to having moist, juicy, tender meat.

​A slow cooker works well for cooking things over a long period of time as well as keeping food warm for hours. It’s a great “set-it-and-forget-it” cooking appliance.

You also want to cook at a low heat so you don’t overcook the pork shoulder. The slow cooker does a fantastic job of cooking at a constant (in this case low) temperature. It’s a great controlled environment that sets you up for success in this recipe.

Making the Slow Cooker Pulled Pork – A Simple Recipe Using Simple Ingredients

This really is a very easy recipe to make compared to how much flavor you have at the end! The only thing you really have to think about ahead of time is when do you want to serve the pulled pork.

Since it does take 8-10 hours to cook completely, if you want to have it for dinner the same day, you have to get up early to get it going. However, if you’re going to serve next day or just freeze for later, you probably don’t have to get up quite so early!

To start, I make my own seasoning mix that combines garlic, lemon zest, oregano, salt and pepper. However, if you have a favorite pre-made dry rub that you use on other meats, you can absolutely use that. These days, there are a lot of great rubs out there to try.

If you are going to use a dry rub, I suggest coating the pork shoulder in yellow mustard or mayo. This will help keep the dry rub on the roast.

With this recipe, the seasoning mix has enough moisture that it sticks well to the roast. Simply pat the roast dry and place in the slow cooker. I like to place it fat side up, so all the fat that renders goes directly into the meat.

At this point, cover the pork shoulder with the seasoning mix. I then add some onion slices right on top of the roast for even more flavor.

To ensure that I have a juicy, tender outcome, I add in white wine. I like to use something with a little bolder flavor profile. For me, a chardonnay works really well.

Finally, put in the bay leaves and you are ready to start cooking.

Once the Pulled Pork is Done Cooking

When you have achieved fork tender and/or your desired temperature, you are ready to take the final steps. Turn off the slow cooker and place the pork shoulder in a large bowl.

There are some schools of thought that you should wrap the roast in aluminum foil and let rest for at least an hour. With this recipe, I simply haven’t found that necessary.

One of the biggest reasons, is that I incorporate the leftover cooking liquid that is in the bottom of the slow cooker back into the roast. Once the roast is out of the slow cooker, you let the liquid cool down.

While the liquid is cooling, go ahead and use two forks to shred the meat. I usually do this on a cutting board and then transfer the meat to a large bowl when completed.

Once the liquid has cooled, skim off the fat, take out the bay leaves and pour over the pork. Make sure all the pork gets a good coating of the liquid.

And, that’s it! You are ready to serve or save for later.

How Long to Cook an 8 Lb Pork Shoulder

An 8 pound pork shoulder in a slow cooker set on low should take about 8-10 hours. As a general rule of thumb, it takes about 60-90 minutes of cook time per pound of pork shoulder.

Since the meat is cooked in more of controlled environment in the slow cooker (rather than a smoker), I find the cook time tends a bit closer to the 60 minutes than the 90 minutes. But, since each cut is different, it will decide when it’s done!

For me, I know it’s done cooking when it’s fork tender. By that, I mean you can take a fork and the meat feels like it will easily shred.

If you like using a meat thermometer, I think the optimal temperature is around 201 degrees F. If you have a thermometer reading around that, and the thermometer slides into the pork shoulder like it’s butter – your pulled pork is done.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork: Great to Make Ahead and Freeze

Stocking your freezer with pre-cooked ingredients is a huge time saver. On a busy night, it can be the difference between being able to put together a homemade meal or calling for take out.

I find it especially helpful to have cooked meat in the freezer. You can easily put together so many different recipes when you have cooked meat on hand. I try and always have things like shredded chicken breast, meatballs and this slow cooker pulled pork in my freezer.

Once the pork is cooked, shredded and cooled, I take the shredded meat and put into individual freezer bags or other type of airtight container. Usually about one cup of meat per bag or container. Then, place into freezer.

I find the best way to thaw the frozen pulled pork is to take it out of the freezer the night before and put in the fridge. It will be thawed when you wake up in the morning.

If you need to thaw a bit quicker, I’ve found putting the pulled pork in cold water helps speed up the process. Just make sure the pork is in a sealed bag!

What Recipes Use Pulled Pork?

Maybe this is the first time you’ve made pulled pork and you now have a freezer full of this perfect pulled pork ready for your personal consumption! But, do you have a delicious way to use this pork?

Listed below are several ways that I’ve used the pulled pork I’ve cooked with this easy recipe.

• Pulled Pork Sandwiches: Grab some hamburger buns, your favorite BBQ sauce and some of this wonderful coleslaw and you have yourself a pretty awesome pulled pork sandwich. (Tip: Grab some gluten-free hamburger buns for anyone on a gluten restriction.)
• Pulled Pork Sliders: Make this more of an appetizer or fun, light main dish by substituting slider buns for the hamburger buns.
• Pulled Pork Nachos: Make nachos the way you like them, but use the pulled pork as the main protein. This is an absolute family favorite of ours! I have a super-fun Chicken Nacho Bar Recipe that this pulled pork would be a great addition (or substitution) for the chicken.
• Tex-Mex Dishes: Pulled pork tacos covered in your favorite hot sauce, enchiladas, quesadillas, even this awesome Tex-Mex Lasagna.
• Chili and Soups: There are so many great chili and soup recipes out there that either use pulled pork or where pulled pork can be substituted.

(Note: This easy pulled pork recipe was a foundation for my family’s graduation parties and always got rave reviews. If you know of anyone needing planning help for their own graduation party, here is a great place to start.)

Tips and Tricks

• For best results, place the pork roast in the slow cooker fat side up. As the pork heats up and cooks, the fat will start to melt into the meat helping to keep it juicy and tender.
• The white wine adds a nice flavor to the pork, but chicken stock is a good subsitution.
• Don’t discard the liquid when the pork is done. You want to stir that into the pork once it’s shredded. This will add flavor and keep the pork nice and juicy.
• The pork freezes really well. I recommend freezing it in one cup portions, that way you can defrost just the amount that you need.

Ingredients Needed to Make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Pork shoulder or butt – This cut of pork works really well for slow cooking because the fat content is high enough that it won’t dry out.
• Garlic – It enhances the flavor of the pork.
• Lemon zest  – It brightens the flavor of the pork.
• Oregano
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Onion – As the pork cooks, the onion breaks down and melts right into the meat, further enhancing the flavor. My preference is red onion, but yellow onions also work if that is what you have on hand.
• Bay leaves
• White wine – This adds great flavor, but if you prefer not to cook with alcohol chicken stock can be substituted.

How to Make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

• Combine garlic, lemon zest, salt, pepper and oregano and mince together.
• Place pork in slow cooker, fat side up (cooking it this way will help the meat to stay moist).
• Rub seasoning mixture all over pork.
• Cover pork with onion slices and add wine and bay leaves.
• Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours until fork tender.
• Remove pork from slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board.
• Allow liquid in slow cooker to cool so that you can skim fat from the top.
• Meanwhile, remove visible fat and then take two forks to shred pork.
• Once shredded, transfer to a large bowl.
• Once liquid has cooled, skim fat, remove bay leaves and add to shredded pork.
• If freezing, put 1 cup portions into freezer bags and freeze.
• Use pork in your choice of recipes.

More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes

• Slow Cooker Baked Beans
• Slow Cooker Ham Bone and Navy Bean Soup
• Lazy Day Slow Cooker Turkey Noodle Soup 
• Slow Cooker Beef Ragu with Pappardelle
• Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup
• Crockpot Chipotle Chicken Tacos
• Slow Cooker Crab Dip

ENJOY!