I always love to make a Slow Cooker Pulled Pork. It’s so easy and there’s nothing like a set it and forget it recipe. Of course, it takes a bit of time, but that’s pretty much time while you’re doing whatever you have to do. And then there is that tantalizing aroma filling your kitchen, driving you nuts, until the moment you open that slow cooker to this glorious pork and snitch that first bite before you even take it out. Don’t you tell me that’s just me!! I know you do it, too. Or maybe it IS just me?

Did this really come from a slow cooker? Yeah, I went “fancy” but it’s just as good on paper plates! Pride of Deer Camp BBQ sauce on the left.

And while nothing can compare to a bona fide Pork Butt (also known as Pork Shoulder) smoked by an expert in a barbecue, this recipe, done in the slow cooker, yields absolutely moist, tender, and delicious results. And it could hardly be simpler.

About Slow Cooker Pulled Pork:

Making a pork shoulder, especially in the slow cooker, because it’s so hands-off, is one of my favorite things to do. Um, food-wise, at least. And while some items can be a bit iffy in the slow cooker, Slow Cooker Pulled Pork isn’t one of them. The slow, moist environment does wonders for that cheap cut, rending out a gorgeous, silky, unctuous pulled pork, and surprise, it even forms a “bark” – the wonderful bit of chewy, crispy crust that’s so prized by people who love real deal barbecue.

Even with my small family, I don’t hesitate to make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork because it’s great the first night, leftovers are wonderful, it freezes well, and Slow Cooker Pulled Pork can be reworked in so many ways. That means you’ve got a leg up on so many leftover possibilities, and they’re so good, no one will even think they’re leftovers!

If you’re having a party or a buffet, there’s hardly a more economical or well-loved item to toss out on the table. Served on buns, a little goes a long way. Put out the “fixins” and don’t forget the slaw. And of course, Slow Cooker Pulled Pork practically creates a casual party atmosphere, which is great if you are on a budget – keep the sides casual, too. Potato salad & baked beans? And if you are drawing a blank, think about what your fave BBQ joint has on its menu.

My Secrets For the BEST Slow Cooker Pulled Pork:

Prepping the Roast:

• Keep on the top fat cap. It can be trimmed a bit, but not under 3/8ths of an inch.
• Score it lightly in a criss/cross pattern, about every inch, just down to the top of the meat.
• Place the roast on overlapped sheets of plastic wrap, enough to wrap the roast in.

Adding the Rub:

• Use a great rub like my Essential Rub for Pork Shoulder or Ribs. Use it generously, 3/4 cup for a 10-pound roast, down to 1/2 cup for a five-pounder.
• Sprinkle the rub on the bottom and sides first, then turn over and do the fat cap.
• Don’t massage the rub; pat it on. Massaging blocks the pores of the meat, preventing the flavor from penetrating.
• Wrap the meat tightly, bringing the edges of the plastic up and over. Place in a pan and refrigerate for two to three hours if time is short, but overnight is better.

Cooking the Roast:

• Unwrap, place it in the slow cooker, and cook it slowly on low until it is nearly ready to fall apart.
• Cook overnight or while you’re at work, but if you’re around, drain off some of the juices about halfway through cooking. This keeps it from stewing, and it gives a better bark. (Save those juices in the fridge.)
• Pulled pork is done when a fork can easily be inserted and turned, resulting in shreds. Most of the fat will be rendered, and if there are bones, the meat will be pulled back, exposing them.
• Don’t overcook – too long or too hight of heat renders not only the fat, but also all collagen and the juices, leaving the meat dry and stringy. The meat will be wet, but there’s a difference between that and succulent shreds.

Once Cooked:

• When finished, if time allows, let the shoulder rest in the juices until it has cooled significantly. You’ll have the loveliest, silkiest meat. Save the juices for later, they’re pure gold.
• Shred before refrigerating. Any excess fat and collagen firm up with refrigeration, making shredding difficult. Remove any bits of unattractive fat as you shred.
• Consider setting aside some of the crispy bark bits (add them on top of the pile to be mixed in before serving), and you’ll find those scrumptious bits throughout the pork.
• Once shredded, for the most succulent pork, toss in some of those juices (and some of the fat that has floated to the top) before serving or refrigerating.
• Toss in a barbecue sauce if you want, but go easy on it. Just a touch to flavor and moisten, but pass a variety of sauces at the table so everyone can choose their poison.
• My Pride of Deer Camp Barbecue Sauce is a thin, vinegary sauce with a bit of spice. It’s perfect to enhance the shredded pork, letting the flavor of the pulled pork shine through without giving it a heavy, sweet barbecue sauce flavor.
• A touch of liquid smoke can be added, but be careful with it; it’s strong. Use just a touch when the pork is shredded.

You can see how gorgeous this pulled pork is!

Leftovers:

• Watch the “safe” zone! The two-hour window for leaving meat at room temp. Divide leftovers into reasonable portions for your family. Refrigerate for three to four days or freeze up to six months.
• Reheat slowly and carefully; too hot or too quickly can turn the shredded pork dry, grey, and tasteless. It can be saved by a great sauce, but the meat should be fantastic on its own.
• I use any juices left from the cooking and the pulled pork as a base for so many recipes. A few are shown, below, but check out

Saving Money on Groceries:

Pork Butt is generally found in sizes ranging from the six to 12-pound range, and sale prices, depending on where you live, might range from $.89 to $1.99 a pound. Sometimes, I’ll divide a roast like this up to make several different meals and sometimes I’ll cook up the whole roast in the slow cooker like today. This roast was $1.49 a pound and was 10 pounds.

This is great price, not rock bottom, bought the week before the Superbowl, $1.49 a pound. You’ll find Pork roast on sale before almost any Summer Holiday, too, often with lower pricing.

Cooked, it made about 5 1/2 pounds of shredded pork after the excess fat and the bone was discarded – I say about, as there was some snacking and smacking away of hands as I stood at the counter shredding the meat. This weight should hold true whether smoked, baked or cooked in a smoker.

It works out to a cooked price of $2.70 a pound, dry. A cup of the shredded meat (lightly packed and dry, no sauce) weighs in at about 5 ounces, so this roast yielded about 17 1/2 cups of shredded meat. Count on about 1/3 of a cup per sandwich.

This should give you an idea of how much making your own compares in cost to something like a Curley’s, Lloyd’s or another purchased brand of barbecue; they’re drenched in a heavy sauce, so there’s less pork than meets the eye.

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What to do with all the Juices from making Slow Cooker Pulled Pork:

The roast gave off about a quart of juices (four cups) after it was defatted and a little used to moisten the meat. You paid for it, go ahead and use it. I have a rule, never waste flavor, and those juices have picked up the pork flavor and the flavor from the rub: Cayenne, Chili Powder, Garlic, Onion, Mustard Powder, etc. Think about recipes that will complement, not fight, the flavors.

I’ve listed a few possibilities, but check out my Soups, Chowders & Chilis menu for even more inspiration. The recipes below play well with these juices.

• Vietnamese Pork Noodle Soup – and no, it’s not Pho.
• Georgia Brunswick Stew – it’s a barbecue shack favorite in the South.
• Barbecue Chicken Chili – just sub in the pork for the chicken.

The broth can easily be nudged into the realm of Mexican flavors, too.

To use the meat in a soup, stew or chili, save out a few good-sized chunks of the pork, refrigerate them to firm up that natural collagen. Carefully cut and add them to your soup or stew to warm through at the end, and you’ll have marvelous, tender chunks and not just shreds in the finished dish.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork – Serve on a bun with your favorite slaw! Pass sauce on the side.

Note: Post updated, text & photos, January 2019. Thanks to my daughter, Jess for the lovely platter, a part of an hors d’oeuvre set, to my Sis in law, Joan who sent me a pic of a “flight” three sliders that got me thinking, and my friend Jaxx, the Bearded Hiker, whose post on Alabama Sliders (Roll Tide) inspired me to spear pickles! Jaxx, I told you I was stealing your idea!