Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
Slow cooker BBQ pulled pork that’s tender and packed with smoky-sweet flavor. An easy, crowd-pleasing recipe perfect for sandwiches or tacos.
Ingredients
- Pork shoulder (Boston butt), 3–4 pounds (boneless or bone-in)
- Yellow onion, 1 large, sliced
- Garlic, 3–4 cloves, minced
- Apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup
- Chicken or beef broth, 1/2 cup (or water)
- BBQ sauce, 1 to 1 1/2 cups (your favorite brand or homemade)
- Brown sugar, 2 tablespoons
- Smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons
- Chili powder, 2 teaspoons
- Ground cumin, 1 teaspoon
- Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon
- Onion powder, 1 teaspoon
- Salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons
- Black pepper, 1 teaspoon
- Optional: A few dashes of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne for heat
- To serve: Buns, coleslaw, pickles, and extra BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Make the spice rub: In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Add cayenne if you want heat.
- Prep the pork: Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mix all over, pressing it into the meat.
- Layer the slow cooker: Scatter sliced onion and minced garlic on the bottom. Place the pork on top.
- Add liquid: Pour broth and apple cider vinegar around (not over) the pork so the rub stays on.
- Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on Low for 8–10 hours, or on High for 4–6 hours. It’s done when the meat shreds easily with two forks.
- Shred the pork: Transfer the pork to a large bowl. Remove any large fat pieces. Shred with two forks.
- Reduce the juices (optional but great): Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid. Simmer the liquid in a saucepan for 5–10 minutes to concentrate flavor.
- Sauce it up: Return shredded pork to the slow cooker. Stir in BBQ sauce and enough reduced cooking liquid to make it juicy but not soupy. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or hot sauce.
- Warm and serve: Keep on Warm for 15–20 minutes to let flavors meld. Serve on toasted buns with slaw and pickles.
