Your family and friends will love this quick and easy recipe for Crock-Pot Pulled Pork. No slaving away at the oven or grill with this yummy recipe!
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
We like to think that if there is one recipe that you MUST learn how to make in your slow cooker pulled pork is the recipe. If you are a slow cooker novice this is the recipe you need to learn. Tender pork butt or shoulder roast is slow cooked all day with some onion and pineapple juice.
Pineapple juice contains a natural enzyme called bromelin which acts a wonderful meat tenderizer. Combine that all natural meat tenderizer with the low and slow cooking that happens in your slow cooker and you will end up with some amazing tender pork that easily pulls apart.
Once your meat is cooked you just add some of your favorite barbecue sauce. We are kind of partial to Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce…we love it because it is full of flavor, has a nice balance of sweetness and smokiness and this is a bonus…if you are on a gluten-free diet it is gluten-free!
The pulled pork comes out so tender and full of flavor.
Equipment Needed For Crock-Pot Pulled Pork:
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Some Ways I Can Serve Pulled Pork?
- Serve on hamburger buns or rolls.
- Serve on Hawaiian Sweet Rolls for amazing sliders.
- Wrap up in a tortilla or wrap.
- Make pulled pork tacos
- Make pulled pork taquitos
- Top a pizza.
- Use leftovers in a this recipe for Crock-Pot Pulled Pork Cheesy Bacon Dip
- Got other ways you serve pulled pork? Leave a comment below and let us know!
Which Cut Of Meat Works Best For Pulled Pork?
Because pulled pork is cooked low and slow you will want to look for a fatty cut of pork that as it cooks all day in the slow cooker the fat and connective tissues will melt and create moist and tender pork that is easily shredded or pulled. Pork butt roast (also called a Boston Butt Roast) or a pork shoulder roast are the two most popular cuts of pork to use in pulled pork recipes.
Can You Overcook Pulled Pork In The Slow Cooker?
It is pretty hard to overcook pulled pork when you cook it in the slow cooker. I have cooked this recipe and other pulled pork recipes for 15 hours and the pork has come out perfect still. Because of the “low and slow” cooking method that the slow cooker provides it is pretty hard to overcook your pork as long as there is still moisture in the slow cooker. That being said, once the pork can easily be shredded with two forks, I would not cook the pork more than 3 hours past that point because you risk the pork turning mushy and taking on an appetizing texture.
Can You Freeze Pulled Pork?
If you have leftover pulled pork you can easily freeze it for long term storage. To freeze, let the pulled pork come to room temperature and then place in plastic freezer bags, press out as much excess air as possible, seal the bags, and write on the bags with a permanent marker with the contents and date. Store the pulled pork in the freezer for up to 6 months. The pork won’t go bad if stored in the freezer for a longer period of time but you may notice a decrease in flavor or a freezer type flavor if stored for too long.
I like to warm leftover pulled pork that has been frozen in the slow cooker, I just peel the bag off the frozen pork, add a splash or two of water and maybe some bottled BBQ sauce and let the pork heat in the slow cooker for several hours on HIGH.
Special Diets
More Popular Slow Cooker Entrees To Try!
- Crock-Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu + Video
- Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken
- Crock-Pot Beef Goulash
- Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Joes
- Crock-Pot Potatoes, Sausage And Green Beans + Video
Crock-Pot Pulled Pork Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Pounds Pork Butt Roast (Can Also Use Pork Shoulder Roast)
- 2 Cups Pineapple Juice
- 2 Cups Bottled Barbecue Sauce (Your Favorite Brand, Divided)
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion (Minced)
- 2 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from the pork butt (or shoulder) roast and place in the bottom of a 6 quart or larger slow cooker.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, 1 cup of the barbecue sauce, minced onion and garlic.
- Pour sauce mixture evenly over the top of the pork roast.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
- Remove roast from slow cooker and place in a large bowl or baking dish and shred the meat with two forks, removing and discarding any large fatty bits if necessary.
- Drain off the cooking liquid in the slow cooker and discard.
- Add shredded pork back into the slow cooker and add the remaining 1 cup of barbecue sauce. Toss to coat the pulled pork into the sauce.
- Recover slow cooker and allow to cook on LOW for 30 minutes to allow the pork to heat back up in the sauce.
- Serve pulled pork on your favorite buns or rolls or use in other dishes as needed.
Notes
Nutrition
Wow does this look delicious! There’s nothing better than pulled pork and yours is perfect. Thanks for sharing! Great blog you have here – I’m glad to have found you!
I used a Rival crock-pot (three settings: low, high, warm) and cooked the 3 1/2 lbs. of pork shoulder on high for 5 hours and then 1 more hour on low. I was impressed – very tender meat and the pineapple juice and onion adds some good flavor. I was super hungry and skipped that final step of cooking the meat for 30 minutes in BBQ sauce, I didn’t want to wait, I just wanted to eat it! : > )
The pineapple juice is the key to some super tender pulled pork. Thanks Buddy for dropping by with your comments. We have a hard time resisting the meat too!