Name: Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 h
Total time: 5 h 5 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2.5 lbs pork butt (or shoulder); 1 bay leaf; 1/2 cup ketchup; 1/2 cup apple cider (apple juice); 3 tbsp brown sugar; 2 garlic cloves; 1 tsp cumin; 1 tsp sea salt; 1/2 cracked black pepper

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Delicious Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is juicy, versatile and easy to throw together any day of the week.

slow cooker pulled pork on a white serving platter

The fall cool weather has finally arrived for us. The trees are slowly losing their leaves and the days seem to be getting darker earlier. A time of year that has us reaching for our soup pots and sourdough starters once again.

Though this recipe can be made any time of year, for whatever reason the fall seems like slow cooker season to me. Having it on my counter weekly not only helps me create warm homemade meals with ease. But also the food is delicious from a slow cooker as the name implies, it slow cooks the food. Creating juicy meats, and soups or chilis from an all-day simmer.

Food that is perfect for cold weather days. Arguably one of the very best kitchen tools you can have. Aside from my mixer and trusty food processor that is. A slow cooker is as close to having someone else cook the food for you as it gets for a home cook. Grabbing the slow cooker out of my cabinet just this morning, I had the urge to share this wonderful recipe with you.

Why I Love This Recipe

Of course, using the slow cooker makes cooking a breeze. However, this recipe in particular is one that I love to make almost monthly. The wonderful versatility of this meat never has us feeling like we are having anything too often.

Below I have listed several ways that we love using this Slow Cooked Pulled Pork. All of them are equally delicious. I will say that if you are making pulled pork sandwiches, they pair wonderfully with these Crispy Oven Fries. But don’t stop at just sandwiches. Pulled pork is a delicious meat that can be served in all sorts of ways.

What You Will Need To Make It

2.5 lbs pork butt (or pork shoulder)

3 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 cup apple cider (or apple juice)

1 tsp cumin

1 bay leaf

2 large cloves of garlic

1/2 cup of ketchup

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

Directions

Begin by mixing the apple cider, brown sugar, garlic, ketchup, cumin, and paprika into the bowl of the slow cooker. Salt and pepper the entire pork butt or shoulder. Place in the slow cooker.

pouring apple cider and spices into a slow cooker

Add a bay leaf and place the lid on. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 hours.

a pork roast placed inside a slow cooker with spices

When ready, shred with two forks and incorporate all the juices into the shredded pork. You can mix in a cup of barbecue sauce for a bbq flavored pulled pork or leave it as is.

Serve over rice or on a toasted bun with a scoop of coleslaw. Be sure to also check out the serving suggestions below for other ways to enjoy this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.

Tools

Slow Cooker

Cooking Notes

Be sure to defrost the pork butt or shoulder before sticking it into the slow cooker. I find that moving it from the freezer to the fridge the night before cooking works well. I can get this started in the morning so that the pulled pork is ready for dinner.
I use pork butt or pork shoulder cut to make this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.
Store your Slow Cooker Pulled Pork in a Tupperware or a container with an air-tight lid in the fridge for up to 3 days.
This recipe makes enough for 8 servings or more.

Serving Suggestions

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is a juicy flavorful meat that can be used in a wide array of dishes.

The first is pulled pork sandwiches. Serve on a toasted sesame seed bun, slathered with barbecue sauce. Add coleslaw to the top for a crunch or onions, and pickles for a delicious addition to a pulled pork sandwich.
I love using slow cooker pulled pork for nachos. Topping the chips with chunks of pork, cheese, sliced avocado, sour cream, and chopped tomatoes. It’s the ultimate plate of nachos.
Pulled pork tacos, for another delicious dinner idea use this slow cooker, pulled pork. I like to fry up corn tortillas, add the pork, then top them with our favorite taco toppings. Creating a unique taco for taco Tuesdays.
This Slow Cooker Pulled Pork works great for burrito meat as well with black beans and rice.
Serve the pulled pork over a bed of white rice with roasted veggies on the side.
Make cheesy quesadillas with delicious pieces of Slow Cooker Pulled Pork throughout.

FAQ

Can this recipe be doubled?

You can certainly double this recipe if your slow cooker has the space. If doing so, it is a good idea to halve the roast before placing it in the slow cooker. It makes shredding it a bit easier later.

What is the best cut of pork to use for Slow Cooker Pulled Pork?

Pork butt is ideal for making pulled pork as it has the optimum fat content that creates the moistest, tender meat when cooked low and slow as this recipe instructs. Pork shoulder is another great alternative. Though different cuts they are both from the shoulder of the pig. The pork butt is higher up on the foreleg than the pork shoulder cut. Both cuts are idea for making pulled pork as they are both marbled with fat and benefit from slow cooking.

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If you try this recipe and love it, I would appreciate you coming back to give it 5 stars!

Yield: 8 servings