This is some of the best pulled pork I’ve had in a long time (I’ve been working on perfecting this recipe for months!), and it also doesn’t include any highly processed ingredients like refined brown sugar, corn syrup, or ketchup.
My husband says it is so good that no BBQ sauce is necessary. Now, you know it’s good pulled pork when you don’t reach for your favorite BBQ sauce. He would like me to pass on that he does like to dip it into a little hot sauce, although I for sure prefer mine with nothing added. Try it both ways and decide for yourself. Either way, this is a great dish for serving (and pleasing!) a crowd.
What type of meat is best for pulled pork?
Pork shoulder is the most common cut used when making pulled pork. The shoulder includes the front leg and shoulder, and will likely come with a bone and plenty of marbling. The marbling is key because the fat is what will prevent the meat from drying out during the cooking process.
A full pork shoulder is a large cut of meat, so I recommend asking your grocery store’s butcher to cut the shoulder down into two portions (3-4 lbs each). Alternatively, you can choose a Boston roast or picnic roast—these are smaller cuts of the shoulder and work just fine.
What to serve with pulled pork
I have some great side choice options here on the blog that perfectly accompany this slow cooker pulled pork.
- Collard Greens
- Simple Corn Salad
- Kale and Bacon Stuffed Potatoes
- Southern Potato Salad (without mayo!)
- Whole Grain Cornbread
- Charred Corn Salad with Tomatoes and Avocados
Pulled Pork in a Crock Pot
This simple pulled pork recipe for your slow cooker doesn’t include any highly processed ingredients like refined brown sugar, corn syrup, or ketchup.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon thyme, dried
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled and cut in half
- 3 pounds pork shoulder, cut in half
Instructions
- In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together the first six ingredients (all of the spices) with a fork.
- Pour in the honey, vinegar, and olive oil and stir to form a paste.
- Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top it with the 2 pieces of pork and then pour the honey paste over all sides of the pork pieces. It’s okay if some of it (or a lot of it) just drips down to the bottom.
- Turn the slow cooker on to low and cook for 7 to 8 hours or until the meat is tender enough to be easily shredded with a fork.
- Serve the shredded pork warm with fixings like homemade coleslaw and cornbread. My husband also likes his dipped in a little hot sauce. Refrigerate or freeze the leftovers.
Recipe Notes
I used a pork shoulder, but you could experiment with a pork roast or pork loin. Another serving option is whole-wheat hamburger buns - pulled pork sandwiches!
Nutrition Facts
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Love this recipe. Also added a tablespoon of liquid smoke. Makes a big difference. I also left out the red wine vinegar. Was a thick paste to start with but then the juice from the meat took care of that.
Thanks for a great recipe!!!
I’ve been wanting to perfect my pork shoulder cooking both on the grill and in the crock pot. On the grill I am 0 for 1 and in the crock pot I am 1 for 2. My 1 in the crock pot was a GRAND SLAM thanks to this simple recipe. The flavor is amazing and the pork pulls apart effortlessly. The only mistake I made was doubling the entire recipe because I had twice the meat (pork shoulder). Doubling works for everything except the cayenne. Although it’s fantastic to me (I love spicy foods) no one in my family, except my 9 year old, will touch the stuff. Next time I make this recipe, which will be soon, I’ll double the recipe but keep the cayenne as recommended. Thank you for saving my average. Looking forward to trying it again so the whole family can experience the greatness.
I don’t know why my comment didn’t take. But this looks amazing y’all!
Okay this is going on the list. It looks so good!
Can I cook this on high for 4 hours?
Hi Shawna, this one is best and most tender when cooked slower. – Nicole
Pulled pork is one of my favorite things to cook in a slow cooker. I make mine similar to yours. For added flavor, I put a dried spice rub on the pork, wrap in plastic wrap and allow to sit overnight in the refrigerator prior to cooking.
I made this for the first time for my husband’s 50th birthday dinner. It was a hit! Easy to make, the house smelled fantastic and everyone loved it. We did pulled pork tacos with marinated onions, guacamole and coleslaw. This will be a new fave. YUM!
Love, love, love this. I’ve made it multiple times and it’s always a favorite.
I tried this recipe. Followed instructions exactly and added exact amounts of required ingredients. The roast was tender and fell apart but the flavor was bland and so sweet that nobody liked it. The honey in this recipe is too much. It was “edible”, but my opinion is we ruined a fine pork shoulder.
I’m sorry to hear about this. You can always adjust the sweetness and taste to your liking. – Nicole
I made this last night. Started the crockpot before I went to bed at 11 pm and at 7 am, I shredded the meat. It was delicious. Great recipe. Very easy.
So glad to hear you liked it! – Nicole
Has anyone done this in an Instapot? Is there an Instapot conversion recipe?
We have not tried it yet in the Instapot. Let us know if you found a concersion! – Nicole
I’m making this tomorrow with about 2x the meat. Should I double the rest of the recipe and cook time?
Sorry we didn’t answer in real time. Did you end up doubling and how did it turn out? – Nicole
This is a great pulled pork recipe when you don’t have time or the weather won’t cooperate to get the grill going. It doesn’t have a smokey flavor and the texture is a little different than when you smoke it but it’s still very tender and has excellent flavor. There is a lot of juice left over like many have mentioned but that’s where a lot of the flavor is. If you’re concerned about the fat, let it cool just until you can see the difference between the fat and the juices and you can skim the fat off the top. My pork shoulder/butt was about 7 pounds and there was little room left in the slow cooker and I cooked it for 8 hours and it turned out great. I also used apple cider vinegar instead of red wine vinegar and it didn’t disappoint.
Wonderful. I have made this several times and it always pleases. I have gotten a lot of compliments on this pulled pork from potlucks and even making it at the firehouse (you all can imagine how hard it can be to please firemen!) Getting ready to make it again for Memorial Day!
Will a NESCO work as good as a crockpot for a grad party?
While I haven’t used a NESCO, I don’t see why it wouldn’t be just as good. – Nicole
I didn’t have Red Wine Vinegar, so I substituted with Red Wine & Vinegar! Looking forward to tasting it!
We’d love to hear how it turned out for you! – Nicole
Can pork loin be used instead of shoulder?
Wow! So easy and so delicious. I made it with less meat (1kg) but didn’t change the quantities of the other ingredients. Love the fact that there is lots of liquid for the shredded pork to soak up. Didn’t find it sweet at all, just spicy and tasty.
Pork loin is a little too tender for this recipe, so pork shoulder work best. – Nicole
Hmm… this recipe got mostly rave reviews, and I really wanted to like it. A few people mentioned it had no flavor and no smell while cooking and that’s exactly what I experienced. I followed the recipe exactly. My cut of pork even had a “perfect for the slow cooker” sticker on it. The texture of the shredded pork is perfect, but it has practically no flavor other than just… plain pork. I took the meat out and shredded it, then tasted it –bland. So I added spoonfuls of the sauce/juice and stirred, tasted, repeated. Ehn. It’s very greasy, obviously that is from the pork itself, but I would recommend omitting the olive oil. It’s completely unnecessary. I also think maybe there’s too much paprika and not enough… I’m not sure what. Also, I removed the onions rather than mixing them in with the shredded pork because they were just mushy and gummy. I will definitely make this again, but without the added oil and with a different spice mix and perhaps less honey. Or maybe using maple syrup instead? Or brown sugar. I do love all the natural ingredients, the easy slow cooker part, and the tender shredded pork though.
Made this and it turned out great! Thanks for the recipe!
I used 1:1 (or 1/2 and 1/2 of whatever amount your measurements call for if that makes more sense to you) regular paprika and smoked paprika (because I ran out of regular) and it had a really great smokey flavor. I think I will do the same thing next time I make it. I also adjusted the recipe for the size pork shoulder I had, which changed the amount of spices.
I also used previous poster’s suggestion of removing most of the liquid and reducing it down to a sauce and adding it back in, which worked well. But I found most of the liquid got absorbed by the meat as it warmed/finished cooking after I shredded it. It’s a little more liquidy than straight-up pulled pork, I suppose, but it will be liquidy if you put a sauce on it anyway and you don’t have to with the flavor in this recipe.