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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Has anyone added liquid smoke to this recipe?? Just curious. I love all that I am reading about this recipe and others comments and plan to make it for a Mother’s Day get together this Sunday but just wondering about adding this extra ingredient. Thanks!!
We have not, but I don’t see why you couldn’t. Just add a little bit and let us know how it turns out. – Nicole
Can the red wine vinegar be substituted for balsamic (all I have on hand)? I might give it a shot!
While we haven’t tried, it’s usually a decent substitute. If you try it out, let us know how it goes! – Nicole
Oh my gosh, this was a hit at my son’s birthday party. Everyone raved about it and wanted the recipe. Thank you so much for sharing, it was absolutely delicious !!!
Glad to hear it was such a hit! – Nicole
I was looking for a good pulled pork recipe that would be good without barbecue sauce since I’m trying to reduce my dependence on processed foods. Yum! This was so good! I didn’t have honey so I subbed maple syrup. So tasty! I ended up reducing the cooking liquid down since there was so much of it and only added back about half to the meat. I’m going to freeze the rest for the next time I grill pork chops. So happy I found this!!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it so much! :) – Nicole
Any hints on doing this in the instant pot??
We haven’t tried it since Lisa isn’t a fan of the instant pot, but there may be some recommendations if you search through the comments. – Nicole
Can I use a 4 lb pork shoulder boneless picnic rolled & tied? If so, should I leave it tied? Making this tomorrow. Thanks.
Hi Grace, Sorry we can’t always comment back in real-time. I would untie it if you decide to use it. – Nicole
The first time I made this using 3 tablespoons pf paprika was way two much. All I could taste was paprika. Next time I reduced the paprika to 3 teaspoons or slightly over using half smoked paprika. Much better for me. A great recipe. Thank you!
Glad you were able to find an amount of paprika that fits your liking! Thanks for sharing. – Nicole
My boyfriend likes barbecue beef and loved the pork recipe! Do you think subbing beef for pork will work?
We have not tried it with beef. A really lean piece of meat won’t work that great with this particular recipe. – Nicole
I love this recipe! Would it work with chicken as well?
Hi Erin, while we have not tried it with chicken, other readers have and said it comes out great. One reader says “Just watch cooking times in the slow cooker- I find that chicken breasts are done in around 3 hours.” – Nicole
Can I use maple syrup as a sub for the honey?
Pure maple syrup would work, too. Let us know how it turns out for you. – Nicole
It turned out delicious, this will for sure be a recipe to save!
I assumed that the dry ingredients were to be rubbed on the pork, then placed on the onion halves, then the paste poured on the sides, but not the top?I looked for other directions but could not find.
When finished, do I shred the pork into the liquid and serve?
thank you
Hi Deb, the instructions say to add the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add in the honey, vinegar, and olive oil in to make a paste that will then get poured over the pork.You can shred it in the slow cooker or pull it out on a separate dish if you like. It should easily pull apart for you. – Nicole
This is one of our favorite recipes!! Especially for big BBQs! I’ve recently been trying to be more mindful of the serving sizes I eat. I see the nutrition facts, but I’ve missed the serving size if it’s there. Any idea how many ounces was considered a serving? Thanks for your time and help!
Hi Cari, this recipe calls for 3 pounds of meat, and there is roughly 16 ounces to a pound. This recipe is about 6 servings. – Nicole
I think your math/conversion is a little off here. :-)
You said “there is roughly 16 ounces to a pound.” — there are exactly 16 oz to a pound.
I would assume that 3 pounds of meat makes at least 12 servings, assuming a 4oz serving size.
OR did you mean that 16oz of meat makes 6 servings? And so this recipe for 3# of meat makes 18 servings?
Thanks! I just brought home 8# of pork loin (steal of a deal at Costco) and I will be making this recipe.
Hi, it really all depends on your serving size (4-8oz). If you stuck with the recommended 4oz serving size, you will definitely get more servings. – Nicole
My all-time favorite pulled pork recipe! I always bring to camp outs with the guys … no leftovers ever.
I’m making this now. It doesn’t need any liquid? Hubby asked. lol
Hi, sorry we can’t answer recipe comments in real-time, but the answer is no. This recipe will create SO much of its own natural liquid. Hope it turned out amazing for you. – Nicole
Could this be pressured cooked in instant pot?
We have not tried it, but it could probably work. – Nicole
I make this all the time in my instant pot pressure cooker. I just add about a cup of chicken broth to the bottom and set it to cook for about 90 minutes. If you cut the pieces smaller it could probably cook faster.
Perfect! Thanks for the information, I’m sure others will enjoy making it in the instant pot. – Nicole
I can not cut the pork shoulder in half because of the bone, but it fits perfectly in the crock pot. Would you recommend trying to break it up towards the end? Will this change the flavor or cook time? Thanks!
No, it will be the same. You should be able to easily shred it with a fork when it is done. – Nicole