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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 such as 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. Try this Dutch Oven Pulled Pork or this Instant Pot Pork Roast too!
What type of meat is best for slow cooked 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 (3-5 lbs each). There are different names for the various parts of the pork shoulder that may be used—whether you use a pork butt, pork shoulder, Boston butt or picnic roast, they will all work just fine.
How long should you cook pulled pork in a Crock Pot?
The Crock Pot is great for pulled pork because you need to cook it low and slow for several hours. I usually cook 4 lbs of pork shoulder for 7 hours on low. Be aware though, pulled pork will dry out if overcooked.
Can you slow cook pulled pork on high?
I don’t recommend it. Pork is the most tender when cooked on low. Trust me, it’s worth the wait! For a quicker option, try this Instant Pot Pulled Pork.
What to put on a pulled pork sandwich
Pulled pork sandwiches are a super easy dinner idea or way to serve a crowd. If you use real food ingredients for your rolls and toppings, it’s also a healthier alternative to all that junk food you get at Superbowl parties or BBQ gatherings.
Whole wheat bread or bun
Start with any whole wheat slider bun, either homemade or store bought. Whole grain brioche is another delicious option or serve pulled pork sandwich style with homemade sandwich bread.
Vegetable toppings
Traditionally, pulled pork is served with coleslaw. You can also top your pulled pork sandwiches with lettuce, julienned carrots, onions, or arugula—almost any sandwich or burger fixings taste great on pulled pork!
Personally, I like to add veggies that give the sandwiches a bit of crunch. If you’re entertaining, offer toppings buffet style so people can pick their own.
Sauce
My husband says this recipe is great without BBQ sauce, and we avoid it because it’s usually full of sugar. An easy alternative is to drizzle a bit of the leftover juices onto your sandwich. Just don’t go overboard or your bun will get soggy!
Some other great sauce ideas are: hot sauce, tzatziki, and salsa.
Cheese
Not everyone agrees when it comes to cheese on pulled pork, but some popular choices are cheddar, mozzarella, and Havarti. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, try Gruyère, Cotija cheese, or pepper jack. Try these pulled pork nachos too!
How to make this pulled pork recipe in an Instant Pot
Crockpots and Instant Pots cook things differently, but this is one recipe that does adapt well to pressure cooking. Here’s how to make this pulled pork recipe in an Instant Pot:
- Note: You’ll need an additional 1 cup of liquid for this recipe. Water will work, but chicken stock will be more flavorful.
- Prep the seasoning mixture.
- Heat a small amount of olive oil in the Instant Pot on the sauté setting.
- Meanwhile, cut your pork shoulder into quarters.
- Cover each pork piece with the seasoning mixture, then drop into the Instant Pot. Don’t overcrowd; you may have to work in batches.
- Brown the pork on all sides and remove.
- Turn off the Instant Pot, then toss in half a cup of water or stock and use wooden spoon to deglaze the pan.
- Place the pork back into the Instant Pot and add the remaining ingredients including the other ½ cup of water or stock. Note: Instant Pots heat from the bottom. Add the onion last and keep it mostly on top of the pork.
- Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes. Once it’s done, natural release for at least 15 minutes.
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
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- ½ 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)
- 3-5 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.
Terry says
wont this make a dry pulled pork ? it doesn't sound like there is enough liquid.
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Nope, it makes an abundance of liquid. :)
Cindy E. says
I tried this recipe and had it on for 7 1/2 hours and it is still not cooked enough to be shredded? What has happened? I had it on low but just turned it up on high to see if it will be done in the next hour or so. I've never had an issue with my crockpot before so I don't think it is that. Any ideas?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Cindy. Pretty sure it would have to to be the crock pot that didn't get hot enough on the low setting.
Monica Meerveld says
Or was the meat still frozen in the middle?
Kristina says
This is by far the BEST pulled pork recipe ever! I have tried many and stalwarts disappointed with a very watery sauce or not enough flavour. This recipe is wonderful. Double the sauce of you use a larger piece of meat. It is no fail. Thank you for adding a wonderful dish to our lives!!!!
Laura says
I would also love to know if this doubles or triples well and do I need to double/ triple all ingredients. Thank you! Love it.
Jill Kurin says
I always double this recipe. I have made it many times and it always turns out wonderful. I do double all ingredients, I think that is probably necessary with this recipe.
Michelle says
Would it be okay to make this using chicken? We do not eat pork. All other ingredients are fine, though.
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hello. We have not tried it with chicken. If you experiment, let us know. :)
Sarah says
Do you take it out of the slow cooker to shred? Of not, what do you do with the onion at the bottom? Do you leave it in all its juices?
Other than those amateur questions, I make this all the time. I didn't think I liked pulled pork until I tried this recipe. Love that it doesn't have any junk in it! I even use less honey and it is just as good!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi. I've done it both ways. Since I typically serve this in a casual buffet style, I usually leave it in the crock pot. :)
John Borgnine says
I have a 9lb. shoulder to cook. Can I just triple all the ingredients? It seems like a lot of some seasonings
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi there. We've not tripled the recipe but here are comments from a reader who has:
"We triple the recipe and freeze the leftovers in quart bags. They reheat wonderfully. Dicing the onions is fine. Extra onions doesn’t hurt anything. I haven’t tried apple cider vinegar, but I’m doing it next time! I have used both maple syrup and molasses if I run out of honey, but I prefer honey. I’ve cut the meat into smaller pieces also to fit into containers easier, and that’s fine as well. I’ve also cooked this dutch oven style, in a dutch oven in the oven at a higher heat for a shorter period of time, and that is absolutely delicious, as you get some little burnt tips that I love. I’ve made it with pork tenderloin instead of pork shoulder or roast, and it’s still good (but not AS good).
Really, this is a very forgiving recipe. You can try pretty much anything and it will probably turn out well, even if not the best it could possibly be. "
Hope that helps. :)
Leah says
A whole tablespoon of salt? Seems a lot.
kolya says
I have gone through several slow cooker pulled pork recipes, but I stopped looking after I tried this one.
We triple the recipe and freeze the leftovers in quart bags. They reheat wonderfully. Dicing the onions is fine. Extra onions doesn't hurt anything. I haven't tried apple cider vinegar, but I'm doing it next time! I have used both maple syrup and molasses if I run out of honey, but I prefer honey. I've cut the meat into smaller pieces also to fit into containers easier, and that's fine as well. I've also cooked this dutch oven style, in a dutch oven in the oven at a higher heat for a shorter period of time, and that is absolutely delicious, as you get some little burnt tips that I love. I've made it with pork tenderloin instead of pork shoulder or roast, and it's still good (but not AS good).
Really, this is a very forgiving recipe. You can try pretty much anything and it will probably turn out well, even if not the best it could possibly be.
Maggie says
Hi there, Lisa! I just wanted to say thank you so much for this great recipe - I highlighted all of the reasons why an Instant Pot (a kitchen appliance that includes a slow cooking function) is a must-have for young recent graduates in the kitchen, and this recipe was the perfect example! You can read the post here, if you'd like! http://themillennialmenu.com/blog/the-one-appliance
Thanks for your great food!
Ja says
Yuck! This was so sweet I couldn't eat it & it didn't taste like pulled pork.i also used apple cider vinegar, thankfully, to get a little tanginess but the honey overwhelmed it. Will not make again!
sara says
I have made this recipe several times and allways get great compliments on it. The only thing i change is i use apple cider vinegar instead of red wine vinegar. I love this recipe!
Jason says
This recipe is excellent! She's right it doesn't need any BBQ sauce. I've made pulled pork dozens of times and this was the best tasting pulled pork ever.
I used apple cider vinegar instead of red wine vinegar and added a lot of minced garlic as well as some onion powder because I love onion flavor.
Absolutely incredible!
Francee says
I inadvertently doubled the red wine vinegar. Eek..just started crock pot. How do you it will be?
annette kapitan says
Hi! Do you think I can do 3-4 hours on high instead of 7-8 hours on low????
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi there. We've not tried this recipe on high with a shorter cook time. This might help: http://www.crock-pot.com/service-and-support/product-support/product-faqs/help-and-how-to-use/cook-time-and-quantity/help-and-how-to-use-cook-time-and-quantity-faq.html.
Bren says
Do I have to use honey or is there a different substitute? I am curious if it will taste bad without honey.
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi. Other readers have used maple syrup.
Theresa says
I just made this and I used a smoked paprika. Sill I have to say is "wow that's awesome!"
Joni Horne says
So glad to find your recipe for the crock pot pulled pork with simple ingredients. Made it twice already! I did use apple cider vinegar instead of the red wine, but it was absolutely delicious and so easy and I just had to drop you a quick note to say so!
Brooke says
My husband can't do onions, will that effect anything?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi there. The onions add flavor, moisture and also keep the pork off the bottom of the crock pot.
Richard says
I'd think carrots would be a good substitute?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
We've not tried it with carrots. :)
June says
It was a wonderful recipe. Next time I will cut down on salt. So just added water and let it cook down. Perfect for our family.I did not have reg.paprika so I used less of the smoky paprika. Turned out very well.
Cheriegrieco says
I'M going to give it a try by the way my first time in doing pull pork was bad maybe your recipe will help me do the trick let's see wish me luck always cherie.
Katie says
Thank you for this great take on pulled pork! I prefer the not so sweet flavor, but when I made it for a group that included kiddo's, I added two tablespoons of brown sugar. That was a huge hit, as well! Question: I will be making this for a large group, and would like to prepare the roasts a few days in advance, then reheat. Any suggestions on the best way to go about this? I was thinking about trying aluminum serving dishes in the oven on low heat.
Jeff in Alaska says
Thank you for your pulled pork in crock pot formula........works great.
Tracie says
Could I use apple cider vinegar instead of red wine vinegar ? Or any other substitutes ?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Absolutely.
Jenna says
I accidentally diced up the onion... is it going to be very oniony? Should I try to scoop out onion once it's cooked? It's in the pot now.
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Jenna. Did it turn out okay?
Michelle says
Can I use this for a brisket?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi there. We've not tried but let us know if you experiment. :)
Patty Taylor says
I would like to know, I am going to use an 8 pound tenderloin, should I double the batch of sauce?
Matt Wiedemeier says
I just did a 7.5 lb. Yes. Double it.
Megan says
I can firmly say this will be in my permanent rotation forever! (And I can rarely say that). I've made it twice in the past month, and it has been a hit with everyone. The only "change" I made was to use half the salt. I use all of the cayenne and don't think it's spicy at all, as other reviewers have been worried about. I've used both bone-in and boneless 3.5 pound pork shoulder - and both worked well! Cooking time was the same for both, ~7 hours on low. For some reason, the boneless produced a LOT more liquid than bone-in. When I made it with boneless, I took out the pork, poured the juices/onion into a Tupperware, and put the pork back in with the crockpot to shred. I poured in a little of the juice as needed to keep it moist. I tried skimming off the grease at the top of the juices, but gave up. Served with roasted okra (toss with olive oil & cajun seasoning, roast at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes), salad, and sweet Hawaiian rolls for pork sandwiches. DELISH!
Sue says
DROP AN ICE CUBE INTO SAUCE and fat will solidify. My granny taught me that trick and works well for me
Becky says
Is this a bone-in shoulder, or boneless?
Megan says
Becky - I saw Amy Taylor commented on the same question in October 2015. She said "Lisa uses boneless for this recipe"
I've used both boneless and bone-in, both worked well
Laura says
Could I use maple syrup instead of honey? I have an under-one-year-old and he can't have honey.
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
You can.
Arial M says
This is The. Best. Recipe. Ever.
I throw a whole pork shoulder in the pot and make pulled pork quesadillas and freezer burritos with the leftovers. The meat is SO flavorful without being overly spicy. It is quite a hit in my house. Thank you so much for sharing this awesome recipe!
Teri says
This recipe is AMAZING! We don't like bbq sauce, but I was craving pulled pork. This was a perfect dinner and created a lot of leftovers for our family of 3. Thanks again!
Emily says
This recipe was so easy but so delicious. My whole family loved it even the little ones. Next time I will have to make more. :)
Mary says
OH MY, this was amazing! My husband and I had 4 different meals with this, pulled pork X 2, pork tacos, and pork and potato foil packs! We are full time RVers, so this was perfect for a few meals! Thanks!!
Beth says
I skipped the honey and it was still great!! Thank you :)
Chance says
Just made this for a party and it was a hit! Didn't have any honey, so I substituted real maple syrup - awesome flavor. Perhaps the honey would have given it a sweeter kick, but the subtly of the syrup gave a nice counterpoint to the cayenne!
Rike says
Tried this recipe out last night for a casual dinner party. Served it with homemade coleslaw, gherkins and bread rolls. So easy to prepare and great to just sit down for dinner without last minute stress in the kitchen. Everyone loved it. Thanks for sharing!
Caroline says
Hi! So I did everything according to the recipe except cut the shoulder in half. Can I expect the same results? Thanks!
Gina says
This is the absolute best pulled pork recipe and the only one I will eat. I do not like BBQ sauce of any kind and this seasoning is the best.
Jen says
Hello! I am making this tomorrow and have a 7.5 lb roast. Do you recommend doubling the spices?
Thanks so much!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Jen. Apologies but we can rarely answer recipe questions in real time. How did it go?
Charles says
discard the onion after shredding the pork?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
That's up to you. :)