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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.
Cheryl says
I've made pulled pork in my crockpot quite often, but this is the BEST recipe that I've tried. All my family raved about it. I used Smoked Paprika instead of regular paprika, and it honestly tasted like it had been sitting in a smoker all day long. Will definitely be making this only from now on. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Kelly says
Once again, Lisa's recipe is a hit! We made the cornbread, asian coleslaw, and pulled pork. Everything was very good, but this pulled pork was the best I've ever had. It was excellent!
Michelle says
Made this tonight and everyone loved it!! I used tenderloin (did not cut in half), Italian herb mix instead of just thyme. I did not have a fresh onion but rehydrated some. It did end up being pretty spicy. I put all of the cayenne in. I took out most of the sauce, shredded it in the pot and added 2 1/4 cup of chicken broth to tone it down. Served with wild rice and vinegar base slaw.
It was so easy. Did this with newborn in my arms and a two year old "helping".
Melissa says
This may be a silly question, but I see Boston Butt Pork Roasts at the store in 7-10 lb packages. Your recipe says 3-3.5 lbs (cut in half). So are you using a 7 lb roast and cutting it in half for the recipe? Or are you using a 3.5 lb roast and cutting it in half?
Thanks! Can't wait to try this recipe!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Melissa. The total weight of the pork in 3-3.5. :) ~Amy
Cindy G says
Great recipe! We used a pork tenderloin, and I reduced most of the sauce in a pan for about thirty minutes before dinner. Next time, I plan to double the sauce and have a larger reduction as the sauce was very, very tasty!
Maggie says
If you use a pork tenderloin, there probably won't be as much fat. And may not take as long to cook in Crockpot.
Michelle says
Do I buy the pork shoulder with the bone in and then cut in half?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Michelle. Lisa has used both bone in and bone out. ~Amy
Laurie R. says
I'm trying this tonight along with the whole wheat chocolate cake. My house smells amazing. I'm so excited to NOT use bottle barbecue sauce. I plan on pairing it with rice and chopped salad.
Amber F says
Worked great, even in my smaller (4qt) crock pot! I cut the pork (about 2 lbs) in half to make it fit, but I used about the same amount of seasoning. Came out great. Well, next time I might cut back on the cayenne to taste, but this was yummy! I ate it in a lettuce wrap...no need to add anything else! Thank you! Can't wait to get the cookbook!
Valerie says
This is an amazing recipe!! I tried it tonight (actually started cooking around noon), and it turned out to be great. I made a small change though... I thought I had paprika at home, but I was wrong. Therefore, I replaced it with 1.5 tablespoons of creole seasoning and 1.5 tablespoons of chilly powder. I am going to make pulled-pork quesadilla with the leftover for tomorrow's dinner. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe :)
By the way, last weekend I also followed your another recipe and made a loaf of honey whole wheat sandwich bread. Also taste amazing.
Katie says
How long will this keep in the freezer? I'm looking for meals that I can put together before my baby is born. Has anyone tried seasoning the pork, freezing it raw, and cooking it later? Or would I be better off cooking and then freezing?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Katie. You could do it either way. If you freeze first, just be sure to defrost before you start your cooking process. ~Amy
Kathy says
To eliminate some of the grease, make sure you cut as much fat off you can.
Lisa says
Kathy - I think the fat (on any piece of meat) adds lots of great flavor!
Heather says
I wonder how this recipe would turn out with beef instead of pork.
Toby Witte says
We tried this tonight, loved it and shared our experience:
http://thesegirlslovefood.blogspot.com/2014/01/pulled-pork.html
Thanks a bunch!
Laurie says
Silly question... when you shred the pork, do you leave it in the crock pot with all the juice or take it out?
Lisa says
I take it out because I am usually transferring it to a nicer serving bowl, but I do spoon some of the juices over top :)
kat says
Depends how easily it shreds and how much meat I have. I usually take the meat out, shred it on a board and put it back and mix well with the juices. But if I make small amount I shred it directly in the pot.
Carol Smith says
HI !! Just put it in the crock pot for tomorrow night dinner. Loved the blend of spices and real food, not processed.
Kate says
Hi!
We just made this today. Very good and pork was super tender but ours turned out really oily?? Any advice for next time?
Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Kate. This is a cut of pork that is not lacking in fat...by design. You can use the liquids in the bottom of the crock more or less depending on your tastes for the fatty juices. ~Amy
Vickie Fahey says
I am excited to try this! I actually have a pork loin roast in my fridge - can that be used instead of the pork shoulder?
Bill says
You may find that pork loin does not have enough fat and the texture of the meat might seem dry and grainy. You can put a couple slices of raw bacon on top as it cooks. Drain some of the fat (but leave a few tablespoons in) before you shred it. The fat offers flavor and "mouth-feel"
Normally when making pulled pork over a smoker, the fat renders out and self-bastes the meat to keep it moist.
Pam says
Can Xylitol be used instead of honey? Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Pam. Xylitol is not something we use, so we really can't advise about cooking with it. Sorry.~Amy
deb King says
This is spicy byt absolutely the best recipe I have made for pulled prok
Abi says
hi, can this be made the same with beef??? we don't eat pork
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Abi. I've seen similar methods done with a chuck roast. ~Amy
Zoe says
I don't have a slow cooker, could I make this in the oven on a low heat?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Zoe. We've not tried this in the oven but I am sure that it can be done. There are many recipes out there for oven roasted pulled pork. You could use Lisa's recipe and follow one of those for guidance on cooking time and temp. ~Amy
Deanna says
Would this recipe work with a pork loin?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Deanna. For this recipe to work, you need a higher fat piece of pork. Loin is too lean. ~Amy
Sandra Mendoza says
Way too spicy! I will cut down on the paprika and cayenne next time. Also cut down on the salt. But the flavor is good. I cooked on high for 5 hours.
Trish says
What do you do with the onion? Discard or mix in with the pork?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Trish. Lisa discards hers but you could combine it with the pork if you'd like. ~Amy
Monica says
AMAZING! I followed this recipe to a T and it is by far the best pulled pork I've ever had! I couldn't have added bbq sauce if I wanted to... it is too good just the way it is! I did use pink himalayan salt and organic cayenne pepper... so that must make the difference on not making it too salty or spicy?? I almost reduced it because of all the negative comments but glad I didn't because this turned out great! Thanks again!
Sally says
When your recipes call for salt, what type of salt do you mean? Kosher, table, sea salt? 2T of table salt seems like a lot, but 2T of a coarser salt doesn't. My hubby is a wimp when it comes to spice so I'll start with 1/4t of cayenne then increase if I think it needs it after I shred it.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Sally. Lisa uses Real Salt or Celtic Sea Salt. ~Amy
Lisa says
Too salty but will try again with a little less salt
Hannah says
Wow! Delicious! My boyfriend and I like sweeter pulled pork so I left out the cayenne all together (based on everyone's reviews). I will definitely be making this again!
Angie says
I made this last night for New Years Eve. (Along with the your Asian Coleslaw and your cornbread.) Absolutely FANTASTIC!! I did cut the cayenne down by half...as I wanted my kids to be able to eat it. Everyone LOVED it. 5 stars for all 3 recipes. (For some reason, my computer wont let me click on 5 stars. ODD. But definitely a 5 star recipe.)
Margaret says
This was awesome!! My husband is a BBQ fanatic and I have tried numerous recipes for "pulled pork". Delicious. We did drizzle just a touch of "Bone Sucking Sauce" as it was "on the safe list". For a BBQ that is not smoked, this rocked. Thank You!
Laura says
This was way too spicy. I cut the salt from reading it was too salty but also should have cut the cayenne. I think I prefer a sweeter pulled pork. It was very tender but I probably won't make this again.
Jessica says
I made this for my husband and I on Christmas. It (and the leftovers) was delicious! It has a spice to it, which tasted great. I'll definitely make this again!
Sibylle Jestel says
Loved it!
Yes, it was a bit too spicy the first time we made it, but we reduced the amount of pepper and salt and it is just perfect.
The best pulled pork recipe ever and we will stick with it! Especially love the "natural" ingredients...
Allissa says
We love spicy food, and I was so excited about this, but something went wrong. It was so spicy none of us could eat it, so I'm not sure if I accidentally mixed the paprika & cayenne pepper? Anyway, I'd like to try it again, but I'm afraid of ruining more meat!! Might try it without the cayenne at all.
Alicia says
I made this for dinner tonight along with the cheesy hashbrowns. Yum! I did reduce the salt by 1/4 and thought it was perfect. I liked the spicy flavor as did my husband; next time I might reduce the spice a little bit for my kids. The cheesy hashbrowns were awesome and that's going to be my new cheesy hashbrown recipe!
Crystal says
For those of you who said the recipe was salty either you can reduce the salt or you can boil the pork for a little while to help reduce the salt levels in the pork itself.
Hunny says
Or use pork that is not injected with a sodium solution!
ScampsGirl says
Pork by nature is salty. Made it
Without any salt and half the cayenne = perfect!!
Suzanne Masland says
Great recipe, but I did reduce the salt to 1 tblsp. of course sea salt and 1/2 tsp. cayenne. Yummy!
Angela says
Oh my gosh, Delicious!! Five empty plates after a meal in our house, equals success!
Sandy says
I used a 5.25 pork shoulder and followed this recipe exactly. It was already cooking in the crockpot when I read reviewers comments of the saltiness. I was so nervous but hoped for the best. After 7hrs, I took the pork out. I didn't put any of the liquid over the meat and its a good thing I didn't bc the liquid was quite salty. my piece of meat was big enough that it wasn't swimming in the liquid. I could see how people's meat was salty if it was entirely covered in the liquid. While shredding it, I was impressed of the awesome flavor. I brought it to the potluck dinner along with some trader joes pull apart rolls and it was a huge hit! We ate it for lunch the following day and my husband thought it tasted even better. People were asking for the recipe and saying how it was money pork!!