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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.
Terri says
Can this be done in an oven? If so, at what temperature and for how long?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Terri. Here is a similar recipe cooked in a dutch oven: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-and-shred-a-pork-s-79485. ~Amy
christina says
If I do not have 7-8 hours can I do it on high 4-6 hours?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi there. Other readers have cooked on high for about that amount of time. We have not tried. ~Amy
Jo says
Loved this recipe, made some alterations because I didn't have a few things. For a 2kg pork shoulder joint, I used 3tsp hot paprika, pinch chilli flakes, 1tsp salt, plenty of black pepper, 1tsp dried garlic, 1 tsp dried mixed herbs, 2tbsp runny honey, 2tbsp rice vinegar, 1tsp onion powder and a tbsp of olive oil.
Thanks so much for posting
(Unfortunately the stars won't allow me to give anything above a one, so left those)
Carrie says
This is so tasty! I took a chance and made it for the first time for a birthday party. Everyone loved it. I actually made it with a 4 lb pork shoulder that did not have a layer of fat on top (it was all I could find at the store). I used the same amount of other ingredients. I actually cooked it the day before, stored it in the refrigerator overnight, and heated it back up in the slow cooker the next day. Even two days later, the leftovers are excellent!
Jen says
I made this yesterday and it was THE BOMB! No adaptations necessary in my opinion.
Jerina says
This is my NEW pulled pork recipe go to! Loved it!
kathleen says
great flavor, but holy moly was way more spicy than me and the hubs are used too LOL will be making it again minus the spice ;)
mswt says
I tried this recipe last week and it was a hit with the hubby and the teenage boy. The only ingredient that was modified was the red wine winegar. I ran out and had to substitute with cider vinegar. It still tastes amazing. The boys loved the heat from the cayenne peppers and it wasn't overly sweet. I'd tried many pulled pork recipes and also store-bought pouch mix, but they never got any good reviews. Thanks for this great receipe!!
Georganna says
I made this last night with about 2 pounds of pork tenderloin because that's what I had on hand. I did 1/2 the salt and 1/2 the cayenne and it was still pretty spicy! Too much so for my kiddos. My husband LOVED it however. It had great flavor considering it was a crock pot meal. I had given up on my crockpot for a while because I felt like every meal just had very little flavor. This is the exception! Thank you!!
sunnypsy0p says
Made a variation on this and it worked out great. I omit the thyme, cayenne, and eschewed powdered garlic for whole cloves of fresh garlic which I scored and let rest in the bottom with the onion halves. Traded the wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar, as I am serving this with a tart apple coleslaw. I did not trim the round at all before putting it in the pot, and I let it cook on low for 24 hours instead of 8, basting often until the liquid pretty much covered the round. Once it was finished I let it cool and drizzled a very light amount of my favourite BBQ sauce... it is wonderful, and so tender it practically melts in your mouth! Next time I will use brown sugar instead of the honey for a richer taste.
To reduce waste:
I ended up with a lot of liquid after, which I set aside until the fat rose. Scooped off the fat, combined it with the parts I picked off the round, and refrigerated to add a small amount to my dog's food in the mornings (he approves of the recipe, too). The rest of the liquid I poured into ice trays, froze, and bagged for easy little nuggets of flavour to create gravy, soups, etc with in the future! I tossed out the onion and garlic that was in the bottom of the pan, but the onion strips would have made decent fixin's for the top of my sliders if you're a big onion fan.
Tracy says
I made this recipe over the weekend and LOVED it! No extra sauce was required! It had heat and sweetness. I did make a few adjustments - I made the marinade/paste the night before and drizzled it over the pork and let it set over night in the fridge. After the 8 hours of cook time, I shredded the pork and my husband thought it was a little too spicy, so I added an extra drizzle of honey and 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar and it was PERFECT! Our dinner party loved it! I definitely plan on making it again.
Sarah says
Just made this and then realized I only had 2 pounds of pork shoulder....not 3. I followed the recipe to the letter except the salt which I used 1 1/2 tbp's instead. Will the flavour be overkill? Should I spoon some sauce out? It's on,y been in the crock pot for about 15 min
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Sarah. How did it turn out? ~Amy
Jess says
Really good but both my husband and I thought it was WAY too salty. I will use the recipe again but halve the salt to 1 tbs or omit it completely.
Nic says
I have frozen pork sirloin in the fridge and wonder if I could use it to replace pork shoulder? And can I put frozen pork in the crockpot or do I need to thaw it out first. Thank you.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Nic. This recipe calls for a pork cut that is high in fat. It will otherwise turn out dry and not shred well. Also, you should always defrost your meat before cooking it in a crock pot. ~Amy
Lucy says
I wondered if water is supposed to be added to this. I don't see a reference to it, but I did see where someone advised to "add a little more water." Did I totally overlook it?
Thank you!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Lucy. Nope, this dish generates plenty of its own juices. ~Amy
Jodie says
Thank you thank you for this recipe! I have ms an follow a paleo diet and this was a huge hit for both me and my husband. We like it very spicy so we added a little more cayenne and it was perfecto!
melissa says
i have put that "sauce" on pork, beef and chicken. it is amazing delicious. i am from texas and stereotypically feel strongly about my bbq sauce. this passed with flying colors at our house!
Sharon says
I have made this a few times I have altered it a little replaced two tablespoons of regular paprika with smoked and added a teaspoon of marmite, it was absolutely gorgeous
Emily says
Hi, I'm cooking this tomorrow night... Do I leave the pork rind on the pork shoulder on or off?
Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Emily. You do not want to remove the fat. ~Amy
Amy says
This was delicious! I had a lot of pan juice so I made a Barbeque sauce after skimming the fat by adding tomato paste, minced garlic and a little Worcestershire and simmering in a sauce pan til thickened. Will make again. Thank you!
Natasha says
Hi there! I'm making this for the second time. The first time it came out AAAAAMAZING! I'm totally in love. But as I'm making it this evening something has gone terribly awry! The sauce is at the bottom and seems blackened, the pork shoulder is tough but thoroughly cooked. It's as if the fats didn't release their delicious oils.... I have it set to low just like last time, followed everything in the recipe and I'm not sure how it happened. :( I'm so bummed! Any insight from anyone as to what May have happened? The only difference this time is I had bone in pork shoulder....
Thanks
Erica says
Natasha. I have had the same thing happen before. I add extra water to my crock pot to make sure it doesn't happen. I always set my crock pot to the hr. mark but never let it go the full 10 hrs. too. Hope this helps
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi there. Did the shoulder have a good layer of fat? ~Amy
Allyssa says
Did you make sure the layer of fat was on top?
Chris says
Have tried this twice and it's been an absolute winner. Like others I halved the cayenne pepper and the taste was spot on for everyone.
Kerry says
I started with only salt and pepper in my cupboard and I was pleased to see how cheap the remaining ingredients were. My husband and I loved how this turned out. He's still raving about it. Thank you so much for sharing this rwci
Taylor says
Made this tonight and my whole family loved it! I served them in a soft taco with a citrus cole slaw. My father cannot stop raving how great it is, both he and my brother had 3 each! Followed the directions exactly. Thank you!!!
Julie says
I made this yesterday and it was a hit!! Everyone loved it. :) Thank you!
Beth says
I made this today along with your Cheesy Potato Casserole. Both recipes were a hit! Thanks so much for such delicious real food recipes!
Keith says
Ooops! Forgot to rate it. Yes, best pulled pork ever if you follow my instructions?
Keith says
This recipe can produce excellent results but you need to do the following: when you take the pork out to shred, set a mesh strainer over a heatproof bowl. Pour the mixture from the slow cooker through the strainer and save the solids to return to the slow cooker later. Set the strained liquid aside. Pull your pork, then return it to slow cooker. Use a spoon to skim and discard the fat from the surface of the strained cooking liquid, and then add back to the slow cooker along with solids. Let your pulled pork sit in this seasoned liquid until ready to serve. Voila, best pulled pork ever!
Colleen says
I made this pulled pork tonight and followed the recipe exactly. It turned out great! My husband had 3 helpings . . . and can't stop raving about it! The kids liked it too! I served it with Parmesan potato wedges (also made in a crock pot), green beans, and cornbread. Thank you for the recipe!
RP says
I tried this yesterday (followed the recipe with all ingredients) and really didn't like it very much...the pork was tender but the flavor wasn't good. Added some bbq sauce to make it palatable. Wish it was the best, but I'll have to try a different recipe.
Amy says
I give this a million stars!! Both my husband & I loved it, happily ate leftovers for days. & I'm making it again this week per his request. I added a tiny bit of BBQ sauce on top when I dished it out, but really it doesn't need it. Hubby says it tastes like. "Hawaiian pork." Whatever it is, it's amazing. I halved the salt & will use even less this time. Was almost too salty still. Whoever commented to put the pork in a stand mixer to shred was a genius. I'm going to use that method for any kind of meat shredding.
Karen says
Trying this tonight! I have been trying to follow Paleo eating for awhile and it is hard to do for someone that loves flavor! Your recipes help! Thank you for doing what you do! :)
Amanda says
I am so excited to try this recipe. I have it started in my crock pot for dinner tonight. Thank you for this recipe, and your website. I am so excited to start cutting out processed foods and your information is making it deliciously possible.
Skye says
Made this tonight for dinner. My younger boys (6 & 8) thought it was too spicy but we added some coleslaw to the sandwiches and that made it sooooo super yummy by cooling it down a bit for those of us with more sensitive taste buds. My 17 year old son and my boyfriend loved it though!!!
Beau says
Curious where the onion came from, I didn't see it listed in the ingredients. Is that a whole onion you place on the bottom? Do you cut it in half? What do you do with it afterwards? Does it get incorporated into the pork? Or do you discard it?
Lori elliott says
Beau.. it does have the onion in the ingredients…. I made this yesterday and it was incredible!! I did discard the onion though…I hope yours turns out wonderful!!
Stacey says
I tried this recipe tonight. I didn't have 8 hours to cook before dinner so I cooked it on high for 5 hours and it was very tender and shredded easily. I didn't care for the sauce and was still very spicy despite using half if the recommended amount of cayenne. It tasted too much like paprika. Maybe that's because I used Hungarian paprika? I'm not sure. I took the meat out, shredded it, and added bottled BBQ sauce and it turned out pretty good that way.
Kelley says
Made this today, I used apple cider vinegar and no cayenne pepper or thyme and it really is the best pulled pork thank you for another awesome recipe!! now im making some coleslaw to go with it :o)
Angie D says
Making this today for the big game!! Go Seahawks!!!!!!!
Val says
Just put all the ingredients together and left in the crockpot. I am using pork tenderloin. Hope it turns out! Thanks for the super easy Super Bowl recipe!
Colleen says
I am excited to see how this turns out. I am making it for the Super Bowl party this afternoon. Thank you for sharing an easy recipe.
GO BRONCOS!