Very Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Slow cooker pulled pork is perfect for a meal any day of the week. It’s quick to prepare and is a real set it and forget it slow cooker recipe.

The slow cooked pork comes out soft and tender and full of flavour. Enjoy it in a brioche bun, on a jacket potato or as a tasty taco filling.

🛒 What You Need

1.5kg-2kg boneless shoulder pork
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp each of garlic and onion powder
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
200ml tomato ketchup
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

The Pork

The best pork to use in a pulled pork recipe is a boneless shoulder pork. I like to try and get the biggest one possible – just make sure it fits in your slow cooker!

I cooked this in a 6.5L capacity slow cooker and the pork shoulder weighed 2kg. It made enough to feed 5 of us generously for dinner, as well as plenty left over for lunches the next day.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Rub And Sauce

You can have a play about with the pulled pork rub and create a combination that suits you best. I like the following blend best;

Smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper.

This is my usual go to when making pulled pork, but sometimes I will add in a little cayenne pepper and/or chilli powder.

👩‍🍳 Making It

Step 1: Prepare The Pulled Pork Rub & Sauce

Mix the sugar, smoked paprika, garlic and onion powder together. Add the crushed garlic, tomato ketchup, white wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Combine everything until everything is well combined.

Alternatively, you can just mix the spices with some BBQ sauce. 

Step 2: Add Everything To The Slow Cooker

Simply add the pork shoulder joint to the slow cooker and pour the pulled pork rub/sauce over the top.

Do I Need To Marinate The Pork Before Adding It To The Slow Cooker?

Mostly I don’t marinate the pork – but you absolutely can. I usually miss out this step because I am not prepared enough the night before! It would make more sense to mix the pulled pork rub and sauce together the night before and rub it over the pork. This not only improves the taste, it’ll also save you precious time in the morning! But, if like me, you don’t seem to get round to this kind of thing of an evening, fear not, it still tastes amazing when made just before switching the slow cooker on.

Side Note: If you do choose to marinate it ahead of time, follow the same steps below but just leave it in the fridge overnight. I would recommend allowing the slow cooker pot to warm up to room temperature before switching the slow cooker on – just in case the switch from cold to hot cracks or damages the ceramic slow cooker pot.

Step 3 – Set The Slow Cooker Off

The best way to cook the pork is on low and for a long time, this will ensure that the pork is super soft and tender and quite literally just ‘pulls’ apart.

If you have the time, set it off on low for 8 hours. If you haven’t been able to put it on until later in the day, you can cook it on high and it should be ready in 4 hours.

Step 4: Turning It Into Pulled Pork

The pork is ready to be pulled apart when the cooking time is up. You can take the joint out and do it in a separate bowl or chopping board or just do it straight in the slow cooker pot. I tend to opt for the latter; if you do, just be really careful not to burn yourself on the slow cooker.

Use two forks to shred the pork; the pork should be soft enough that this is easy to do, with it falling apart easily. Once the pork has been suitably shredded, stir the pork around in the sauce until completely coated. 

Step 5: Serve The Pulled Pork

Our absolute favourite way of eating pulled pork is in brioche buns with a little coleslaw and some roast sweet potato also tastes great on the side. 

How To Store Pulled Pork

If you have any pulled pork left over, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It can be served cold in a sandwich or roll, or reheated and then eaten.

🧾 More Slow Cooker Recipes

• Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole
• Slow Cooker Beef Stew
• Slow Cooker Lasagne
• Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole
• Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken

👉 Recipe Card (Instructions + Print)

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

By Liana Green

Slow cooker pulled pork is easy to make with very few ingredients required. Pop it on in the morning and enjoy a delicious evening meal of pulled pork from the slow cooker!

4.41 from 112 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Slow Cooker Recipes

Servings 6 -8

Calories

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1.5 kg-2kg boneless shoulder pork
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 200 ml tomato ketchup
• Salt and pepper to taste optional

Instructions

 

• Mix the sugar, smoked paprika, garlic and onion powder together. Add the crushed garlic, tomato ketchup, white wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Combine everything until everything is well combined.
• Add the pork shoulder joint to the slow cooker and pour the pulled pork rub/sauce over the top.
• Set the slow cooker off on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
• The pork is ready to be pulled apart when the cooking time is up. You can take the joint out and do it in a separate bowl or chopping board or just do it straight in the slow cooker pot. I tend to opt for the latter; if you do, just be really careful not to burn yourself on the slow cooker.
• Serve the pulled pork in brioche buns with coleslaw, or in tacos, or with your favourite sides.

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Notes

Optional: Prepare the night before and store in the fridge – less work in the morning and a more taste intense pork!

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12/03/2024 08:12 pm GMT