Crockpot Pulled Pork Recipe – Barefoot In The Pines

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I’ve been making Slow Cooker Pulled Pork for my husband for over a decade—and it’s not just a dinner staple, it’s his most requested birthday meal (always with a side of homemade baked beans). Through all those years, I’ve learned exactly what makes it juicy, tender, and full of flavor, without being glued to the oven. This version is hands-off, oven-free, and easy enough for busy days but still special enough for celebrations. It’s a time-tested favorite in our house, and now I’m sharing it with you!

This recipe came out of pure necessity. My husband’s a huge BBQ fan, and I needed to figure out how to slow cook a big ol’ pork roast while baking a pot of beans with bacon at the same time. The problem was, I didn’t have the oven space—or the patience to hover over it all day.

Pulled pork demands low and slow cooking, so throwing it in the Crockpot was a no-brainer. It cooks itself while I go do literally anything else, and I still have the oven free for cornbread later. It ended up being the perfect solution.

Bonus: your whole house ends up smelling like a BBQ joint in the best possible way.

This recipe is also great for parties. You start it early, forget about it, then serve it straight from the slow cooker when it’s time to eat. No rushing, no reheating, no fuss. Just tender, juicy pork ready when you are.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Hands off cooking – With minimal prep time, hands off cooking, and no oven, it’s a “set it and forget it” recipe, with no searing required and hardly any chopping.
Makes a lot or a little – Perfect for a party, potluck, or BBQ, and can be scaled up or down for large crowds or family dinners.
Incredibly versatile – Pulled pork can be served and repurposed in a dozen different ways. I’ve included multiple suggestions in the section below.

Crockpot Pulled Pork Ingredients

You just need a few simple ingredients and a handful of spices to make this amazingly succulent shredded pork.

Raw beef on a tray, sliced onions and garlic, a bowl of spices, barbecue sauce, honey, and metal tongs arranged on a marble countertop.

Boston Butt or Pork Shoulder roast – see “Best Pork To Use” section for info on each. But these are my favorite cuts for pulled pork. They have great marbling and get fall-apart-tender after slow cooking.
Large yellow onion – cut into slices. These get super tender and shred in with the pork.
Fresh garlic – smashed. The garlic can be picked out later or shredded into the pork.
Spices – Chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cumin. It will look like a lot of spices at first, but it’s all needed to flavor the hunk of meat and the accumulated juices in the end.
Salt and ground black pepper
BBQ sauce – Use your favorite barbecue sauce. My favorite store bought brand is Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Barbecue. If you want a fun, homemade version, try my Blueberry BBQ Sauce.
Apple cider vinegar– I don’t like adding too much liquid to the slow cooker, but adding the apple cider vinegar cuts through the richness of the pork and the sweetness of the BBQ sauce. It makes everything balanced in the end.

How to Make Barbecue Pulled Pork in a Slow Cooker

Step 1

Spray the crock of a slow cooker with cooking spray and distribute the onions and garlic in an even layer.

Raw pork roast placed on top of sliced onions and garlic in a white slow cooker.

Place the roast on top of the onions and garlic.

A seasoned pork roast sits on a bed of sliced onions inside a white slow cooker before cooking.

Sprinkle the pork with the spices, salt, and pepper.

Step 2

A pork roast in a slow cooker topped with barbecue sauce and seasonings, with sliced onions underneath.

Pour in 1 cup of the BBQ sauce and the apple cider vinegar.

A cooked piece of meat covered in dark sauce sits in a white slow cooker with reddish-brown liquid around it.

Cook the pork on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours. The internal temperature should read 205°F on an instant-read meat thermometer.

Step 3

When the cooking is done, transfer the pork to a cutting board and cover it with foil to rest for 25 minutes.

Step 4

Close-up of shredded cooked pork with a metal fork partially visible at the top.

When the pork has rested and is cool enough to handle, shred it with two forks or meat claws.

Shredded pulled pork covered in barbecue sauce sits in a white dish filled with juices.

Skim the fat off the cooking liquid in the Crockpot and return the shredded meat to the slow cooker. Add the remaining BBQ sauce.

Close-up of shredded Pork in a rich, reddish-brown sauce inside a white dish.

Mix well into the shredded pork and serve.

The Best Pork To Use For Pulled Pork

For pulled pork I love using either of these two cuts:
➤ Pork butt (Boston butt)
➤ Pork shoulder (picnic shoulder or picnic roast)

Both have an excellent fat-to-meat ratio and cook up super flavorful and tender. Bone-in or boneless roasts work equally as well!

Pork Butt vs. Pork Shoulder

➤ Pork butt → more fat, super tender, and easy to shred. It sits higher on the animal’s foreleg, close to the back.
➤ Pork shoulder → a little leaner, but still flavorful and juicy. Picnic shoulder is found lower down on the foreleg.

Using Pork Loin

➤ Pork loin, pork tenderloin, and pork prime roast can be used. These cuts are much leaner, and won’t get fall-apart tender like a Boston butt, but they still make tasty pulled pork. I use these all the time when they’re on sale or if I have an extra roast in my freezer.

Top Tip:

➤ Skip any roasts with added water or flavoring. These cuts have no flavor and water down your sauce in the end.

Shredded braised beef arranged in a pile on a baking tray.

Substitutions & Variations for Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

Try any of these flavorful variations that are all just as simple as this base recipe.

Mexican pulled pork – add chipotle seasoning or a diced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce for extra spice. Double the cumin in the spice rub as well.
Hawaiian style pulled pork – swap the cider vinegar for pineapple juice and add diced pineapple to the crockpot while cooking. Serve on Hawaiian rolls for BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders.
Fruity and savory – swap out all or some of the BBQ sauce for peach preserves or Apple Butter (for the fall). Or use my Homemade Blueberry BBQ Sauce for a fruity New England twist!
Sweeten the pot– add 1/4 cup of brown sugar or maple syrup to the Crockpot during cooking, or drizzle on some Hot Honey after shredding!

Tips For Cooking Pork Roast In The Crockpot

After a lot of trial and error to make this the very best recipe, these are my top suggestions for great results every time.

If there’s a thick layer of fat (a fat cap), you can trim some of it away before cooking, or remove it after cooking. I find it’s super easy to remove (and less messy) after cooking. Don’t over-trim, though; the fat adds flavor.
Some shoulder roasts have a thick layer of skin attached; have the butcher remove it at the grocery store, or remove it yourself before cooking.
Cook the roast fat side up so that the fat runs down into the meat. This will make the spices more flavorful and keep the pork roast moist as it cooks.
The roast is safe to eat at 145°F, but the collagen and connective tissue break down at 200-205°F. This is what makes the pork fall apart and shred easily. Don’t be tempted to shred the pork too early.
It’s important to give the cooked meat time to rest. This redistributes the juices throughout the roast and relaxes the muscle fiber.

How to Serve Pulled Pork

There is a million and one ways to serve pulled pork, but these are my favorites!

A pulled pork sandwich with barbecue sauce, coleslaw, and pickle slices on a white plate, with a bowl of pickles in the background.

What to Serve with Pulled Pork

How to Store Leftovers

Allow the meat to cool completely before covering and storing. Store leftover pulled pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Can I Freeze BBQ Pulled Pork?

Yes! Store the shredded pork in a freezer safe bag or container in the freezer for up to two months. Thaw before reheating and refresh with a little extra BBQ sauce if necessary.

How to Reheat Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

To reheat pulled pork, bake in a baking dish covered with foil at 350°F for 15–25 minutes, or in the microwave for 1–2 minutes until heated through.

Cooking Pork Butt In The Crockpot FAQs

How much pulled pork per person?

If I’m serving pork on a plate as the main entree, I serve 1 cup per person. For sandwiches, I portion ½ cup per person.

What liquid do you put in a slow cooker for pulled pork?

I add just a little apple cider vinegar. Boston butt and pork shoulder roasts release plenty of liquid on their own, so there’s no need to add more. If you’re using a leaner cut like pork loin, add a bit of broth to keep it moist. A can of dark soda like Dr. Pepper or root beer is also a popular option for extra flavor, but I’ve never needed it.

How long does it take to cook pulled pork in a slow cooker?

For a 4 lb pork shoulder or Boston butt roast, cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours. For larger roasts or faster cooking, cut the meat in half to keep it tender and shredable.

Do I need to sear the pork roast before slow cooking?

Searing the meat doesn’t add enough flavor or texture to make it worth the trouble, so I don’t sear the pork before slow cooking. This is a set it and forget it recipe.

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A white bowl filled with shredded barbecue pulled pork in sauce, surrounded by side dishes including coleslaw and pickles.

4 lbs Boston Butt or Pork Shoulder roast (see note)
1/2 large yellow onion cut into slices
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon chili Powder
1 tablespoon garlic Powder
1 tablespoon onion Powder
1 tablespoon smoked Paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse Kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups prepared BBQ Sauce, divided
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Spray the crock of a slow cooker with cooking spray and distribute the onions in an even layer. Add the smashed garlic as well.
Place the pork roast on top of the onions and garlic and sprinkle with the spices, salt and pepper.
Pour on 1 cup of the BBQ Sauce and the 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar.
Cook the pork on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 205℉ on an instant read meat thermometer.
When the cooking is done, transfer the pork to a cutting board and cover it with foil to rest for 25 minutes. Once the pork has rested and is cool enough to handle, shred it with two forks.
Skim as much of the fat off the remaining liquid in the slow cooker and then return the shredded pork to the Crockpot. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce and mix it into pork.
You can serve immediately or hold in the Crockpot on the “keep warm” setting, covered, for up to 2 hours.

Boston butt usually comes bone in, where as pork shoulder can be either bone in or boneless. I have used both boneless and bone in with no noticeable difference. Choose the pork roast that has the best fat marbling and works in your family’s budget.

Cuisine American, BBQ Recipes, Comfort Food

Course BBQ, Crockpot, Dinner, Party Food, Slow Cooker Recipes

barefootinthepines.com (Article Sourced Website)

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