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8 h 20 min
|
easy
|
high-protein
This slow cooker BBQ pulled pork comes out unbelievably tender, juicy, and packed with sweet-smoky flavor.
It is a great make-ahead option for game day, potlucks, or easy weeknight sandwiches that everyone can customize.
A simple mix of pantry sauces, spices, and broth does all the work, while your slow cooker keeps the pork melt-in-your-mouth.
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Trim any very thick fat caps from the pork butt, leaving a thin layer for flavor.
Cut the pork into large chunks about the size of your fist so they fit easily in the slow cooker.
Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic so they melt into the sauce while cooking.
Pour the beef broth into the slow cooker and whisk in the beef bouillon powder until mostly dissolved.
Add the BBQ sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and apple cider vinegar, and whisk until the mixture looks smooth.
Stir in the brown sugar, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper until fully combined.
Scatter the chopped onion and minced garlic into the sauce and gently stir to distribute them evenly.
Nestle the pork chunks into the sauce, turning them so every piece is coated on all sides.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
Do not lift the lid during cooking unless needed because heat loss can add significant time.
Transfer the cooked pork to a large bowl, leaving the cooking liquid and onions in the slow cooker.
Use two forks to shred the pork into bite-size pieces, discarding large pieces of fat as you go.
Skim excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid, then taste and adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar if needed.
Stir the butter into the hot sauce until melted for a silky, glossy finish.
Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and stir until every strand is coated in the sauce.
Let the pork sit on warm for 15 to 20 minutes so it absorbs more of the sauce.
Serve piled onto toasted buns, over rice, in tacos, or with roasted vegetables and a crunchy slaw.
| Energy | 392 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 32 | g |
| Total Fat | 20 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 19 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
This cozy slow cooker BBQ pulled pork shines with simple sides like cornbread, coleslaw, and dill pickles.
Try folding leftovers into mac and cheese, stuffing baked sweet potatoes, or topping nachos for an easy second-night dinner.
A splash of hot sauce or pickled jalapenos on top adds brightness and a little kick.
These sides complement the meal beautifully.
Debra, San Jose, CA: Wow! This is the best pulled pork I've ever made! It actually shredded up perfect! All my slow cooker pork has been kinda dry. The flavor was really good!*I didnt have beef bouillon so that was vetoed from the recipe. I only had about 2.5 lbs of pork so I added a little extra bbq sauce, and used red onion instead of white, plus a splash more vinegar.Im impressed! 😊
: So glad it worked well for you, Debra!
Sarah, Milwaukee, WI: This slow cooker BBQ pulled pork turned out ridiculously good. Super tender, easy to shred, and the sauce had that perfect sweet, smoky, tangy thing going on without tasting flat or overly sugary. I made it for sandwiches one night and then used the leftovers for tacos and loaded sweet potatoes, and it stayed juicy every time. A few changes I made that I think really helped: - I browned the pork chunks first in a hot skillet with a little oil (instead of going straight into the slow cooker). Totally optional, but it added a deeper, roasted flavor that made the final pork taste less “slow cooker soft” and more like it had some real BBQ character. - I cut the broth down to 1/2 cup because my BBQ sauce was on the thinner side and I did not want a soupy finished sauce. It still cooked perfectly and there was plenty of liquid to keep everything moist. - I used low sodium soy sauce and skipped the added 1/2 tsp salt until the end. Between the bouillon, BBQ sauce, soy sauce, and Worcestershire, it can get salty fast depending on brands. Waiting to salt at the end let me dial it in exactly right. - I added a pinch of chipotle powder with the smoked paprika because I like a little heat and it gave the sauce a subtle smoky kick without turning it into spicy pulled pork. - After shredding, I skimmed the fat and then left the sauce on high with the lid cracked for about 20 minutes to reduce a bit before adding the butter. That made the sauce cling to the meat instead of pooling at the bottom. Final result was fall apart tender, saucy in the best way, and the onions and garlic basically melted into the sauce like the recipe promises. This one is 100 percent going into the regular rotation.
: Happy it’s going into the regular rotation, Sarah!
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