Easy to make with six ingredients, Crock Pot Pulled Pork infused with spices and brown sugar practically melts in your mouth with each tender bite! This simple barbecue-style recipe is great for serving piled high on sandwich buns or as a main dish and is terrific when you’re feeding a crowd.
Serve it with Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce, Creamy Cole Slaw, and the Best Baked Beans. This is a meal that rivals any BBQ joint!
Easy Crock Pot Pulled Pork Recipe
From the time-honored techniques and pride in preserving regional flavors, pulled pork is serious business in North Carolina. My recipe for delicious Crock Pot Pulled Pork honors those traditions in an easy, affordable recipe that I’ve been proud to serve my family and friends for years.
This recipe is even easier with the right equipment! Discover my top slow cooker recommendations and make your cooking effortless.
What Is Pulled Pork?
Deeply rooted in Southern barbecue culture, pulled pork is an iconic dish that folks have loved for years. It’s made by slow-cooking or smoking a pork shoulder or pork butt until it becomes easily shredded or “pulled” apart tender. Whether it’s served as pork sandwiches (my favorite) or on a tray with pickles, a couple of sides, and white bread, pulled pork is a classic that makes my mouth water just thinking about how delicious it is!
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Crock Pot Pulled Pork Recipe Ingredients
- Boston Butt Pork Roast – bone-in or boneless can be used.
- Onion – yellow onion, Vidalia, or red onion are great for this recipe.
- Brown Sugar
- Granulated Sugar
- Kosher Salt – you can also add pepper if desired.
- Dried Mustard – dried cumin can also be used as a substitute,
- Paprika – for a smoky flavor, you can use smoked paprika.
Scroll Down For Measurement And Instructions
What Is The Best Cut Of Meat For Pulled Pork?
Pulled pork is most often made with a “Boston butt,” a cut of meat from the shoulder of a pig. The pork shoulder, sometimes called a pork loin roast, has the ideal amount of fat and connective tissues that create tender and juicy pulled pork. You can use either a bone-in or boneless shoulder for pulled pork.
Do I Need To Add Liquid To This Recipe?
Nope, you don’t need to add any liquid. It might seem strange, but the fat in the pork and the moisture from the onions add all that’s needed to make the meat tender, succulent and juicy.
How To Make Slow Cooked Pulled Pork In The Crock Pot
- Make the dry rub seasoning and liberally sprinkle it over the pork.
- Cover and put in the fridge for an hour, but preferably overnight.
- Lightly spray the crock pot with cooking spray and place the sliced onions on the bottom of the pot. Place the pork shoulder on top of the onions.
- Place the lid on and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 8 hours.
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker, reserve the juices from the pot, and discard the onions.
- Place the roast back in the slow cooker and shred it with 2 forks. Add some of the cooking juices to moisten the pork if needed.
The Best Way To Shred Pulled Pork
It’s super easy to shred the meat for this Southern pulled pork crock pot recipe. Here’s how:
- Remove the roast from the crock pot, remove the onions, and drain off the juices. Reserve about half a cup of liquid for later.
- Place the roast back in the crock pot. Grab two forks and shred the cooked pork roast.
- Lightly drizzle the cooking liquid over the cooked shredded pork if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to cook a 5-7 pound Boston butt. It easily fits into a 6-quart or larger crock pot. When I need to feed lots of people, I cook a second pork butt in another slow cooker.
When the pork is fully cooked, it should be incredibly tender and easily pull apart. Also, the pork should have a rich, browned exterior and a juicy, moist interior.
What To Serve With Crock Pot Pulled Pork
Sauces For A Sandwich Or On The Side
- Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce – apple cider vinegar-based that’s hot and peppery.
- Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce – yellow mustard and spices with a tangy, bold flavor.
- Alabama White Sauce – light and zesty mayonnaise-based sauce.
Easy To Make Side Dishes Perfect For Pulled Pork
- Coleslaw – Creamy Coleslaw, BBQ Red Slaw, Pineapple Coleslaw.
- Pasta Salad – Creamy Tomato Cucumber Pasta Salad, Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad, Best Caprese Pasta Salad, Deviled Egg Pasta Salad.
- Potatoes – Cheesy Ranch Potatoes In Foil Packs, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes.
- Veggies – Southern Style Green Beans, Candied Yams, Air Fryer Corn On The Cob.
Leftover Storage Tips
Leftover pulled pork will stay fresh in sealed, airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat, on the stove top on low or in the microwave until heated through.
This juicy, tender meat freezes really well! I like to package leftovers in containers, label them, and freeze them for later meals. This recipe is great for getting creative with all kinds of leftovers.
More Of My Favorite Crock Pot Recipes
If you tried this Crock Pot Pulled Pork Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Rub
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 3 tablespoons coarse salt
Making the BBQ
- 1 (5 to 7 lb) pork roast/Boston butt
- 1 large onion cut into thick slices (optional)
Instructions
- Mix all dry rub ingredients together in a bowl. Rub the "rub" all over the pork roast.
- Cover and put in the fridge for an hour but preferably overnight.
- Lightly coat slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Line bottom of cooker with the onion slices and place the roast on top.
- Set to cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.
- Remove the roast from the crock pot, and drain off the juices. Reserve about half a cup of liquid for later. Discard the onions.
- Place the roast back in the crock pot. Grab two forks and shred the cooked pork roast. Lightly drizzle the cooking liquid over the cooked shredded pork if needed.
- Serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Leftover pulled pork will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3–4 days in sealed, airtight containers. Reheat, on the stovetop on low or in the microwave until heated through.
- To freeze, I like to package leftovers in containers, label them, and stash them in the freezer for later meals. Freeze pulled pork for up to 3 months.
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- Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce – apple cider vinegar-based that’s hot and peppery.
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- Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce – yellow mustard and spices with a tangy, bold flavor.
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- Alabama White Sauce – light and zesty mayonnaise-based sauce.
Nutrition
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Excellent recipe! Made it for Labor Day (2023). Super easy and delicious. Family enjoyed and we have leftovers for lunch today! 🙂
Thanks for the terrific rating!
~Donya
How much granulated sugar are we supposed to use?
Thanks for the question. One tablespoon.
~Donya
We were waiting for Idalia to pass I decided to try your making your recipe! Never tried before, this was delicious ❤️ also made both the BBQ sauce. Everything was wonderful, my husband loved it 🥰 I also made coleslaw and we put it on the sandwich, WoW 😮 Great recipe!
Thank you so much, Donna!
~Donya
This was amazing. We loved it. I expected to add BBQ sauce at the end but it was perfect without anything else. I do think you should add some time for the shredding. It took me quite awhile to do that.
Thanks, Janet! You’ve made my day. I so appreciate the terrific rating, too.
~Donya
“Pulled Pork” is a term that originated in Tennessee… and, not all that long ago. Outside the “whole pig” vs “shoulders” controversy, “pulled pork” isn’t any different from any other BBQ, except that it’s finished by being “pulled”/shredded rather than receiving the traditional chopping, coarse chopping, or slicing. Your recipe uses the shredding method, so the term is correctly used here. “Pulled pork” isn’t the norm method in either eastern style or Lexington style Carolina BBQ.
Ms. Sonya,
Thank you SO MUCH for your Barbeque Pulled Pork Recipe! I live in NC Blue Ridge Mountains but I miss the Lexington Style Barbecue that I came to ❤️ and crave. I grew up in Eastern NC and wasn’t a big fan of Eastern NC Barbeque…too much fat and gristle. You have made me and my Family and Friends very 😊 with this recipe and the Red Slaw IS a must. Many Blessings to you and good EATS!
Cynthia 🌻
Hey there Cynthia!
Wow! Thank you so much for your kind words! Reading this comment put such a big smile on my face, I am so pleased to hear that this recipe brought back some happy nostalgic memories to you and your family, that’s the beauty of food after all. This recipe is a favorite of mine as well, growing up here in NC there’s a big debate about eastern vs western BBQ, and I’m with you, I love the Lexington Style BBQ. Thank you so much for your words of support, if you ever have any questions about a recipe please reach out! Have a great rest of your day!
~Donya
Pulled pork & Carolina BBQ sauce recipe was delicious. I thought I was back in NC even my Yankee husband liked the sauce. Outstanding thanks for sharing these recipes.
Pulled pork is one of my favorite ways to feed a crowd. I can’t wait to try your rub recipe!
Many folks often ask me about adding liquid to the slow cooker…the answer is NO. Just follow the easy recipe and it will turn out great – every time!
Donya, we donned our slow cooker, filled it as your recipe specified with all of the ingredients, turned it on, waited 6 hours (which was nearly impossible because of the aroma), and then flat-out attacked that Boston Butt. It never stood a chance. With three in our family, we ate on it continuously until there was none left. From now on, it's BBQ pulled pork at home for us. Incredible – thanks for sharing.
Golly Wally….You made me blush! I am just tickled that you and yours loved it and will keep in your BOOK! It's one of my favs and go-to recipes!