With just 10 minutes of prep, you’ll come home to tender, flavorful slow cooker pulled pork that practically shreds itself! This Southern-inspired recipe guarantees juicy results every time and works perfectly for sandwiches, tacos, or simple supper plates.
If you love slow cooker dinners, try our Crock Pot brisket and Crock Pot pulled bbq chicken, too!
Table of Contents
Before You Get Started
A couple of quick pointers for the best slow cooker pulled pork:
- Choose the right cut: Pork shoulder (Boston butt) has marbled fat that makes tender, flavorful meat. Bone-in gives richer flavor, but boneless works too if that’s what you find.
- Cook low and slow: For fall-apart texture, go 10-12 hours on Low or 6-7 on High.
- Check doneness by texture: It should shred easily with two forks once it reaches about 205°F internally.
- Don’t rush: If it’s still tough, keep cooking; collagen needs time to break down.
- Reserve some liquid: Mixing it back in keeps the pork juicy and flavorful.
** Tip: Aim for about 205°F internal temperature. That’s the sweet spot for pork that shreds easily.
Choosing the Cut
The best cut of pork for slow cooker pulled pork is a pork shoulder, often labeled as Boston butt or pork butt. This cut has plenty of marbling and connective tissue, which breaks down during the long, slow cooking process to create tender, juicy meat that shreds easily.
A 3-4 pound roast (boneless or bone-in) is ideal for a small family meal and will cook in about 8-10 hours on low. I typically use a larger 6-7 lb. pork shoulder so that I have some leftovers! Plan for roughly ⅓ to ½ pound of cooked meat per person when serving a crowd.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker
Let’s break it down step by step so you know just what to expect. I’ve included a few tips that you won’t find in the recipe card, too.
Step 1: Layer Aromatics
Start by slicing a yellow onion and a few garlic cloves and placing them in the bottom of your slow cooker. This creates a flavorful bed of aromatics. Pour your chosen liquid over the onions. Broth keeps it savory, apple cider gives fruity sweetness, and soda brings sweetness and extra tenderizing.
Step 2: Mix the Rub
Stir together a bbq rub that includes brown sugar, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, garlic powder, cumin, and onion powder.
Step 3: Season the Pork
Pat the meat dry with paper towels, then rub it all over with your spice mixture. Set the pork right on top of the onions and garlic.
** Tip: Really press the rub into the creases of the meat. That’s where the flavor sticks best.
Step 4: Cook Low and Slow
Cover the crock pot and cook on LOW for 10 to 12 hours or HIGH for 6 to 7 hours. The pork is done when it’s fall-apart tender and hits about 205°F.
** Tip: Don’t peek too often. Lifting the lid releases heat and slows down cooking.
Step 5: Shred and Moisten
Carefully lift the pork out onto a cutting board. Discard the bone and any large chunks of fat. Instead of a cutting board, you might like to shred the meat on a rimmed baking sheet to prevent the juices from running all over the counter.
Use two forks to shred the meat into bite-size pieces. Stir some of the juices from the pot back into the shredded pork to keep it moist. Taste and season with a little extra salt and pepper if needed.
** Tip: Let the pork rest for 10 minutes before shredding so the juices redistribute.
** Tip: If the pork seems dry, stir in a splash of reserved juices or BBQ sauce before serving.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Cook Time Chart
This chart will help you determine the appropriate Crock Pot cooking time for the size of your pork shoulder.
Ways to Serve Pulled Pork
Crockpot pulled pork is one of those dishes that works with just about anything. Pile it high on sandwich buns with traditional coleslaw and pickles; make bbq pulled pork sliders, tacos, burrito bowls, or pulled pork nachos; or spoon it over baked potatoes, rice, or mac and cheese.
On the side, try Southern cornbread, pumpkin bread, easy potato casserole, homemade baked beans with bacon, Southern-style green beans, Arkansas green beans, Southern collard greens, or a fresh green salad. Then, add a pumpkin cake with yellow cake mix or a cream cheese pound cake for dessert!
** BBQ-Style Serving Tip: For saucier pulled pork, stir in ½-1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce (like apple butter bbq sauce) after shredding and let it warm in the juices for 15-20 minutes.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- How to Store: Leftover pulled pork will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To extend the life of your leftovers, you can freeze the cooked meat in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: Warm the meat and juices in a covered saucepan over low heat. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for about 1 minute.
- How to Reheat in the Slow Cooker: Place the cooked pork (and all of the reserved juices) in the slow cooker on the “WARM” setting for 2-4 hours. This is a great option if you need to prep a meal in advance!
** Pro Tip: If reheated pork feels dry, stir in a splash of broth, vinegar, or BBQ sauce to bring back moisture.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What’s the best cut for pulled pork? Pork shoulder (also called Boston butt) is the best choice because it’s well-marbled and becomes tender and juicy after slow cooking.
- Do I need to add liquid to the slow cooker? A small amount of liquid helps prevent sticking and keeps the pork moist, but the meat will release plenty of juices as it cooks. Good options include broth, beer, soda (like Coca Cola, Dr. Pepper, or root beer), and apple cider.
- How long should I cook a 3-5 lb. pork shoulder? Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for about 5-6 hours, until the meat easily shreds with a fork.
- What internal temperature should pulled pork reach? Aim for about 200-205°F, which allows the connective tissue to break down for perfect shredding.
- Can I overcook pulled pork in a slow cooker? It’s hard to overcook on LOW, but too long on HIGH can make the meat dry and stringy.
- Should I drain or keep the liquid? Keep some of the cooking liquid; it adds flavor and moisture when you mix it back into the shredded pork.
Blair, I never leave comments, but, this was SO delicious, I had to comment. It’s tender, moist, fall off the bone, easy to shred, and easy to make…The family loved it…It was a hit. I have added it to my “go to” recipes…
– Renée
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4 teaspoons minced fresh garlic (about 4 large cloves)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (or sub with other cooking liquid such as apple cider, beer, Dr. Pepper, or Coca Cola)
- 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt (plus more as needed)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 (6-7 lb.) bone-in Boston Butt or pork shoulder
- Optional, for serving: bbq sauce; sandwich buns; coleslaw; pickles
Instructions
- Place the onion and garlic in the bottom of a large slow cooker. Pour chicken broth over top.
- In a small bowl, make a rub by whisking together brown sugar, chili powder, salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, and onion powder. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork.
- Place the meat on top of the onions and garlic. Cover and cook for 10-12 hours on LOW or for about 6-7 hours on HIGH. When the pork reaches an internal temperature of 205°F it will be fall-apart tender! Turn off the slow cooker and remove the pork to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat, discarding any large pieces of fat.
- Add juices from the pot to moisten the meat, as desired. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Serve on sandwich rolls with bbq sauce, if desired.
Notes
- Nutrition information is an automatically calculated estimate only. Facts will vary greatly depending on the size, cut, and amount of meat on your Boston Butt.
- You may need to adjust the cooking time, depending on how hot your slow cooker runs (and how big your pork is). The pork will be fall-apart tender when it reaches an internal temperature of 205°F. Reference the cook time chart in the post above for other pork shoulder weights.
- If your pulled pork is tough, it’s probably because you haven’t cooked it long enough. The collagen in the meat is what keeps it tough, so you need to allow plenty of time for those fibers to break down. Just extend the cooking time and make sure that there’s enough liquid to keep the pork moist as it simmers.
- Pro Tip: Mix in a bit of reserved liquid before serving for extra moisture.
Nutrition
Excellent, spices provide plenty of flavor, pork works well for carnitas, does not need bbq sauce!
– Dawn
Originally published in July, 2019, this post was updated in October, 2025.
Excellent, spices provide plenty of flavor, pork works well for carnitas, does not need bbq sauce!
Thank you, Dawn! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Blair, Iโm cooking this tonight for dinner and the freezer.
I made your apricot preserves slow cooker pork, froze it and when my boys, their girlfriends and best mate came to stay for Easter, I pulled it out of the freezer and made Mexican โhelp yourselfโ meals.
They all loved it!
Thank you for your simple & yummy recipes!
Cheers, Lizz.
Thank you so much for your feedback, Lizz! We’re so glad the recipe was a hit.
Blair, I never leave comments, but, this was SO delicious, I had to comment. It’s tender, moist, fall off the bone, easy to shred, and easy to make. I made it for Memorial Day and used the apple cider vinegar. Because I didn’t have three of the ingredients, I omitted the chili powder and cumin; substituted regular paprika for the smoked paprika and it still turned out fabulous. The family loved it. I used my own home-made BBQ sauce. It was a hit. I have added it to my “go to” recipes. Thank you for sharing. I’ll be back to try some other recipes.
Hi Renรฉe,
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! We truly appreciate it and are so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I just made this recipe yesterday and we loved it! The spices worked really well with it and it was very easy to make. The only change I made was 1/2 cup of water with 1 teaspoon of chicken flavored soup base and 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar. I had a 6 lb. pork shoulder butt, my husband loved it. We added bbq sauce to each of our individual taste. I also froze some for future meals. This recipe is a definite keeper!
Thank you, Linda! We’re so happy you were able to adjust the recipe to suit your needs and that you and your husband enjoyed it.
2 Tablespoons of salt made it almost inedible! I made it for some friends and was so embarrassed at the taste!
We’re sorry to hear this but appreciate the feedback, Cyndy. We hope you give some of our other recipes a try!
Lost my recipe and looked for one on the internet to try, there are all kinds. So, after looking forever, I decided to try this one. I am so glad I did! This was delicious! I will not look for my old recipe again, this one has taken its’ place.
Thank you, Wanda! We’re so glad you found it and that it was a hit!
Made this today and the aroma was amazing. An excellent recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for trying it out, Cindy. We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Loved this weeks recipe suggestions.
Yay! Thanks, Patsy!
Hi, Blair. You say to make sure there is enough liquid to keep the meat moist as it cooks. About how much is that? Just enough to cover the bottom of the pan or deeper like 1/2 inch or an inch? I’m totally new at this! Ttฤฅanฤทs!
Hi, Blair. You say to make sure there is enough liquid to keep the meat moist as it cooks. About how much is that? Just enough to cover the bottom of the pan or deeper like 1/2 inch or an inch? I’m totally new at this! Ttฤฅanฤทs!
Hi Marion, Just enough to cover the bottom of the slow cooker should be fine. We hope you enjoy!
How big is the slow cooker used here? And how big is the Instant pot you use? Thanks!
Hi, Marion! It’s a 7-quart slow cooker, which is what I typically use. I think my Instant Pot is an 8-quart, but I rarely use it. My preference is still the slow cooker!