Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

5 from 8 votes

Tender, flavorful pork with a spice rub and minimal prep. Perfect for sandwiches, sliders, or BBQ plates!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword crock pot pulled pork, pulled pork crock pot, pulled pork in crockpot recipe, Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Total Time 12 10

Servings people

Calories 438kcal

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

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.

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.