Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Alabama White BBQ Sauce

Close up side shot of a plate of crock pot pulled pork sandwich with sides

5 from 6 votes

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Alabama White BBQ Sauce

This Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Alabama White BBQ Sauce is a simple Crock Pot meal that's perfect for busy weeknights or potluck parties with friends!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword crock pot pulled pork, Pulled Pork, Slow Cooker Pulled Pork, White Barbecue Sauce, White BBQ Sauce

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Total Time 12 10

Servings - 10 servings

Calories 332kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

FOR THE PORK:

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 (6-7 lb.) bone-in Boston Butt or pork shoulder (or sub with boneless)

FOR THE WHITE BBQ SAUCE:

2 cups mayonnaise
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Juice from ½ of a lemon

Instructions

Prepare the White BBQ Sauce:

Place all sauce ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (it will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks).

Prepare the Seasoning Rub and Pork:

Place the onion and garlic in the bottom of a large slow cooker. Pour chicken broth over the onions and garlic.
In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, chili powder, salt, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork and place the meat on top of the onions and garlic. Cover and cook until the pork is fall-apart tender, about 5-6 hours on HIGH or 10-12 hours on LOW.
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. Return the meat to the juices in the pot. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Serve the pulled pork on sandwich rolls, on salad, or stuffed into baked potatoes. Spoon bbq sauce over top!

Notes

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 on an instant-read meat thermometer.
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.
Cooking for a smaller family? This meat freezes really well! I like to package leftovers in individual containers, label them, and stash them in the freezer for later meals. The pulled pork is delicious served on sandwich rolls, but it also works well on salads, tacos, stuffed in baked potatoes, nachos, in quesadillas, or on pizza! Get creative and enjoy the leftovers in a variety of ways.
Shred the cooked meat on a rimmed sheet pan to catch any juices.
Use a boneless pork shoulder or pork roast in lieu of the bone-in pork butt. The boneless roasts tend to cook slightly faster, so adjust your cooking time accordingly.
Try a different braising liquid instead of the chicken broth. Good options include beer, apple cider, root beer, Dr. Pepper, or Coca Cola.
Instead of a regular white bbq sauce, try topping your pulled pork with a regular red bbq sauce.
Spicy pulled pork: add some cayenne to the dry rub, and serve the pork with crushed red pepper flakes, sliced jalapeños, or hot sauce.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with the chicken broth for a bright, acidic component.
To make this pulled pork recipe in the oven, follow all of the same instructions, but place the ingredients in a large Dutch oven with a lid. Roast the pork at 325°F for about 5-6 hours.

Nutrition