Tender Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork (Printer-Friendly)

Slow-cooked shredded pork in tangy barbecue sauce, served on soft buns with optional coleslaw and pickles.

# What You Need:

→ Pulled Pork

01 - 3.3 lbs boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed
02 - 2 tsp kosher salt
03 - 1 tsp black pepper
04 - 1 tbsp smoked paprika
05 - 2 tsp garlic powder
06 - 2 tsp onion powder
07 - 1 tsp ground cumin
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
10 - ½ cup apple cider vinegar
11 - 1 cup chicken broth

→ Barbecue Sauce

12 - 1 cup barbecue sauce, plus extra for serving

→ For Serving

13 - 6 soft sandwich buns
14 - Coleslaw (optional)
15 - Dill pickle slices (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, and brown sugar in a small bowl.
02 - Rub the spice mixture thoroughly over the entire surface of the pork shoulder.
03 - Place the seasoned pork in the slow cooker. Carefully pour apple cider vinegar and chicken broth around the pork, avoiding direct contact on top.
04 - Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours, or until the pork is extremely tender and can be shredded easily with a fork.
05 - Transfer the pork to a large bowl and use two forks to shred the meat, discarding excess fat.
06 - Skim fat from the cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Return shredded pork to the slow cooker, mix with barbecue sauce, and heat on low for 10 to 15 minutes.
07 - Pile the pulled pork onto sandwich buns. Add additional barbecue sauce, coleslaw, and dill pickles as desired. Serve immediately.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The pork practically falls apart on its own, making you look like a hero without the stress.
  • It's the kind of dish that somehow tastes better the next day, so leftovers become a feature, not a burden.
  • One pot, minimal fussing, maximum flavor—your slow cooker does the heavy lifting while you live your life.
02 -
  • Don't skip skimming the fat from the cooking liquid—a little fat is flavor, but too much makes the final dish greasy and heavy.
  • If your barbecue sauce is thin and runny, let the pork simmer in the slow cooker uncovered for the last 15 minutes to help it reduce and cling better.
  • Trimming visible fat from the raw pork shoulder saves you work at the end and keeps the final dish tasting cleaner.
03 -
  • If you don't have a slow cooker, use a Dutch oven at 300°F (150°C) for 3–4 hours, checking tenderness at the 2.5-hour mark.
  • Save the cooking liquid after skimming—it makes an incredible base for soups, stews, or even gravy if you want to get fancy.
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