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Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork for Sandwiches

A close-up of juicy, saucy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork shreds piled high on a white plate.
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Make tender, flavorful crockpot pulled pork with minimal effort. This set and forget dinner is perfect for BBQ sandwiches or meal prep and freezes well.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 lb pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed of excess fat
  • 1 cup water or chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 cup your favorite BBQ sauce (for finishing)

Instructions

  1. Place the pork shoulder in the basin of your slow cooker.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper to create the dry rub.
  3. Rub the spice mixture evenly over all sides of the pork shoulder.
  4. Pour the water or broth and apple cider vinegar around the pork in the slow cooker.
  5. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the pork is easily shredded with a fork.
  6. Carefully remove the pork from the slow cooker and place it on a large cutting board or baking sheet. Discard any large pieces of fat.
  7. Use two forks to shred the pork completely.
  8. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker. Pour your favorite BBQ sauce over the meat and stir to coat everything well.
  9. Cook on LOW for another 30 minutes, uncovered, to allow the sauce to heat through and thicken slightly.
  10. Serve hot on hamburger buns for BBQ pulled pork sandwiches.

Notes

  • For the best flavor, use a pork shoulder with good marbling.
  • You can prepare this recipe ahead of time and freeze the cooked, sauced pork for easy freezer friendly dinners. Thaw overnight and reheat slowly.
  • If you prefer a thicker sauce, remove the shredded pork, let the remaining liquid simmer on the stove top until reduced, then mix back into the meat.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cheffinity.com/slow-cooker-pulled-pork/