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Crock Pot Pulled Pork is the easiest way to feed a hungry crowd, and it turns out so tender it falls apart with a fork. I make a big batch on lazy game day Sundays so Maddie and Lizzie can build their own sandwiches while the house smells incredible all afternoon. With a simple brown sugar spice rub and almost no hands on time, you will want it right alongside our BBQ ribs for any cookout.
A budget friendly pork shoulder slow cooks over a bed of sweet onions until it shreds effortlessly and soaks up every bit of the smoky, savory juices.
Crock Pot Pulled Pork Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 8 hours
- ⏳ Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 155kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Smoky, savory, fall apart tender pork
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our BBQ ribs
Quick Answer
Layer sliced sweet onions in the bottom of a slow cooker. Rub a 4 to 6 pound pork shoulder all over with a blend of garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, then set it on the onions. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours, until the pork reaches 200 degrees and shreds easily. Shred the meat and stir it back into the onions and juices.
Jump to:
- Crock Pot Pulled Pork Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Crock Pot Pulled Pork
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Crock Pot Pulled Pork FAQs
- Other Recommended Easy Comfort Food Recipes
- Crock Pot Pulled Pork
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Pork shoulder is built for low and slow. The marbled fat and connective tissue in a pork shoulder melt over 8 hours, leaving the meat juicy and fall apart tender.
- A bed of onions adds flavor and moisture. Slicing onions under the pork lets them steam into a sweet, savory base that flavors both the meat and the juices.
- Brown sugar in the rub builds a crust. A spoonful of brown sugar caramelizes against the pork, balancing the smoky paprika and salt with a touch of sweetness.
- No added liquid needed. The pork and onions release plenty of their own juices, so there is no need to add broth or water that would water down the flavor.
- Cook to temperature, not just time. Pulling the pork at 200 degrees guarantees the collagen has broken down so it shreds easily every single time.
- Shredding back into the juices. Returning the pulled meat to the pot lets it drink up the seasoned liquid so every bite stays moist.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It feeds a crowd for pennies. One affordable pork shoulder makes enough for a dozen sandwiches, tacos, bowls, or sliders.
- It is almost completely hands off. Rub the pork, set the slow cooker, and walk away while it does all the work.
- The leftovers are endless. Pile it on buns, tuck it into cast iron slider rolls, or freeze it for fast future dinners.
Key Ingredients
Here is what makes this crock pot pulled pork so tender and flavorful. See the recipe card below for the exact amounts.
- Pork shoulder: Also sold as pork butt or Boston butt, this cut has the fat and marbling that make pulled pork so juicy. A 4 to 6 pound roast is perfect.
- Sweet onion: Sliced thin and layered under the pork, it melts into a sweet, savory base. A yellow onion works too.
- Brown sugar: Just a tablespoon in the rub caramelizes and balances the smoky, salty spices.
- Smoked paprika: This is what gives the pork that deep barbecue flavor without a smoker, the same trick we use on our BBQ ribs.
- Garlic and onion powder: A generous amount of each builds the savory backbone of the rub. Kosher salt and black pepper round it out.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Here are a few easy ways to make this crock pot pulled pork your own.
- Make pulled pork sandwiches by piling the meat on toasted buns with barbecue sauce and slaw, like our oven baked pulled pork sandwiches.
- Stir your favorite barbecue sauce into the shredded pork for a saucier, sweeter finish.
- Use it as a taco or burrito filling with a squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro.
- Swap in a teaspoon of chipotle or chili powder for a smoky, spicy Southwest version.
How to Make Crock Pot Pulled Pork
- Place the sliced sweet onions in the bottom of the slow cooker, then pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels and set it aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Rub the seasoning all over the pork, using all of it, then set the pork on top of the onions.
- Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees and the meat shreds easily with a fork.
- Remove the pork, discard any bones and excess fat, then shred the meat and stir it back into the slow cooker with the onions and juices.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Choose a well marbled pork shoulder (pork butt). Leaner cuts like loin will dry out and will not shred the same way.
- Use all of the rub. A big roast needs every bit of seasoning to flavor the meat all the way through.
- Do not add liquid. The pork and onions make their own juices, and extra water only dilutes the flavor.
- Cook to 200 degrees. Use a meat thermometer, since the pork shreds easily only once the collagen has fully broken down.
- Trim the big fat cap after cooking, not before, so the fat bastes the meat while it cooks.
- Save the juices. Spoon them over the shredded pork to keep it moist, or use them to reheat leftovers, just like we do with our slow cooker chicken tinga.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Crock pot pulled pork is the ultimate make ahead main for a crowd. Set out toasted buns, barbecue sauce, pickles, and slaw and let everyone build their own sandwiches at a party or game day spread.
It is just as good in tacos, quesadillas, loaded baked potatoes, and rice bowls. Round out the plate with classic cookout sides and a platter of our BBQ ribs or some cast iron ham and Swiss sliders for a real feast.
Make a double batch and freeze half in its juices. Future you will be thrilled to have tender pulled pork ready for a 10 minute weeknight dinner.
Crock Pot Pulled Pork FAQs
Pork shoulder, also labeled pork butt or Boston butt, is the best cut for crock pot pulled pork. Its fat and connective tissue break down over the long cook time to give you juicy, fall apart meat. Avoid lean cuts like pork loin, which dry out.
No. The pork shoulder and sliced onions release plenty of their own juices as they cook, so there is no need to add broth or water. Extra liquid only dilutes that rich, concentrated flavor.
Plan on about 8 hours on low for a 4 to 6 pound pork shoulder. It is done when the internal temperature hits 200 degrees and the meat shreds easily with a fork. Low and slow gives the most tender result, so high is not recommended.
Store the shredded pork in its juices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of the saved liquid so it stays moist.
Yes, pulled pork freezes beautifully. Cool it completely, then freeze it in its juices in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently before serving.
Absolutely. It is a great make ahead main. Cook and shred it a day or two before, store it in the juices, and reheat right before serving. The flavor only gets better as it sits.
Looking for more easy crowd pleasers? Try our oven baked pulled pork sandwiches next, then come back and tell us how your crock pot pulled pork turned out.
Crock Pot Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet onion thinly sliced
- 4-6 pound pork shoulder
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place the sliced onions in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pat the pork down with paper towels, set it aside.1 large sweet onion
- In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, paprika, salt, and pepper. Rub the seasoning all over the pork, use it all.1 large sweet onion
- Place the pork on top of the onions, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 200°F or the meat easily shreds with a fork.1 large sweet onion
- Take the pork out and remove any bones and excess fat, shred the meat and add it back to the slow cooker to mix with the cooked onions and liquid. Now you can use the pork as is on sandwiches with some bbq sauce or in any recipes called for pulled pork.1 large sweet onion
Notes
- Either portion of the pork shoulder will work the Boston butt or the picnic roast.
- This can be served in a variety of dishes, this is just a basic pulled pork recipe, do with it what you like.
- This can be frozen for later, see my tips above on how to do that.
- Use the simple rub recipe I provided or make your own or even purchased rubs will work.
- Make sure you cook this on low, the is how it will shed nice and easy, this should not be cooked on high.
Nutrition
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No, it makes it’s own juice. What is shown all comes off the pork when cooking.
I see tha juices so does it need water
Ain’t nothing strange about that, so yummy and versatile!
FABULOUS! I am always looking for a good recipe for this. I can’t get enough of the shredded meat. I know it’s strange but it’s so good.
YAY! Thanks Linda! Let me know how you like it!
Pinned ! Want to try this recipe soon {huge pork lover!} Thanks for sharing at our ALL MY BLOGGY FRIENDS party !
Thank you!
This looks delicious!
Thanks again for joining the Link Up this week!
Here too, hehe
Yay! The taco mix sounds interesting, would be a great idea if I’m making a lot of it for similar recipes. Thanks for coming over!
LOL, let me know how it goes!
My husband will love me forever when I make this. Thanks for sharing!
I make this all the time! It’s so delicious, but I just hate separating out the bone and fat, yucky is right. I use two forks … I haven’t found an easier way to separate out the two. Anyways, I always use Taco mix, but am working to clean up my recipes so this one will be fantastic! Thank you 🙂 Heather M., http://www.RockStew.com
I love making Pulled Pork!! its a fam fave!
Found you from the TGIF blog Hop!