This slow cooker pulled pork is smoky, juicy and worth the wait. The pork cooks low and slow until it is falling apart and ridiculously good. Stuff it into burgers, tacos, sandwiches or eat it straight from the tray while nobody is looking.
Why this slow cooker pulled pork is so good
- The slow cooker does all the hard work
- Smoky, juicy and ridiculously tender
- Perfect for burgers, tacos, nachos and loaded fries (plus many others)
- Great for feeding a crowd or meal prep
- Even better the next day
How it all comes together
Rub the pork with the smoky spice mix (I like to remove the skin – see why below), add the chipotles, then let the slow cooker do its thing until the pork falls apart.
Shred it and pop it straight back into the cooking juices so every bit stays juicy and full of flavour. From there you can pile it into burgers, tacos, rice bowls, pizza, loaded fries or sandwiches.
Good to know
- Remove the pork skin before cooking. Helps all those delicious spices really get into the meat.
- Leave some fat on the pork. It keeps everything juicy.
- No extra liquid needed. The pork releases plenty of juices on its own.
- Cook on LOW for the best texture.
- If the pork is hard to shred, it needs more time.
- Toss the shredded pork back through the cooking juices to keep it moist.
- Add BBQ sauce gradually (if using) so you do not overpower the smoky flavour.
- It tastes even better the next day.
Why I remove the pork skin
If your pork shoulder has skin attached (and it most likely will), I like removing it before adding the spice rub. It helps the seasoning coat the pork properly and allows all those smoky flavours to soak right into the meat.
The bonus is you can turn the skin into crispy homemade pork crackle and honestly, who does not love pork crackle?
Use a sharp knife to carefully remove the skin, leaving some fat underneath. Score the skin, then place it uncovered in the fridge while the pork slow cooks. The cold air helps dry it out for crispier crackle later on.
When ready, air fry the pork skin until golden and crunchy. Sprinkle it over tacos, burgers or rice bowls, or eat half of it standing at the kitchen bench like the rest of us.
If you want to keep things simple, leave the skin on while cooking then remove it before shredding the pork. Nobody wants giant chewy chunks of fat in their pork.
What to do with all that pulled pork
There are so many ways to use pulled pork. It really is one of those cook once, eat twice kind of dinners.
Pile it into soft burger buns with slaw, spoon it over loaded fries, scatter it over homemade pizza, stuff it into my 4 Ingredient Flatbreads for tacos, wraps or burritos or load it onto nachos.
Let me know how you use yours?
What to do with those leftovers
FRIDGE
Store leftover pulled pork in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep some of the cooking juices with it so it stays juicy when reheated. Warm it gently in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat.
FREEZER
Pulled pork freezes beautifully. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Frequently asked questions
What cut of pork is best for pulled pork?
Pork shoulder works best for pulled pork because the fat breaks down during slow cooking and keeps the pork juicy and easy to shred.
Do I need to add liquid to the slow cooker?
No. The pork releases plenty of liquid as it cooks, so there is no need to add stock, water or other liquids.
Can I add BBQ sauce?
Yep. Stir it through at the end if you want more of a classic BBQ pulled pork flavour.
What if my pork is not tender after 8 hours?
Keep cooking it. Some cuts take longer than others. If it is not shredding easily yet, it is not ready.
Recipes to serve with your pulled pork
- Red Cabbage Salad with Honey Lime Dressing
- Creamy Potato & Pumpkin Bake
- 4 Ingredient Flat Breads
- Crispy Potatoes with Semolina
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2kg – 2.8kg boneless pork shoulder roast, skin removed, optional (See Notes)
- 2-3 tablespoons diced chipotles in adobo sauce (See Notes)
- ½ – 1 cup your favourite barbecue sauce, optional
dry spice rub
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard powder
Instructions
- Remove the netting from the pork shoulder roast and pat the pork dry with paper towel. Place into a large baking dish or tray to catch mess while seasoning. Optional – Remove skin from pork – see Notes below.
- Combine the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, oregano, black pepper, mustard powder, onion powder and cumin in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the spice rub generously all over the pork, rubbing it into all the nooks and crannies until well coated.
- Transfer the pork to the slow cooker along with all the leftover spices from the baking dish. Spoon over the diced chipotles in adobo sauce and gently spread over the surface of the pork.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or until the pork is tender and easily shreds with two forks. There is no need to add extra liquid as the pork will release plenty of juices while cooking.
- Carefully transfer the cooked pork to a clean baking dish or tray. Remove and discard any skin, if you did not do this step earlier, and any large pieces of visible fat.
- Shred the pork using two forks or kitchen tongs until pulled into thick strands.
- Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and stir through the cooking juices.
- Serve as is or stir through BBQ sauce to taste for a sweeter BBQ-style pulled pork. If needed, cook on HIGH for 30 minutes to heat everything through before serving.
Notes
- MEASUREMENTS
We use Australian metric measurements. 1 teaspoon = 5ml, 1 tablespoon = 20ml and 1 cup = 250ml. -
DICED CHIPOTLES IN ADOBO SAUCE
Adds smoky depth and flavour without making the pork overly spicy (even though they are quite hot, when cooked in this recipe, there is not much heat from them, mainly a smokey flavour). I use La Costena brand which is available in the Mexican section of most, if not all, large supermarkets. -
NO EXTRA LIQUID
The pork releases plenty of juices while cooking so there is no need to add stock, water, beer or juice of any type. -
PORK SKIN
I recommend removing the skin before seasoning so the spice rub can coat the meat properly. The skin can be air fried later to make crispy pork crackle if desired. But if your short on time, just leave it on and remove after cooking. To remove the pork skin, use a sharp filleting knife or similar sharp knife and carefully slice between the skin and fat layer, working slowly across the pork until the skin lifts away in one large piece. It does not need to be perfect, so do not stress if a little (or a lot) of fat stays attached. Try not to remove too much of the fat as this helps keep the pork juicy while cooking and adds flavour to the cooking juices. -
BBQ SAUCE
Completely optional. Add as much or as little as you like depending on whether you want a smoky pulled pork or a sweeter BBQ-style version. On the times that I do add it, we like to use Sweet Baby Rays Barbecue Sauce or Sweet Baby Rays Hickory & Brown Sugar sauce. Simply use whatever you have or use your families favourite barbecue sauce. -
HALF AND HALF
One of my favourite ways to serve this pulled pork is to leave half as is and mix BBQ sauce through the other half. I personally love the smoky flavour of the pork on its own, while the kids and my partner prefer the sweeter BBQ-style version. It is an easy way to keep everyone happy. - COOKING TIME
Every piece of pork shoulder is slightly different and some cuts take longer to become tender than others. If your pork is still a little firm after 8 hours on LOW and not shredding easily with 2 forks, switch the slow cooker to HIGH and continue cooking until tender and fall-apart soft. You can also continue cooking on LOW if you have the extra time.
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