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Slow cooker pulled pork burger with creamy coleslaw and melted cheese served with beer on a rustic white timber table.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This slow cooker pulled pork is smoky, juicy and packed with flavour. Cooked low and slow until fall-apart tender, it is perfect for burgers, tacos, pizzas, nachos and more.
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Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:8 hours
Total Time:8 hours 15 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: BBQ pulled pork, pork shoulder slow cooker, pulled pork recipe, slow cooked pulled pork
Servings: 8 to 10
Author: Kate Brodhurst

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 any 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

  1. MEASUREMENTS
    We use Australian metric measurements. 1 teaspoon = 5ml, 1 tablespoon = 20ml and 1 cup = 250ml.
  2. BROWN SUGAR
    Helps balance the smoky spices and gives the pork a rich savoury sweetness. You can reduce if your prefer.
  3. 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. You can also purchase from other grocery stores and online.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.