Pulled Pork

 

This pulled pork recipe is a breeze to prepare, delivering irresistibly tender and flavorful BBQ goodness. Ideal for an effortless dinner or as a crowd-pleaser at your next gathering!

When it comes to pulled pork, I have high standards. I crave that perfect balance of smokiness, spice, and subtle sweetness, nothing too overpowering. It should be so tender it practically falls apart on the plate, and juicy enough to ensure every bite is a delight! Anything less just won’t do.

To make truly delicious slow-cooked pulled pork, there are a few things you have to do.

For the perfect pulled pork, choose a cut like pork butt or shoulder with ample marbling. The fat melts away in the slow cooker, resulting in tender meat that shreds effortlessly.

 Add a splash of liquid—just enough to enhance flavor without drowning it! A little acidity goes a long way in keeping your pork juicy and flavorful.

Enhance the meat’s flavor with a spice rub!  Excellent BBQ pulled pork needs delicious ingredients like brown sugar, smoked paprika, and chili powder.

 Cook it low and slow for the best results. Although you might be tempted to speed things up, patience pays off—your pork will turn out juicier and easier to shred.

Don't let those juices go to waste! After shredding the pulled pork, drizzle some slow cooker juices over it. Just a bit will keep your meat tender and bursting with flavor. And hey, choose a barbecue sauce you love! While premade sauces might seem controversial, nothing beats your favorite taste. Trust your favorite BBQ sauce or use my BBQ sauce recipe at the end of this post. Homemade sauce is always my go-to, but I also like Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce.

Ingredients

1 cup BBQ sauce, plus more to serve. You can use bottled sauce, but I prefer to make it from scratch. My recipe is at the end of this post. 

½ cup chicken stock

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

3 teaspoons liquid smoke

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (4 to 5-pound) pork shoulder

FOR THE SPICE MIXTURE:

¼ cup dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon mustard powder

½ teaspoon cayenne powder

TO SERVE:

Brioche burger buns, toasted

Coleslaw

Instructions

In the bowl of a slow cooker, whisk together the bbq sauce, chicken stock, apple cider vinegar, and liquid smoke. Add in the onions and garlic and stir to combine.

Combine all of the spices in a small bowl and rub all around the pork, including inside any folds in the meat. There should not be any remaining spices when finished.

Place the pork in the slow cooker, cover, and cook on low until easily shredded with a fork, about 10 hours. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred.

Ladle over some of the juices from the slow cooker. Top with extra BBQ sauce and toss.

Serve on toasted brioche buns with coleslaw, if desired.

Betty's BBQ Sauce Recipe:

Ingredients

6 ounces tomato paste (1 standard can)

⅓ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup pure maple syrup

¼ cup molasses

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons of smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dry mustard powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional but encouraged)

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, stir together all the ingredients: tomato sauce, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, molasses, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, dry mustard, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Cover with a lid slightly ajar so that the pot is mostly covered to deter splattering, but steam can still escape, and the sauce can reduce. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Enjoy immediately or let cool and store for later use.

Serve with homemade coleslaw and extra BBQ sauce for dipping. Yum

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing, with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts degree in Business Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Ashford University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, gouache, and pastels. As a political operative who has worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs ranging from art to life coaching, food, writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week.

Crockpot Cooking, Kilbride, Potpourri of Frugality, Homemade, Do it yourself