Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe

This Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork recipe is full of flavor and deeply satisfying – and it’s so easy to make!

Folks always want to know how I get such a deep, rich flavor from pork cooked in the slow cooker. The secret is the right blend of spices (trust me on the espresso powder), the right cut of meat (you want bone-in) and the low-and-slow cooking that makes BBQ so good. This recipe really is set-it-and-forget-it, with no comprise on taste.

It’s perfect in a pulled pork sandwich of course, and I serve it in tacos, over baked sweet potatoes and tossed into eggs in the morning. Since you don’t add the BBQ sauce until the pork is pulled, you can use it for pretty much anything. This is actually one of my favorite options for meal prep too. I can start it in the morning on the day I'm prepping, and then add it to salads and grain bowls for lunches. Sometimes I chop up leftover pork for quick chili or soups too.

I usually make my own BBQ sauce for this pulled pork recipe with GF Worcestershire and soy sauce, but if I’m in a pinch I buy Rufus Teague or Annie’s – they are both GF and corn free too.

Serve it with this Crunchy Colorful Coleslaw for a meal loaded with flavor. Folks will be asking for your pulled pork secrets, but I won't tell if you don't!

Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork

K.C. Cornwell

Pulled pork tastes like it should be complicated and take hours to make - but this pulled pork recipe is the definition of simple. Put all the ingredients in a slow cooker, turn it on, and get ready to drool.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 8 hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 343 kcal

Ingredients

  

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• 2 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon espresso powder
• 2 ½ tablespoon Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 4.5-6 pound bone-in pork shoulder
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 4-5 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos

Instructions

 

• Prepare a slow cooker for use.
• In a small bowl, combine paprika, mustard, cumin espresso powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker and cover thoroughly with the spice rub, applying all of it to the meat. Place the shoulder with the fat cap up, and add the shallot and garlic in the cooker. Pour the olive oil and honey over the meat.
• Whisk the vinegar, tomato paste, Worcestershire and soy sauce together, and pour it into the bottom of the slow cooker. Put the lid on the cooker, set to low setting for 8 hours.
• When pork is done, transfer meat to a cutting board. Pull the pork with two forks or roughly chop and combine with 1 cup of the cooking liquid, being sure to avoid the garlic cloves. Serve with BBQ sauce and coleslaw.

Notes

This recipe is naturally Dairy Free, use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce and Worcestershire for Paleo-Friendly.

Nutrition

Calories: 343kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 38gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 127mgSodium: 2384mgPotassium: 754mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 904IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 3mg

Keyword barbecue recipes, gluten-free pulled pork, pulled pork recipe, slow cooker recipes

photos by Katie Roletto