Ultimate Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe
Pulled pork is perfect for the slow cooker. Cooking the pork low and very slow is the secret to the juiciest and most tender pulled pork. This is a base recipe and while it is delicious as-is, you should feel free to stir in your favorite barbecue or other sauces at the end of cooking.
Pulled pork is perfect for the slow cooker. Cooking the pork low and very slow is the secret to the juiciest and most tender pulled pork. This is a base recipe and while it is delicious as-is, you should feel free to stir in your favorite barbecue or other sauces at the end of cooking.
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- hot sauce
- pickles
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 (4 1/2 to 5 pound) boneless or bone-in pork should
- 2 teaspoons salt plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons neutral flavored oil
- 1 medium onion peeled and chopped small
- 1 tablespoon ancho or mild chili powder see our homemade chili powder recipe
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- bread rolls
- coleslaw see our mayonnaise based coleslaw recipeâ or our mayo-free coles
- barbecue sauce see our bacon bourbon barbecue sauce recipe
- Carbohydrate 15.6941395339298 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.958259263000389 g
- Fiber 1.33509135915894 g
- Protein 2.41248891892993 g
- Saturated Fat 0.158776088166253 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (142g)
- Sodium 191.524259409415 mg
- Sugar 14.3590481747709 g
- Trans Fat 0.185909227675306 g
- Calories 80 calories
Step-by-step
- Rub the pork with salt and pepper, and then set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Heat oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic then cook, stirring occasionally, until they are sweet and browned around the edges. Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring often, until the tomato paste turns from bright red to orange in color; about 3 minutes. Add the water, apple cider vinegar, and fish sauce and cook for about 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Rest the seasoned pork in the bottom of a slow cooker then pour the onion and spice mixture on top. Wiggle the pork around the bottom of the slow cooker so that some of the onion and spice mixture slides underneath. Cover with lid and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the pork can be easily shredded.
- Turn off the slow cooker and transfer the pork to a cutting board. If the pork has a bone in it, remove and discard it. Use two forks to shred the meat, discarding any connective tissue, and large clumps of fat.
- Remove the cooking liquid and skim most of the fat from its surface. Discard the fat then set the cooking liquid aside.
- If using barbecue sauce, add it to the slow cooker and stir in the shredded pork. If the mixture needs to be thinned out a little, add back some of the reserved cooking liquid. If you’re not using barbecue sauce, add the shredded pork back to the slow cooker and stir in enough cooking liquid so that the pork is moistened. Taste and season with salt, additional vinegar, or hot sauce as needed.
Swapping the water for low-sodium chicken bone broth alters the sauce viscosity and protein content, producing a richer finishing liquid as gelatin leaches from the simmering bones. Achieving tender shredded meat relies on thermal hydrolysis, a process where tough collagen surrounding the muscle fibers slowly melts into gelatin between 160 degrees Fahrenheit and 205 degrees Fahrenheit over eight to ten hours. Rushing this transformation by increasing the temperature destroys moisture retention, causing muscle proteins to seize and expel their internal water into the pot.
Freezing and Reheating Chemistry
Cooked pork can be safely stored in the freezer for up to three months when sealed without excess air, though moisture migration during thawing requires careful management. Submerging the vacuum-sealed or heavy-duty freezer bag in cold water accelerates safe thawing while minimizing cell wall damage from large ice crystal formation. When warming the meat back up, retaining the reserved cooking liquid prevents the lean muscle strands from drying out under direct thermal application.
Moisture Retention Mechanics
Adding the fish sauce or Worcestershire sauce introduces free glutamates that enhance the savory perception of the pork without adding dominant fermentation flavors. Skimming the rendered surface fat before returning the shredded fibers to the pot prevents an oily mouthfeel while preserving enough surface tension to keep the meat coated. Maintaining a controlled internal moisture level through periodic tasting and seasoning adjustments ensures each bite remains succulent rather than waterlogged.
