BBQ Pulled Pork in Slow Cooker
Tasty and easy recipe that will have you eating delicious pulled pork sandwiches before you know it!
Tasty and easy recipe that will have you eating delicious pulled pork sandwiches before you know it!
- Carbohydrate 39.0120760411969 g
- Cholesterol 214.70045 mg
- Fat 54.8118105007944 g
- Fiber 1.46680004272966 g
- Protein 52.7816276679344 g
- Saturated Fat 18.9426591667989 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (402g)
- Sodium 1402.26348457553 mg
- Sugar 37.5452759984673 g
- Trans Fat 5.55732650009853 g
- Calories 877 calories
Step-by-step
- Buy a 3-4lbs Pork Shoulder, boneless or bone-in. Can use two in one crock pot if they fit. Trim the big pieces of fat.
- Season entire outside of pork shoulder with a dry rub (I usually use smoked paprika, garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, whatever I think tastes good.
- Cut up one onion and layer on the bottom of a crock pot. place seasoned pork on top of onion. pour in some liquid (dr. Pepper, chicken broth, even water), about 8-12oz.
- Cook on low for 7-9 hours. When done, remove and discard onions and stock. Pull with forks or hands, removing fat pieces when possible.
- If desired, return to crock pot, mix with BBQ sauce and turn on high for 20min to re-heat.
Ingredient lists omit the physical state of the meat going into the ceramic insert, specifically the crucial step of trimming surface fat down to a quarter-inch cap. Leaving too much fat intact prevents the dry rub spices from directly contacting the muscle fibers, resulting in uneven flavor distribution across the roast. Applying kosher salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper directly to the scored flesh ensures proper saline penetration during the initial hours of thermal breakdown. Slicing one whole onion to form a dense platform at the base of the crock pot keeps the pork elevated above the rendering juices, preventing the bottom of the cut from boiling rather than roasting in its own heat. Pouring eight to twelve ounces of liquid—whether water, broth, or soda—around the perimeter rather than directly over the spiced exterior preserves the integrity of the crust. Cooking on the low setting for seven to nine hours provides the sustained, gentle heat necessary to melt internal connective tissue without seizing the protein strands. Internal temperature must reach at least 200 degrees Fahrenheit to guarantee that collagen has fully converted into gelatin, yielding meat that shreds effortlessly with two forks. Discarding the spent cooking liquid and onions prevents the final mixture from becoming watery and diluting the bottled barbecue sauce added during the final twenty minutes on high heat. Dietary adjustments remain straightforward since this cut is naturally free of gluten, dairy, tree nuts, and shellfish, requiring only the verification of the finishing sauce ingredients if dietary restrictions apply.
