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This slow cooker pork shoulder makes the easiest flavorful pulled pork with just 10 minutes of prep. This simple crockpot pulled pork recipe uses a homemade dry rub and cooks low and slow until the pork is fall-apart tender, no BBQ sauce or searing required. A versatile recipe for meal prep, serve it on sandwiches with your favorite BBQ sauce, or use it for tacos, quesadillas, rice bowls, and salads.
Quick Look: Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder
- Total time: Only 10 minutes to prep, and 8 hours to cook on low heat.
- Main ingredients: Boneless pork shoulder, garlic, shallots, chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon, with kosher salt.
- When to serve: You need a versatile weeknight meal that will provide leftovers you can mix up. This recipe can create pulled pork sandwiches one night and shredded pork tacos another!
- Dietary information: This recipe fits a Mediterranean diet, HYH migraine diet, high protein, gluten free and dairy free diets.
- Why you’ll love it: This slow cooker pork shoulder recipe is flavorful, but also very easy without extra steps and uses pantry staple spices for the dry rub. Because this crockpot pulled pork is made without bbq sauce, you’re not locked into one flavor profile. This is a great recipe for meal prep as it can be used in many different dishes, and freezes well for months.
While a lot of recipes for pork shoulder encourage you to sear the pork for extra flavor, I didn’t find this necessary in recipe testing. If you get the added spices right, you have plenty of great flavor without extra dishes. With this flavor-packed dry rub, you don’t need to sear the pork or use BBQ sauce. By slow cooking, this allows the collagen time to break down, producing a tender fall-apart meat that isn’t dry or stringy.
You can use this crockpot pulled pork recipe for pulled pork tacos, BBQ sandwiches, air fryer quesadillas and more! It especially pairs well with crockpot mac and cheese with cream cheese.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Not much is needed for this pork shoulder crockpot recipe, but here are some highlights of the necessary ingredients. See the recipe card below for amounts.
- Pork Shoulder – This can be boneless or bone-in. This can also be substituted with pork butt. While bone-in pork shoulder can add more flavor, I recommend anticipating a longer cooking time of 1-2 hours. You’ll know it’s ready when it falls off the bone easily. A 3-4 pound pork shoulder will serve about 6-8 people depending on if you’re making sandwiches or using for other recipes. Keep in mind that while it seems like a lot of meat, it does shrink up as it cooks. Avoid using pork loin, which is a leaner cut and will dry out. If you bought pork loin, try this dutch oven pork roast recipe instead!
- Easy spice rub – I like to use a chili powder without cocoa or onion powder included, like Frontier or Morton & Bassett. You already have plenty of onion flavor with the shallot. Just a touch of brown sugar is needed to cut the natural saltiness of the pork. What makes this recipe unique is the touch of cinnamon and cumin in the spices. This gives a great depth of flavor without being overpowering.
- Aromatics – Shallots and garlic help to infuse the pork shoulder with flavor. I prefer to use shallots as they are a bit more delicate and flavor to onion, which I find can be overpowering in crockpot pork shoulder recipes.
- Braising liquid – For this recipe I like to use a rotisserie chicken broth or chicken stock. However, I’ve also used apple cider or apple juice in a pinch and it’s very good! Apple cider is great for a fall variation that has a little more sweetness, and is perfect paired with potatoes and carrots.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few alternatives I’ve tested with this recipe that work well.
- Pork butt – There are two types of cuts of pork that work best with pulled pork – pork shoulder and pork butt. Both come from the shoulder area of the pig. Pork butt is also known as “Boston butt” and is generally more fatty. In this recipe, I use a boneless pork shoulder roast because that always seems to be easiest for me to find, but you can substitute pork butt in this recipe easily.
- Onions – Sweet onions or yellow onions can be substituted for fresh shallots, but I prefer the mild flavor of shallots if you can find them!
- Broth alternatives – I’ve also used apple juice or apple cider for the roasting liquid and it adds a little sweetness that pairs really well with the pork! You can also add a splash of vinegar for some acidity. Vegetable broth will also work, but I recommend one with more flavor to it, like Bonafide.
How to Make Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder
- Step 1: Add sliced garlic and shallots in a single layer at the bottom of the slow cooker. Set it to “Low” heat. If your pork shoulder is wrapped in netting, feel free to remove it. Sometimes laying it flat can help everything cook more quickly.
- Step 2: Pat pork shoulder dry with paper towels and add the pork shoulder roast to the crock pot on top of the garlic and shallots. This is the easiest method for cooking it without searing.
- Step 3: Mix together the seasonings and pat on top and sides of the pork shoulder, making sure it’s evenly coated. With any leftover dry rub, evenly distribute it over the top, as it will infuse as the pork cooks.
- Step 4: Add a cup of broth to the slow cooker, pouring all along the edges and not over the top, so the seasoning stays on the pork shoulder. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for 8-10 hours. I recommend avoiding cooking on high if you can, you’ll get best flavor and juicy, tender texture on low.
Step 5: Shred the meat. When it’s done, the pork shoulder will shred easily with a fork. You can serve immediately or remove the meat from the cooking liquid in the slow cooker, and use a chefs knife to chop it into smaller pieces for tacos or sandwiches.
Tips for Tender Crockpot Pulled Pork
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, which should be 195-205°F (91-96°C). Pork is safe to eat at 145°F (63°C), but with pork shoulder you want to cook it to a higher temperature to break down the connective tissue and collagen where it is fall-apart tender.
- High heat cooking – Only in a rush do I recommend this as cooking pork shoulder on high heat will render the collagen and fat faster. This can make the outer layers of the pork shoulder dry out more quickly before the inner connective tissue breaks down. However, there are times I’ve started this dinner too late and had to cook it on high 6-8 hours. It still worked well, it just wasn’t as tender!
Storage and Freezing
This slow cooker pork shoulder will keep up to 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s the perfect recipe to meal prep.
Refrigerator – Separate the pork from the liquid in the crock pot. The liquid will collect a lot of fat which will harden when cooled. To separate it, pour the liquid into a glass container and place in the fridge. Once it has cooled, a thick cream-colored layer will form on top of the liquid. This is the fat. Simple use a spoon to remove it, and pour the rest of the liquid over the pork before eating.
Freezer – Place the pork into a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze flat for up to 4 months. To defrost, place in the fridge overnight.
To quickly defrost, place the bag (make sure it is fully sealed) in warm water for 30 minutes.
Serving Suggestions for Crockpot Pork Shoulder
This recipe works great with so many different meals. Here are a few different ways you can transform this crockpot pork shoulder, along with some side dish ideas.
- Pulled pork tacos – serve with tortillas, lettuce, fresh cheese, and sliced radish.
- Pulled pork sandwiches – serve on Martin’s potato bread, or your favorite burger buns with a homemade BBQ sauce – either the classic kind of a North Carolina vinegar-based BBQ sauce. Simply stir in your favorite bbq sauce to the shredded pork shoulder after cooking.
- Pork quesadillas – serve this in between two tortillas with white American cheese. Pan fry till cheese has melted and outside becomes brown and crispy.
- Pulled pork mac and cheese – Add this to slow cooker mac and cheese.
- Pork shoulder nachos – Place shredded pork shoulder over tortilla chips and top with this creamy mozzarella queso.
Side Dishes
- Apple coleslaw – this goes great on a pulled pork sandwich and has a nice acidity and sweetness that balances the richness of the pork shoulder!
- Fingerling potato salad
- Creamy broccoli pasta
- Salad with Ranch Dressing
Recipe FAQ
For this recipe you will need a traditional crock pot, or slow cooker. The instant pot slow cooker function heats differently than a traditional slow cooker and therefore does not cook evenly or reliably for a large pork shoulder. Use this instant pot pork shoulder recipe instead if you’d like to use an instant pot.
With bigger cuts of pork shoulder, they may need more cooking time to let the collagen break down. If you definitely have pork shoulder or pork butt and did not accidentally get a pork loin, just add some cooking time! It should shred easily with time.
Having the liquid only come up about 1/4 of the way up the pork shoulder is totally normal. This does not mean the pork will be dry – that has more to do with the cut and cooking times. It does not need to be completely submerged, however you do want to make sure you cover the spices all around so the entire pork gets covered in flavor.
Pork butt or “Boston butt” will make the best substitute. Pork loin and pork shoulder are NOT the same thing and cannot be used interchangeably. So double check what you’re buying. If you buy pork loin instead or pork shoulder, this recipe will turn out incredibly dry as it does not contain the fat content needed to make this tender.
If you’ve purchased a 3 pound pork shoulder, your cooking time will probably decrease to closer to 7 hours. While you can still cook it the full 8 hours, just check it around 7 to see if it shreds easily.
Other Pork Recipes to Try
- Air fryer pork tenderloin for an easy weeknight meal.
- Apple cider pork chops
- Air fryer stuffed pork chops for a fast holiday meal.
- This dutch oven pork roast is fantastic for an elegant dinner that’s still very easy. If you accidentally bought a pork loin roast, make that instead.
- Baby back ribs with dry rub for a bbq recipe, and this easy dry rub for ribs is fantastic. It would even work well on this slow cooker pork shoulder!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review in the recipe card! Don’t forget to tag me @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram, and follow along on Pinterest for more great recipes!
Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder (Crockpot Pulled Pork)
Ingredients
- 1 3-4lb boneless pork shoulder
- 3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
Instructions
- Place shallots and garlic at the bottom of your slow cooker. If your pork is wrapped in twine, remove the twine/netting. Place pork on top of shallots and garlic in the slow cooker and add the broth.
- Combine spices in a small bowl and rub onto pork. Cover and cook 8-10 hours on low. A 4 pound pork shoulder always takes about 8 hours on low. Remove any fat that's accumulated on the top and pulled apart pork with two forks until shredded. It should shred very easily if done.
- If you want to remove the pork and then reduce the sauce in a separate pan you can. I usually just shred mine in the accumulated juices and serve.
Notes
- Make sure you are using pork shoulder NOT pork loin. Pork butt or “Boston butt” can be substituted.
- Bone-in pork shoulder can be used, it may just increase the cooking time 1-2 hours (so plan for about 9-10 hours if using a bone-in roast)
- A smaller 3 pound pork shoulder may take only 7 hours of cooking time.
- Temperatures vary greatly on slow cookers, so judge the cooking time based on that. If yours normally runs hot, go with a lower cooking time.
- If the pulled pork doesn’t shred easily you either got the wrong cut of meat, or it is not done cooking.
- For best results, cook on low heat. If you must, this can be cooked on high for about 6 hours, but it will probably not be as tender.
- Do not use an instant pot slow cooker for this recipe. It does not cook the same as a traditional slow cooker or crockpot.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thank you! I’ve made the sauce before and love the vinegar. It should be amazing with the pork.
I am making this today! Probably I will freeze about half of the pulled pork, since it’s just me eating. I will make the sauce later today. Should I freeze the sauce with it, separately, or make a new batch when I thaw out the meat? Any tips for freezing this appreciated!
I would just cut the sauce recipe in half or quarters and make it again. I’m not sure it would be great in the freezer, but it will keep for a while in the fridge as well since it’s vinegar based.
This was one of the first recipes I tried after my diagnosis. It made me so happy, because I realized I could still have food that tasted good! It is so easy to make, and everyone loves it! Thanks, Alicia!
I love this BBQ sauce recipe. I’ve used it many times for other things and it’s so good!!
I made this pulled pork this weekend for my family and it was amazing and so easy!!! Flavor was awesome. I did use half of the recommended garlic as others felt four was strong. Next time I may try three cloves of garlic.
The slaw was pretty good. Just a different taste with the Whole30 mayo.
The Carolina sauce had a more vinegar taste then expected. I may try it again and reduce the distilled vinegar and increase the the apple juice and try adding a touch more tomato paste.
Make this pulled pork though, it’s so good and easy.
Haha I try to warn people about the vinegar flavor so they use it sparingly. It’s definitely not for everyone, but I love it in this recipe! Let me know how it goes with the changes – I think more apple juice would be great. I do have a more traditional BBQ sauce that I’m really excited about, but I’ve been working on that one for the book. 🙂 Thanks for all your helpful reviews!
Can’t wait for your book!
Haha, seems so 🙂
I had a question, how long do you think the Carolina BBQ sauce is good for in the fridge?
It should be good up to 2 weeks, but I usually just make half and it doesn’t last that long. If you’re super sensitive to tyramine, I’d probably only keep it for 3 days.
I’ve made the pulled pork twice now (with ((super strong garlic flavor)) and without garlic) and the 2nd time I made the bbq sauce finally and did it with a homemade tomato paste… It’s very very good! I use it as a dressing for other food too. My taste buds are very happy!
Thanks again for this recipe!
I never thought to use it for a dressing before, but that is a wonderful idea! Kind of like a bbq dressing. Thanks so much for all your wonderful feedback. 🙂 Which do you prefer – a lot of garlic or no garlic? I think I’m usually team garlic!
Haha. Yeah, I used the sauce as a side for when the beef falls out of the enchiladas when you cut them. (your enchilada recipe! So good!). I may try 1 garlic clove next time. It’s so much of a garlic bomb with the 4 cloves that it comes out of your pores for awhile haha.
Oh jeez! haha I’m such a garlic lover. Maybe I should edit that down a bit. 🙂