Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder (Crockpot Pulled Pork)
An EASY slow cooker pork shoulder with a flavorful homemade dry rub. No searing or BBQ sauce required! Perfect for pulled pork sandwiches, tacos, and meal prep. A 4 pound pork shoulder will serve between 6-8 people.
Servings: 6
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
Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 1309mg | Potassium: 931mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 398IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 3mg
