Pulled Pork Recipe (VIDEO)
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is our favorite way to make shredded pork because the meat is so juicy and tender. The sweet and smoky barbecue flavor makes it perfect for pulled pork sandwiches.
This is an easy, crowd-pleasing crockpot recipe everyone will love. Watch the video tutorial and it will make your mouth water! P.S. You can even freeze leftover pork for another busy weeknight.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe:
My sister Svetlana is a natural cook; someone who throws lots of ingredients together and it turns out amazing. This is her recipe and as the story goes, she had planned to make a pot roast and purchased the wrong kind of meat! This crockpot bbq pork turned out to be the best kind of mistake and is now a family and reader favorite.
This pork is easy to prepare; just toss everything into the slow cooker and it does all of the work. You can use all of that free time for making some delicious sides to go along with your meal. We love serving this with our favorite coleslaw (pictured above). This would also be delicious with a side of our smashed potatoes or crispy baked potato wedges.
Ingredients for Pulled Pork:
Here are the things you will need to make pulled pork in a slow cooker: a large onion, 6-7 lbs of boneless Pork Shoulder Chuck Roast, and a simple homemade pork rub with salt, black pepper, and paprika.
For the marinade, you’ll need chicken broth, BBQ Sauce (we used Stubb’s Sticky Sweet), liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, fresh garlic, and brown sugar. The liquid smoke is optional but does add great smoked pulled pork flavor.
How to Make Pulled Pork:
Shredded Pork in the crockpot doesn’t get any easier. There is no pre-cooking or searing required. Watch the video tutorial below.
1. Add diced onion to the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. To make the Pulled Pork Rub, combine 1 Tbsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp paprika. Sprinkle seasonings over the meat and massage to rub the seasoning into the meat. Place meat in the slow cooker.
3. For the marinade, combine: 1 cup chicken broth, 1 cup BBQ sauce, 1 Tbsp liquid smoke, 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 Tbsp brown sugar and 3 pressed garlic cloves then stir to combine. Pour the marinade over the pork.
4. Cover and set the crockpot on low for 8 hours. Remove the meat to a large bowl and remove any fat. Shred with two forks. Pour some of the remaining sauce in the slow cooker over the pork, adding it to taste. Brush the shredded pork with more BBQ Sauce.
How to Serve Pulled Pork:
The great thing about crockpot cooking is it’s easy to take along and serve other places outside your home while still keeping things hot and fresh. Here are a few ideas of other ways to use this great crockpot recipe. Pulled pork leftovers are the best kind of leftovers!
- BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches on a soft potato bun is our favorite way to serve shredded pork.
- Pulled Pork Tacos are a fun twist to Taco Tuesday!
- Shredded Pork Nachos served with tortilla chips, cheese, and all the fixings are great for parties.
- Pork Wraps are delicious with some corn and black beans.
- Pork Salad is a smart and lighter meal option, adding pork for protein.
- Pulled Pork Sliders are so good in homemade dinner rolls.
More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes:
For those busy days, try some of our other crock-pot meals:
- BBQ Chicken – Great with coconut coleslaw.
- Bolognese Sauce – Prepped in the morning, ready when you come home.
- Crockpot Lasagna – Just as good as the classic recipe, but easier.
- Slow Cooker Chicken Chili – A tasty twist on a traditional favorite.
- Shredded Chicken Tacos – A quick, fun dinner party idea.
Watch How to Make Pulled Pork:
We hope you love this Pulled Pork recipe as much as we do. If you enjoyed this video, please subscribe to our Youtube Channel and make sure to click the bell icon so you can be the first to know when we post a new video.
Pulled Pork Recipe
This meat for Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is fall-apart tender. The marinade enhances the natural flavors of the pork. It's a delicious staple that works great on sandwiches, salads, or wraps.
Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- 6 lbs boneless Pork Shoulder Chuck Roast (or 2 smaller roasts totalling 6-7 lbs)
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup your favorite BBQ Sauce we used Stubb's Sticky Sweet
- 1 Tbsp liquid smoke optional but nice
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 large garlic cloves pressed
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
-
Chop 1 large onion and place it into the bottom of the slow cooker.
-
Combine 1 Tbsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp paprika and generously sprinkle the pork roast. Massage the roast to rub the seasoning into the meat. Place meat over the onions.
-
For the marinade, combine: 1 cup chicken broth, 1 cup BBQ sauce, 1 Tbsp liquid smoke, 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, and 3 pressed garlic cloves. Stir to combine. Pour the marinade over the pork.
-
Cover and set on low for 8 hours. Remove the meat to a large bowl and remove any fat. Shred with forks. Pour any drippings from the crockpot over the meat to taste then brush meat with warm barbecue sauce to serve.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Natasha Kravchuk
Roasted Pork Tenderloin Recipe 
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork (Video) 
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork in a Mushroom Sauce Recipe 
Easy Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork) 
Slow Cooker Lasagna Recipe 
Instant Pot Ribs Recipe (VIDEO) 
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Would a pork loin work well in this recipe?
Hi Karen, someone commented and shared this “I make this with boneless pork loin, have made 3 or 4 times and I love it! I finally found my permanent BBQ recipe. Thanks!” I hope that helps!
We really enjoyed this, including my kids! And it was so easy to make. I used a boneless pork loin (because that’s what I had on hand) and it turned out great! Will definitely make this again.
So wonderful to hear that, Erin. I am so glad you and your kids enjoyed this pulled pork recipe!
Can you use pork sirloin roast?
Hi Debi, Pork sirloin? It might be a little dry for this, but it may still work. I’d probably cut the meat in half if using a sirloin to make sure it cooks through well.
Prepping this now, it it ok to leave rub in pork overnight and prep marinade and put in the fridge to use tomorrow morning. Have a morning appointment so can’t waste time.
Great idea! I hope you love this recipe John!
Can I use minced garlic instead of pressed garlic clove?
Hi Lauren, that should work!
Amazing recipe! Definetly a HIT!!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Just made this yesterday and I was surprised how BOMB this recipe is. Had to come back to write a comment. It’s perfect with your coleslaw recipe! Thank you for all that you do! You’re my ‘go to’ for all of my meal plans!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Viktoriya! Thank you for that amazing review!
I made this yesterday, it was so delicious. I will definitly be making it again. Thank you from Australia
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed this dish!
Hey Natasha I was wondering if I can use this recipe but put it in the insta pot?
How long would you recommend to pressurize it for?
Thank you!!
HI Kris, I haven’t tested that yet but it would be a great experiment and I will add it to my list. If you test it out before me, please let me know how it goes.
Made this easy pulled pork at my firehouse last rotation, the guys loved it… very easy to make and very delicious! (Firefighters are usually outstanding cooks).
Thanks Natasha
That’s so awesome! Thank you so much for sharing that with us Ilya!
Big fan of your recipes. I am trying to make this in my instant pot on slow cook mode, it only has 2-3 hours left and it’s still uncooked. Do you know what I did wrong?
Hi Jamie, it should cook in that time but I’m more than happy to troubleshoot. Did you substitute anything or alter the time or heat level by chance?
The “slow cook” option on the instant pot is at a lower temperature than regular slow cooker.
Thank you for sharing that with us.
I had to cook it for 9 hrs in low. So the second time I did 2 hours on high than turned it to 8 hrs on low. Great recipe.
That’s so great, Dustin!
This turned out fabulous! Thank you for the easy recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Allyson! Isn’t the flavor amazing!
one of our favorites!
One of our favorites also! That’s so great, Rachael!
What an easy and delicious recipe! I also love all the suggestions for using up pulled pork in case of leftovers. My favourite is to top nachos!
I bet this is so good over nachos! Great idea, Julia!
This is seriously the easiest to follow most delicious pulled pork recipe I’ve ever made. Thank you!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
This is definitely a winner. I have a picky family and it got their approval, which is no easy task. Thank you
That’s just awesome! Sounds like you found a new favorite, Brandy!
Can this recipe be made in a dutch oven instead of a slow cooker?
Hi Eleanor, It would probably work well in a dutch oven, using a cooking method like this (Martha Stewart’s). I would prepare everything the same as for the slow cooker except put it in the dutch oven at the end instead of the slow cooker.
Is there honey in this? The one picture looks like honey going into the marinade.
Hi Ann, are you referring to the photo with the liquid smoke being poured in? This recipe does not call for honey bit it does have brown sugar. I hope that helps.
I make this with boneless pork loin, have made 3 or 4 times and I love it! I finally found my permanent BBQ recipe. Thanks!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Susan!
I accidentally bought pork loin roast boneless instead of pork shoulder and went ahead made it. It’s cooking now. I hope it’ll still work pulled pork. Will it?
Thank you, Holly
Hi Holly, pork loin roast is a very lean meat and not generally recommended for use in pulled pork, but I have had a couple of readers report good results using pork loin. I hope it works well for you!
Hi! just wondering if this would work on high for 4-5 hours?
Hi Jocelyne, I haven’t tried cooking this on high, but if I did, I’d put it on high for 4 hours then turn to low for 2 more hours or until it pulls apart easily to be sure it’s done.
Amazing!! It was definitely worth the wait. My family loved it. Thanks for recipe.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Can I use a bone in pork
Hi Maria, I haven’t tested this recipe with bone-in but I would probably let it go 8-10 hours or until very tender.
Hi, I have not made this just yet but plan on making it for my son’s graduation party this month. I am cooking for 30+ people. I will need to make several of these. Do you have any tips for making larger amount? I will be making in the oven or a larger roaster. Thanks!
Hi Amy, my 2 pieces of meat were 6-7 lbs together. If you have a large enough crockpot and wanted to make a double batch, that would work to put both of them in. For 30+ people you may need 2 crock pots.
This recipe looks delicious! I plan to use it tomorrow. How do you think adding 1-4tbsp of bourbon would work in this? I’ve never really cooked with bourbon (other than adding it to buttercream frostings and stuff), but I’ve seen a few other recipes adding it to their pulled pork. I have no idea of the amount needed, but I imagine the flavor could work in this?
Hi Garrett! I honestly haven’t tested that so I cannot advise. If you experiment please let me know how you like that!
Can you use a pork butt for this recipe?
Hi Janine, yes I think that would work fine, to use the butt cut.
Just wondering if this can be made with a boneless pork loin?
Hi Lilly, We used boneless pork for this recipe.
Would like coleslaw recipe!!
Hi Pat! You may find a couples versions following this link here! I hope you enjoy that!
This recipe is the best pulled pork recipe I’ve tried, and I’ve tried quite a few. Definitely do not omit the liquid smoke as this added such a depth of flavor. Also do not omit the onions. I had so much pork I had to split it in two separate slow cookers, one of which did not have onions. The batch with onions was better. This will be my go to recipe for pulled pork going forward! Thanks so much for this awesome recipe!
You’re welcome, Trisha! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Thank you for sharing your great review!
This was seriously the BEST pulled pork recipe I have ever used/tasted! My hubby, the super picky eater really liked it. Thank you for an awesome recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Trying your pulled pork today after eating Turkey left overs for 2days! What sides would you recommend ? Veggie?
We like it on a bun or with some coleslaw. Make yourself a pulled pork sandwich or pulled pork taco topped with extra BBQ sauce, or serve it as a savory side.
This is my go-to recipe for pulled pork. I’ve made it numerous times, with and without the liquid smoke. It’s always moist and flavourful. However, I do add an amazing Apple Coleslaw, which in my opinion takes it to the next level.
That sounds fancy!! Thank you for sharing that!
Delish!
Thank you Mel!
Is there a way to convert this recipe for an Instant Pot?
Hi Luba, I haven’t tried this one specifically in an Insta Pot. I think it is possible though. If you experiment please let me know how you like it!
Tried it and the pork turned out dry and stiff.. not sure if I over cooked it or what. I am new to the Instant pot so not sure what I did wrong on my end
Hi Luba, an instant pot or pressure cooker will cook foods much quicker than a slow cooker so you would want to cut the time down significantly. I haven’t tested this particular recipe in an instant pot but from what I’ve researched online, it looks like you would want to cook it on manual high pressure for 45 minutes then let it depressurize for 10 minutes naturally before releasing the remaining pressure via the valve at the top. I hope that helps!
Delicious!! Just made some today and planning to make it again in near future.
Awesome! I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for the great review!
Hi there
Really excited to try this! How do I know exactly when the pork is done. I’m using a 5lb boneless sholdour? I just don’t want to over cook. Any suggestions?
We recommend following the cooking instruction but since times vary so checking the internal temperature may help verify 🙂
Can I use Frozen tenderloin? And if so what changes should I make? Under a time crunch.
Hi Patricia! I have not tried using a frozen roast, so I can’t say for sure. You would definitely have to increase the cooking time. If you test it out, let me know how you like it!
Hi Natasha
I ended up make a run to the store to get a fresh one. Thank you for your response. Every one loved the recipie. I strained the juices and left the onion bits in a serving dish as a topping. Hubby loved the flavour.
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Just finished making this with a pork loin. I was very nervous because of it being a loin AND I didn’t have any chicken broth, so replaced with just water.. it is absolutely DELICIOUS! This recipe will be added to my favorites. Thank you 😊
I’m so happy you were able to make that work! Thank you for sharing this with us, Danielle!
Followed the recipe to the letter (doubled it however). Added liquid smoke as suggested and used a loin that was 4.6 pounds. Other than increasing the cook time to 10 hours no other changes.
Turned out WONDERFUL. My first time making pulled pork in the crockpot. Will definately do it again!
I’m so happy to hear that, Ro! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Reading this is literally making my mouth water! I was wondering if Pork Butt could be substituted?
Hi Gale, yes that will work great! 🙂
My sister made this last night for a party and it was AMAZING! We all had to get the recipe. Thanks!
My pleasure Dyan! I’m glad to hear the recipe is an absolute hit. Thanks for sharing your awesome review!
Hi. I have a 10 lb bone-in pork shoulder. How long would you suggest to cook it for?
Hi Jessica, I haven’t tested this recipe with that cut but I would probably let it go 8-10 hours or until very tender.
Hi Natasha, I love this recipe! It was my first time using a slow cooker and makes for easy meal planning on my student budget because of all the leftovers! What bun would you recommend using? I used an olive oil ciabatta bun which was good, just wondering what you use.
Hi Ally, a variety of buns would work and I do think the ciabatta sounds really good! The one in the photo is a potato bun from Winco.
HI Natasha, Sounds great! Planning on making this for a party. Any thoughts on making this recipe a day ahead, so I could shred it earlier? How would you recommend reheating it? In the crockpot again on low? Do you think it would dry the meat out? Thanks!
Hi Jenny, this would work to make it a day ahead and then reheat the following day. If you need a quicker reheat, I would suggest a deep skillet to reheat it. You can also reheat in the crock pot – put it on low if you have some time to warm it up or set it to high and keep an eye on it and turn it down to warm once it’s well heated through.
Thank you so much! Everyone LOVED the meat and asked for the recipe. It worked out perfectly, cooking and shredding the meat the day before, then reheating on low the day of the party! thank you
If time permits do you think it would be helpful to Season the pork and let set overnight in fridge or do you think this wouldn’t make much of a difference?
Thanks,
Travis
Hi Travis, with the slow cooking and then shredding, it isn’t necessary to marinate in advance.
Ok, thank you for getting back to me on this. My pork shoulder will be going into the crock pot in about an hour…wish me luck 🙂
You’re welcome Travis! Please let me know what you think!
It turned out great and my whole family loved it…very tender and flavorful! However, I will say, I also made your recipe for Smashed Pot’s to go along with it and they stole the show…OMG, I could’ve eaten the entire tray myself they were soooo good!
That’s great to hear! I’m glad to hear everyone enjoys the recipes. Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
I just had this for a ladies club meeting at my house and it turned out wonderful! I will definitely keep this recipe on hand to make again. I used a 7 pound pork shoulder that I trimmed. One of the girls, that I go camping with, commented that we needed to add this to our repertoire of camping meals for times when her son doesn’t feel like smoking a pork butt. Thanks so much for the recipe!!
You’re welcome Jenny! I’m glad to hear the recipe is such a hit. Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
Hi Natasha! I’m a big fan 🙂 Your recipes are great! I don’t have a slow cooker pot. Can I prepare this recipe on a normal pan on gas stove top? If it is possible, can you give some advice? Thanks.
Hi Virginia, It would probably work well in a dutch oven, using a cooking method like this (Martha Stewart’s) . I would prepare everything the same as for the slow cooker except put it in the dutch oven at the end instead of the slow cooker.
I can’t find the link to the coleslaw. Can you share where to find the recipe?
Hi Kristina, we have 2 great coleslaws that we use: coconut coleslaw and apple coleslaw. If I were to choose a favorite, it would be coconut but both are very good.
This was the best pulled pork recipe I’ve ever used. I used a pork loin instead of the shoulder. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome Vickie! I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipe. Thanks for sharing your great review!
Can you use a smaller pork shoulder with the same amount of other ingredients? Or would you half all ingredients?
Hi Lori, I would cut the sauce in half if using half the amount of meat and if it is still the same size of slow cooker, you might consider cutting the meat in half so it is sitting closer to the sauce and does not get dry.
Hi, Natasha,
How many coconut coleslaw sandwiches does this pulled pork recipe make?
When you make the coconut coleslaw sandwiches, do you find that you have a 1:1 ratio of coleslaw to pulled pork? Or does one or the other run out first?
Do you use this pulled pork recipe to make anything else?
I’m asking because I usually only make food to serve two people (me and my husband). Often times, we find ourselves eating the same leftovers for over a week…which can get a bit sickening.
Hi Victoria, that is a tough question since I didn’t measure exact quantitites. If you are planning to serve all of the meat as sandwiches and are planning to do 1:1 amounts, I would probably do 1 1/2 times to double the coconut coleslaw recipe that we have posted. We usually just refrigerate the leftovers and enjoy them later but we do always have alot of people around to eat them :). I haven’t tried freezing this but I bet it would be a good candidate for freezing leftovers.
This is an amazing recipe, I adventured off the reservation a bit replacing brown sugar with chili honey and instead of chicken broth sub with beef broth.
I’m glad you love it! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
Natasha,
Could you cook it in the slow cooker on high for 4-6 hours to shorten cooking time?
Hi Megan, haven’t tried cooking this on high, but if I did, I’d put it on high for 4 hours then turn to low for 2 more hours or until it pulls apart easily to be sure it’s done.
I have a 5 pound Pork Loin. Do you think I will have good results using this recipe with this cut of meat?
Hi Allison, I haven’t tried it with a pork loin, so I can’t say for sure, but one of my readers wrote in with the following review: “I made this today, and we all loved it! Thank you so much for the great recipe! By the way, I used a 3.5 pound pork loin.” You might want to cut the pork loin in half if it is a 5 lb pork loin.
Is your pork roast bone-in or boneless?
Hi Christina, it was boneless. Sorry I missed that in the recipe – I will updated to clarify. Thanks!
Can I put it on high to get it done faster?
Hi Lori, I haven’t tried cooking this on high, but if I did, I’d put it on high for 4 hours then turn to low for 2 more hours or until it pulls apart easily to be sure it’s done.
I just did this recipe but at the end there was a lot of liquid and it came out SUPER salty… like extremely salty!!! I wonder why???? I was really looking forward to having this for dinner but I cant have it as it is. I did the recipe step by step with the exact ingredients! 🙁 I did half the recipe as I had half the pork….
Hi Sofia, I haven’t had anyone say it was too salty yet so I’m thinking maybe you forgot to cut the salt in half? For a 3 1/2 pounds piece of meat, I would add 1/2 Tbsp of salt and also be sure you cut everything in half or the recipe will be salty since some of the other ingredients also have salt in them. I sure hope that helps!
I am just wondering how long to cook it if I halved the recipe! Should I still cook it for the full 8 hours?
Hi Natasha, is that cole slaw on top of the pulled pork?
Hi Marisa, yes, it is our coconut coleslaw recipe 🙂
Love this dish. My kids say it’s a Killer.😍
LOL, I’m happy to hear that Diana! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
Do you happen to know if a 6 qt crock pot would hold this large of a piece of meat? I bought 15 lbs (the butcher said it was two pieces), and was planning to use two crock pots but they are both 6 qt. Thank you for this recipe…first timer here and this recipe seemed the easiest and best!
Hi Melissa, If you are doubling the recipe, you will need 2 separate crockpots. I put 6 to 7 pounds of meat into my 6 quart slow cooker and it was pretty full. You will need two slow cookers for 15 pounds if they are 6 qt each.
Looking at your pulled pork recipe. Sounds and looks great. My question is about the liquid smoke. 2 T seems like a LOT. I seldom use it because it is so strong.
I also should have asked if you feel this would work as well in a “Instant Pot” type cooker. The Infomercials on TV have me wondering about its merits.
Hi Bill, I don’t have an insta pot so I can’t really advise on that. Maybe someone else has tried in an instant pot? Thanks in advance 🙂
Hi Bill, you could decrease it or omit it and still have great results 🙂
Hi Natasha, I’d like to try this recipe for pulled pork but I don’t have a slow cooker. I am wondering what the oven temperature should be and how long should I cook it? Thanks for your help.
Nancy
Hi Nancy, you might try following the baking temp and time in this recipe. I haven’t tried this in the oven so I had to do some googling but that is what I would try 🙂
I have made this several times over the past year and it’s the best! Family and friends always love it (: Thank you for such a fantastic recipe!!
You’re welcome Marlene! I’m happy to hear that everyone loves this recipe! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
Do you shred up the onions with the meat when it’s done?
Hi Sunny, the onion shrinks and pretty much dissapears into the meat. It’s hardly noticeable unless you are looking for it 🙂
Made this a while ago and it turned out great! It was a bit over salty for us but we will definitely be making this again. Thank you for a great recipe
My pleasure Angelina! Thank you for sharing your review 🙂
Hi! Can this be cooked on high?
Hi Irene, I haven’t tested it that way but I think it would be best cooked on low to get it to be fall-apart tender without drying it out.
Ok thank you!
I am planning to make this a day in advance. Do you think I should reheat in the slow cooker? Also, do you think this will turn out the same with a boston butt?
Hi Drose, yes I think that would work fine to reheat and to use the Boston butt cut.
Hi, do you know if can I make this in an instapot, and how long to cook it
Hi Dina, I don’t have an instapot so I have no idea. Sorry I’m no help with that – I’ve searched the comments on this post and no one mentioned trying an instapot…
This looks so yummy! Juts put it on for our dinner tonight, excited x
Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome Jessica! Please let me know what you think of the recipe! 🙂
Can be beef broth be used instead of chicken.. I bought the wrong broth..
Hi Debbie, that should work fine 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I want to make your pulled pork recipe but don’t have a slow cooker. What would the cooking time be in a conventional oven? Thanks so much.
Nancy 🇨🇦
Hi Nancy, I haven’t tested it that way so I really can’t guess. If you try it out, let me know how it goes!
Can the roast be frozen? Not always convenient to have one thawed already.
I have not tried using a frozen roast, so I can’t say for sure. You would definitely have to increase the cooking time. If you test it out, let me know how you like it!
Yes, frozen roast works great. I just did an 8lb. solid frozen pork shoulder roast and 1 1/2 times the recipe and put it in the crock pot on low. It was done in about 7 hours. I took it out, got rid of all the fat, shredded it with a fork and put it back in the crock pot with the juices. The family loved the flavor and the pork was so tender!
I need to make this for 12 people. If I get a bigger cut of meat and double the sauce will it turn out alright?
Hi Susie, yes that would be fine as long as it fits in your slow cooker. You may need to cook it longer in the crockpot if it’s a larger piece of meat.
I see you put in 2 pieces of pork in your crockpot, were the 6 pounds each or together? I bought my pork roast at Costco and it’s a 2 pack. They are around 6 pounds each. Should I put it in 1 crock pot or use 2?
Hi Lorie, my 2 pieces of meat were 6-7 lbs together. If you have a large enough crockpot and wanted to make a double batch, that would work to put both of them in, but as it is written, I would just use 1 piece if it is 6 lbs.
Making this for the second time already and we are loving it:) Thank you Natasha for such amazing recipes.
P.S. we love the coleslaw as well 🙂
You’re welcome Tatiana! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review! 🙂
I’m making this today with left over pork shoulder. So far it smells amazing. I’m making it in my stock pot. I also added a bit of turkey bacon 🙁
Yum! That sounds delish! Let me know how it turned out Elisa! 🙂
Does the pork need to be covered by liquid while cooking? The liquid only comes half way up my pork.
It’s perfectly ok for the liquid to come halfway up the meat. The steam from the crockpot will keep it moist on the surface. Enjoy!
Hi Natasha,
Happy 2017 to you and your family. May all your hopes, wishes and dreams come true! Do you have a vinegar based coleslaw recipe? I’d like to make your pulled pork recipe, but don’t like mayonaise based coleslaw. Thanks so much.
Nancy 🇨🇦
Hi Nancy, thank you and to you as well!! 🙂 I just have the mayo-based coleslaws and I do have some non-mayo cabbage salads that you could probably make work but they aren’t specifically coleslaws.
If I have a 8.5 pound pork shoulder, should I increase the cook time? Also, make extra sauce.
Hi Cassandra, I would increase the cook time maybe by 1 hour or so. Cook until it pulls apart easily with 2 forks. I think there would still be enough sauce in the recipe to cover a slightly larger roast but you can increase it by 25% or half and it wouldn’t hurt. 🙂
Hi Natasha!
I’m in hour 8 of this pulled pork, and my pork isn’t pulling. I followed the instructions exactly, and dinner is in an hour and a half! Any tips? Should I turn the slow cooker up a notch for a while and see if that works?
Thank you!
Hi Kelsey, that is unusual. Did you use a different cut of pork or a larger piece of pork than what is called for in the recipe?
Would it hurt to have it marinating overnight for am early AM start?
Hi Brad, I think that would work fine.
Hi Natasha,
Thank you for the great recipes! How long would you suggest I should cook the pork if I use about half the meat (3-4 pounds).
Hi Olga, Hi Amaris, it should still take about the same amount of time. You can check it at 6 and 7 hours and you’ll know it’s ready if it’s easy to pull the meat apart with forks.
I have a roaster oven, any idea what temp for a 6-8 hr cook?
Hi Mavery, I haven’t used a roaster oven so I’m not sure. A slow cooker low setting is about 200˚F from what I could find online but I’m not sure if it is an adequate temperature for your roaster oven. I wish I had a better answer for you.
Hey Natasha,
Do you have a coleslaw recipe to go along with the pulled pork? I plan on making this over the weekend?
Nicole, you must try this coconut coleslaw along with the pulled pork. Let me know how it turns out ?.
Hope you get this. I just made this and the sauce is watery. Any tips to thicken it up? It’s like a broth, not like a BBQ sauce.
Hi Anna, the sauce should be liquid when the pork is done cooking. The liquid gets absorbed by the pork when you put it back into the juice and it turns out just right 🙂
Could I use pork tenderloin instead of pork shoulder? If so, do I still use 6-7 pounds? This recipe looks great!
Hi Stephanie, I think that would work but start checking it at 4 hours on low because it is a thinner cut of meat and it doesn’t have as much fat so you don’t want to overcook it. P.S. have you tried our roasted pork tenderloin? It’s literally one of the top 3 recipes on my blog (out of about 700) and has excellent reviews. I hope you give it a try! ?
This is a phenomenal recipe! The liquid smoke really makes a difference and gave the bbq sauce a rich flavor. The only thing I would do differently was make another one half of the bbq/chicken broth recipe. I prefer my pulled pork with a little more sauce. I did make some after I took the fat off a day later and shredded and added to already cooked meat. I will definitely be making this wonderful recipe again!
Sue, thank you for such a nice review, I’m glad to hear that you like the recipe 😁.
So easy to make and so delicious!
I’m so glad you like the recipe! 🙂
I’m a horrible cook but due to a meat loving husband I been trying out your recipes n so far- this is hubs fav. Easy to make n it took 7.5hrs n hubs ate half of the pork lol deff making this again!!! Pulled apart perfectly and tasted great! Thx for the yummy recipes n easy to understand info/pix!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe and find the tutorials helpful – that’s so encouraging to hear! It’s tempting to just put up a picture of the final product (it would save me so much time!), but I would prefer to see a recipe that way so that’s why I share my recipes with photos 🙂
Made this today. Halved the recipe as my pork was 3.5 lbs. Cooked it about 7.5 hours. It was amazing. Family loved it and I’m looking forward to leftovers! Yummy.
Teresa, thank you for the great review, I’m glad you liked it 😀.
Hi! If I cut this recipe in half, when should I check on it and how will I know if it’s done? Thanks!
Hi Amaris, it should still take about 8 hours. You can check it at 6 and 7 hours and you’ll know it’s ready if it’s easy to pull the meat apart with forks.
We made this tonight and really enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing this recipie! 🙂
You are very welcome and thank you for sharing a nice review with us 😀.
I made this about a month ago and it is AMAZING!!! The whole family loved it. I am making this now but with pork ribs. I am sure it will be just as amazing. Thank you so much for sharing!!
You are welcome Wendy and thank you for sharing such a nice review 😄.
Hi. I roasted a pork shoulder with bone in. I stuffed garlic cloves inside and put sliced onions on top. It came out tasteless and dry. Do you think that I can salvage it and make pulled pork with it? If I follow your recipe and cut down on cooking time? Help!! My mother always cooked the pork roast that way. I have cut the meat off the the bone in large chunks. Should I leave some of the fat in the crock pot for moisture ad remove after it is done? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Hi KitSue, to be honest, I’m not sure if it could become tender in the slow cooker after becoming tough in the oven. It might be worth a test…. Maybe someone else could suggest something? I’ve been googling for answers and came up short as far as rescuing a dry roasted pork shoulder.
I’m making this today. Is there a way to shorten the cooking time? I know some recipes either call for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. Would that work for this recipe?
Victoria, I think it would work fine using 4 hours on high setting. Also, cutting the pork in half will help to cook it faster.
i still love your photos. the shot of the sandwich is a real stand out. i had already made my pork,i use about the same items but mine is wraped in foil,then in the oven,225,for about 10 hrs.i didnt have the slaw ,but it was still good.next time i will try my slow cooker–it looks great !
Warren, thank you for the compliment and for sharing your version of the pulled pork 😀.
I have a ton of pork tenderloin in my freezer… Could I use that in place of the pork roast?
Hi Haley, I think that would work but start checking it at 4 hours on low because it is a thinner cut of meat and it doesn’t have as much fat so you don’t want to overcook it. P.S. have you tried our roasted pork tenderloin? It’s literally one of the top 3 recipes on my blog (out of about 700) and has excellent reviews. I hope you give it a try! 😉
Having a gathering of about 20 people and want to make this. If I double the recipe would it still take 8 hours on low to cook?
Hi Sue! If your slow cooker can accommodate that much meat, it should take about the same amount of time to cook, maybe 1 hour longer, but test it at the same time per the recipe and turn it off when it pulls apart easily with forks.
In the crock pot now! Smells delicious. Thank you for the recipe! 🙂
You’re very welcome. Enjoy! 🙂
What would you think of no bbq sauce, then serving with a variety of sauces so the guest could choose? Carolina, Sweet Baby Rays, Spicy , Smokey. Or would not adding it and cooking it in make it dryer and not as tasty?
Hi Mike, adding the bbq sauce while cooking is important for the flavor and outcome of the pulled pork but I think it would still taste great if you served it with a variety of bbq sauces since the bbq sauce in the pulled pork mellows out while cooking so I don’t think the flavor profiles would conflict if you served it with other bbq sauces.
How many servings is your recipe. Looking to try this out this weekend for Father’s day!
Thank you
Carly, this recipe makes 8-10 servings. Let me know how it turns out 😀.
Hi Natasha, I’m about to make this delicious meat and am using a 2qt slow cooker. Any suggestion on how long it should cook? Same time or less? Thank you:)
Hi Ester, I’m sorry I’m not sure how I missed your comment! Did you cut down the ingredients or keep them the same? If you cut the ingredients in half, it may finish up sooner – test it at 6 hours and then again at 7 hours. It’s done when it falls apart easily.
Hi, Thanks so much for this recipe. I made this yesterday using smoked bbq sauce and smoked paprika because I couldn’t find liquid smoke in Australia. It tasted sooo good! Will definitely share your website with others.
Adrian, you’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it and nice job improvising 😀.
Do pour out any of the liquid from the crock pot after the meat is cooked and you shred it?
Hi Galina, yes, it is in step 4. I add it to keep the meat really juicy.
Thank you Natasha!!! I re-read the recipe again and saw that part… Lol.. It turned out amazing!!! Thanks again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the awesome review 🙂
Hello, I am using half the amount of meat the recipe calls for. Should I also cut the rest of the ingredients in half, or just keep them as listed in the recipe?
Thank you! I can’t wait to try this!
It depends – if you are using a smaller crockpot, you would want to cut the rest of the ingredients in half. If your crock pot is large, you can cut the rest of the ingredients in half but you should also cut the meat into 2 or 3 pieces so most of it is in the liquid. If your crock pot is large you can leave the rest of the ingredients as listed if you wish.
I made this today, and we all loved it! Thank you so much for the great recipe! By the way, I used a 3.5 pound pork loin.
I’m so happy you all loved it! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 So it was a pork loin rather than a tenderloin? Did you make any other changes? Bake time? Thanks!
Hey Natasha,
Where can I buy this bread it looks so good compared to the regular buns.
Olesya, this is a potato bun. I bought it at my local grocery store (Winco).
Any suggestions how to cook the meat without slow cooker? (I don’t have one).
It would probably work well in a dutch oven, using a cooking method like this (Martha Stewart’s)
I love it how you’re using a baby spoon to mix the spices! 🙂 Haha I always used my baby spoons for everything as well! But I can’t wait to try this recipe!
That really is the baby’s spoon. lol. I did wash it well ;). I hope you love the recipe!
Hi
Will it work if i have smoked paprika and dont have liquid smoke
You can use that as a substitute. Liquid smoke just adds a nice smoky flavor but the recipe will still work without it.
hey, how long do you think I would need to cook the meat if i used a 3 pound piece of meat?
It might get done after 6-7 hours. Check it to make sure it is tender and cooked through.
Made this for a bunch of hungry football fans and not a shred was left! I did leave out the liquid smoke because I didn’t have any but otherwise, it was great! Thank your sister for us!
Joyce, thank you for such a great review and I will pass on “thank you” to my sister :).
Can I use pork tenderloin instead of chuck roast?
Yes that should be fine 🙂
I love this pulled pork and the fact that it makes a lot of servings. I got this in my slow cooker as I speak! Can’t wait to have some!! Thanks for a wonderful recipe!!
You are welcome Vika, let me know how it turns out :).
making it for tomorrow 🙂 thank you Natasha for sharing your recipes
I hope you love it! 🙂
Can I use sirloin for this recipe?
Or is it the same thing? Lol
Pork sirloin? It might be a little dry for this, but it may still work. I’d probably cut the meat in half if using a sirloin to make sure it cooks through well.
Im just wondering if the roast can be frozen. I left it in the freezer accidently last night and I was planning to make this today. Thanks in advanced!
Just thaw it before making the recipe. The quickest way to thaw is to put it in very cold water (you might change out the water a couple times)
Are you able to cook on high? If so, how long would it take?
I’d put it on high for 4 hours then turn to low for 2 more hours or until it pulls apart easily to be sure it’s done.
question about the slow cooker you used, i already have the kind that you have listed in the shop category but it would probably be too big for this, cuz the sauce wont be close enough to cover half of it. It looks like your using one thats smaller and taller. Do you have any recomendations for a smaller & taller slow cooker?
The larger one will be fine, you just position the meat differently to have the liquid cover most of it and rotate/turn the meat once or twice while cooking. Even mine didn’t cover the top completely and that’s ok. You can cut the meat in half or into thirds if you want. No biggie 🙂
Is it ok to leave out the liquid smoke? (don’t have any at the moment). Or can I substitute it with something else?
It’s ok to leave it out. It just adds some nice smokey flavor and aroma. It will be great without it too.
Very yummy, we enjoyed it. The whole house smelled like BBQ the whole day:)
I cut the roast in half before placing it in the crock pot. Thank you for the recipe.
I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
the best pulled pork ive ever tried. or made , delicious . tell your sister thank you for sharing the recipe with us
I will let her know :). I’m glad that you enjoyed it.
My husband loved it! I used beef instead of pork and it still came out great. Thank you, Natasha!
I’m glad that you enjoyed it. I should make pulled beef my self 🙂
My first attempt at pulled pork was a huge cooking disaster. After 8 hours in the slow cooker the meat was still very tough. I put it in the oven in hopes to soften it, fell asleep… so the meat ended up with thick layer of charcoal underneath. This time around I tried your recipe minus the garlic, huge success (as always:) the meat just fell off the bone. Thank you for making me a better cook.
I was reading your comment holding my breath thinking you were writing about my recipe :-O Fewww! 🙂 I’m so glad you loved it! I’ll let my sister know. Thanks for sharing your pulled pork story 😉
hi. does it matter which meat i use? im using beef… anything different in the recipe? or cook time?
I’ve never tried it with beef so I can’t really say if there is a difference in the cooking time. I assuem it would take a little longer, but it also depends on what cut of beef your are using. Sorry, I know that’s probably not very helpful.
Do you by any chance have prime rib recipe?
My mom makes a yummy prime rib, but I haven’t documented it. I’ll ask her when she plans to make it again.
I like to cook and am always on the lookout for something new to try. Thanks for your blog; I enjoy reading it very much! Also, thanks for the easy-to-follow directions and plenty of colorful pictures!
Wow looks good! Can you by any chance post spartak cake i wanna make it for jeremy my hubby for christmas his family is american:) Thanks
I’ll be documenting and photographing the making of my Mom’s incredible spartak cake this week (I don’t mean to tease), but I don’t think I can get it on the blog before Christmas… sorry :(. We are making the layers tomorrow and will be frosting them on Saturday for Christmas. Isn’t that awesome; you can make that cake days in advance! Anyway, I know it doesn’t help much for Christmas, but stay tuned – It will be a great cake for New Years! Have you tried the Kiev cake (it’s a little time-consuming, but it’s also my personal favorite).
Do you by any chance have a recipe for sweet sausage? (Sladkaya kalbasa) lol
No but I’ll see if I can track one down for you. I put it on my list 🙂
say7.info has one, we all love it
Looks so yummy!
Is a slow cooker a must in this recipe?
I haven’t tried any other way. A dutch oven might work just as well but I’m not sure how long or at what temp to advise since I haven’t tried it (and you’d want to cut the pork into quarters).
got it, thank you!