10+ Pulled Pork Crock Pot Recipes for Easy and Delicious Meals
Pulled pork in a crock pot? Honestly, it’s about as easy as it gets. You just toss in the pork and let it do its thing, and somehow you end up with a meal that tastes like you spent all day on it.
Using a slow cooker lets the pork get really tender and packed with flavor over several hours. No need to stand over the stove or constantly check in—just set it and go about your day. It’s perfect for when you’re busy but still want something that feels a little special.
Slow-cooked pulled pork is surprisingly versatile. You can make sandwiches, tacos, or even just serve it up as the main event.
Cooking this way helps you get the most out of a pork shoulder, too. The end result? Juicy, fall-apart meat, every single time.
1) Classic Texas-Style Pulled Pork
Grab a pork shoulder—this is the star of the show. Let it go low and slow in your crock pot.
Toss in onion, jalapeño, and a handful of spices for a solid base. Apple cider vinegar and broth keep things juicy and add that little zing.
Barbecue sauce ties everything together with smoky goodness. As it cooks, the sauce thickens and hugs the meat.
After hours in the crock, shred the pork with forks. It’s perfect for piling onto sandwiches or stuffing into tacos.
Ingredients
- 4 lb pork shoulder
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 jalapeño, sliced
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions
- Pour broth, vinegar, onion, and jalapeño into the crock pot.
- Add the pork shoulder and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook on low for 8-10 hours, until the meat is super tender.
- Take out the pork and shred it with two forks.
- Stir in barbecue sauce and mix well.
2) Dr. Pepper Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Dr. Pepper in pulled pork? It sounds a little wild, but trust me, it works. The soda gives the pork a sweet, tangy kick and helps keep it moist.
Just grab a pork shoulder, a can of Dr. Pepper, and your favorite BBQ sauce. That’s really all you need.
Let the pork cook low and slow for 8 to 10 hours. The meat gets so tender you can shred it with a fork.
A dash of salt and pepper finishes it off. This one’s especially good for sandwiches or just a big, messy plate.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds pork shoulder
- 1 can (12 oz) Dr. Pepper
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions
- Season pork shoulder with salt and pepper.
- Place it in the slow cooker.
- Pour Dr. Pepper over the pork.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
- Shred the pork with two forks.
- Toss the pork with BBQ sauce before serving.
For more details, check out this Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork recipe.
3) BBQ Sauce and Apple Cider Vinegar Pulled Pork
If you like a little tang with your barbecue, this one’s for you. Apple cider vinegar balances out the sweetness of the BBQ sauce.
Start with a pork roast, pour over BBQ sauce and vinegar, and let it cook low and slow. The pork soaks up all those flavors as it gets tender.
Shred the pork when it’s done and stir it back into the sauce. Every bite has that perfect barbecue taste.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds pork shoulder
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions
- Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper.
- Add pork to the crock pot.
- Pour BBQ sauce and vinegar over the top.
- Cook on low for 8-10 hours (225°F / 107°C).
- Shred with two forks.
- Mix pork into the sauce.
See more details in the Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe.
4) Garlic Herb Rub Pulled Pork
This one’s for the garlic lovers. You mix garlic, dried herbs, salt, and pepper for a savory rub, and a little honey sneaks in for sweetness.
Rub it all over your pork roast, then let the crock pot do its thing. The flavors settle in, and the pork gets so tender.
It’s got fresh herb notes and a mild garlic punch. Serve it with coleslaw or baked beans if you’re feeling classic.
Ingredients:
- 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dried herbs (like thyme, rosemary, or oregano)
- 5-6 grinds of salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon pesto (optional)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3-4 pound pork shoulder or pork roast
Cooking Instructions:
- Mix up garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, pesto, and honey.
- Rub all over the pork.
- Place pork in the slow cooker.
- Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, until it’s fall-apart tender.
- Shred and serve.
For detailed tips, check garlic and herb pulled pork.
5) Sweet and Tangy Ketchup Pulled Pork
Here’s a pulled pork recipe with ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar for that sweet-tangy combo. It’s easy to throw together, and you just let it cook all day.
Mix the sauce ingredients, pour them over the pork, and let the slow cooker handle the rest. The pork absorbs all the flavors and turns out super tasty.
Pile it onto buns or pair it with your favorite sides. It’s a comfort food kind of meal.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds pork shoulder
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup vinegar (apple cider or white)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking Instructions
- Stir together ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, and pepper.
- Put pork shoulder in the crock pot.
- Pour sauce over the pork.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours, until it’s ready to shred.
- Shred pork and mix with the sauce.
For more on this style, see slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches recipes from Taste of Home.
6) Smoky BBQ Pulled Pork Shoulder
If smoky BBQ is your thing, this one’s a winner. Rub a pork shoulder with smoked paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Let it cook on low for hours until it’s fork-tender. Once it’s done, shred it and mix with your favorite BBQ sauce.
The pork ends up juicy and smoky, perfect for sandwiches or just straight from the crock.
Ingredients:
- 4-5 lbs pork shoulder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
Cooking Instructions:
- Mix spices and rub all over the pork.
- Put pork in crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
- Shred with forks.
- Stir in BBQ sauce and let it go for another 15 minutes.
- Serve warm.
For more details, see slow cooker smoky pork recipes at Six Sisters’ Stuff.
7) Seared Spice Rub Pulled Pork
Dry rubs are where the magic happens. Mix smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.
Rub it all over your pork shoulder, then sear it in a hot pan for a couple of minutes on each side. You’ll get that nice crust and extra flavor.
Transfer the pork to your crock pot and let it cook on low for 8 hours. When it’s done, shred and toss with some of the juices.
Ingredients
- 1 pork shoulder (about 4-5 lbs)
- 1/2 cup smoked paprika
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons black pepper
- 1/4 cup salt
Cooking Instructions
- Mix up the dry rub.
- Rub it all over the pork.
- Sear pork in a hot pan until browned.
- Move pork to crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours (around 200°F/93°C).
- Shred and mix with some juices.
8) Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Chicken Broth
Chicken broth keeps pulled pork moist and adds a subtle, savory flavor. You can toss in a little onion and vinegar if you want a bit more zip.
Just put the pork shoulder in the slow cooker, pour in the broth, and let it go on low for 6 to 8 hours. It’s almost too easy.
When it’s done, shred the pork right in the slow cooker so it soaks up all those juices. Pile it on buns or tuck it into tacos—either way, you can’t go wrong.
Ingredients
- Boneless pork shoulder
- Chicken broth
- Onion (sliced)
- Apple cider vinegar (optional)
Cooking Instructions
- Place pork shoulder in the slow cooker.
- Add chicken broth and sliced onion.
- Pour in apple cider vinegar if you’re feeling it.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (about 200°F / 93°C).
- Shred pork with two forks right in the slow cooker.
- Serve however you like.
For more details, check this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Chicken Broth recipe.
9) Apple Juice Braised Pulled Pork
Apple juice brings a gentle sweetness to pulled pork that’s hard to beat. It keeps the meat juicy and soft, and the flavor just works with all those spices.
This recipe’s about as simple as they come. You only need a handful of ingredients and a few minutes to get things going.
Grab your pork shoulder and rub it down with garlic and your favorite herbs. Pour apple juice over the top, then let it hang out in your slow cooker.
Let the pork cook low and slow until it basically falls apart. If you’re feeling adventurous, toss in some sliced onions or apples for a little extra something.
Once it’s done, shred the pork right in the pot. You can mix in some barbecue sauce or just serve it straight up—totally up to you.
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb pork shoulder
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1-2 tbsp garlic herb rub or seasoning
- 1 red onion, quartered (optional)
- Barbecue sauce (optional)
Cooking Instructions
- Rub pork with garlic herb seasoning.
- Place pork in crock pot.
- Pour apple juice over pork.
- Add onion if using.
- Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
- Shred pork with forks and mix with sauce if desired.
For more details, check out this apple juice pulled pork recipe.
10) Simple Pulled Pork with Bottle BBQ Sauce
Making pulled pork doesn’t have to be complicated. If you’ve got pork and a bottle of BBQ sauce, you’re halfway there.
Just grab a boneless pork loin roast and drop it in your crock pot. Pour enough BBQ sauce over the pork so it’s nicely coated.
Set the crock pot on low for about 8 hours, or crank it to high for 4 hours if you’re in a hurry. When the pork’s done, use two forks to shred it right in the pot.
Give everything a good stir so the pork soaks up all that sauce. It’ll stay juicy and full of flavor.
You can pile this pork onto sandwich buns or just eat it straight—no judgment. Honestly, you don’t need much else.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
- 18 ounces bottle of BBQ sauce
- Sandwich buns (optional)
Cooking Instructions
- Put the pork roast in the crock pot.
- Pour BBQ sauce over the pork.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
- Shred the pork with two forks.
- Stir the pork to mix with sauce well.
- Serve on sandwich buns or as you like.
You can find more details about this easy method at Allrecipes.