Do you have a go-to group dinner? The ONE thing you can make knowing it will feed a crowd? This is mine. And it’s theeee best.
My first pulled pork experience (lol WHAT A SENTENCE) is with none other than PW’s Spicy Pulled Pork. It’s simple, it’s delicious, and a great starter recipe. But…I don’t keep soda on hand. And y’all already know my affinity for NO FOOD WASTE EVER so I really can’t justify buying DP for one dinner, you know? And so began my quest for the perfect soda-free pulled pork. (What am I, the Odysseus of dinner? Geeze.)
Really, you can’t go wrong with a pork shoulder, salt, and pepper. So if that’s your style have at it! But I love smoked paprika and find any excuse to use it. Zucchini? Sure! Eggs? Neat! Pulled pork? *Chef’s kiss* match made in heaven.
This pulled pork couldn’t be easier; it’s just spices, pork shoulder, and an onion if you wanna. But the best part? It’s SO versatile. When making for a crowd I’ll toss the shredded meat in bbq sauce and serve with Hawaiian rolls, pasta salad (you know I love this one), chips and dip, fruit, and a couple desserts. If it’s just us, I’ll do bbq sliders on day one. For leftovers I’ll make breakfast tacos by crisping in a skillet with some elote seasoning! For nachos I’ll crisp the meat in a skillet, then use the same skillet to sauté some veggies. It’s great on baked sweet potatoes, too. Even straight-up on a fork it’s delicious.
See? Endless possibilities.
If you’re new to the pulled pork game I promise you’ll love this. The flavors are subtle and simple, but just right. You’ll keep coming back to this over and over!
(the best) slow cooker pulled pork
Ingredients
- One 5-7 lb bone-in pork shoulder/butt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika, you have to use smoked here!
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 yellow onion, sliced thick optional!
Instructions
- Pat down your pork shoulder with a few paper towels. Place in the slow cooker insert.
- Combine all the spices in a small bowl. Make sure to mix well! Pour about half your spice mix into another bowl and set aside.
- Take half of your spice mix and rub all over your pork shoulder. Really rub it in! Make sure to get all sides.
- If you feel like you need more spice mix – and you might! – sprinkle a little more into your other spice bowl. The key here is not to touch the remaining mix. Don't contaminate it! You might have some left over that you can save for later.
- Once your pork is thoroughly covered, make sure the fat cap is on top. If you're using sliced onions, place them under the pork now! Cover and cook on low for at least 10 hours.
- You'll know your meat is ready when you can easily pierce and shred with a fork. Hooray!
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place in a large bowl to shred. Remove onions, making sure to drain them, and set aside in a small bowl.
- Carefully remove the fat cap and set aside. Shred however you see fit, removing fat as you see it. While shredding the meat preheat your broiler and line a baking sheet with foil sprayed veryyyyy lightly with cooking spray.
- If you're making bbq sliders, go ahead and toss the meat in your sauce now. (I LOVE Trader Joe's Carolina BBQ Sauce for this.) Place your shredded meat on the lined baking tray, ensuring it's a nice even layer.
- Broil until dark brown and crisping on the edges, stirring every few minutes or so to prevent sticking.
- Plate and serve!
