Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe

Unlock the secret to tender, flavor-packed crockpot BBQ pulled pork with this ultimate crockpot recipe! Whether you’re planning a weekend feast or a weeknight dinner, this mouthwatering dish is a surefire crowd-pleaser. Picture this: succulent pork, slow-cooked to perfection, infused with smoky barbecue goodness, and falling apart with each forkful.

In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the simple steps to creating delicious barbecue pulled pork in your own kitchen. From selecting the perfect cut of pork to creating a flavorful dish using a simple blend of spices and other ingredients, we’ve got you covered. The beauty of using a crockpot lies in its convenience – simply set it and forget it until you’re ready to dive into a meal that’s worthy of any barbecue joint.

Get ready to elevate your cooking skills and impress your friends and family with this irresistible crockpot BBQ pulled pork recipe. Let’s fire up those slow cookers and get cooking

Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork

I love using my crockpot. I can toss the ingredients into the crockpot before leaving for work and come home to a ready made meal. Since I don’t have a bunch of free time in the morning I prep the BBQ sauce mixture the night before, store it in the refrigerator and then quickly put everything into the crockpot in the morning. By the time I get home the delicious smell of smokey BBQ greats me as I come in the door.

It only takes a few minutes to shred the cooked pork and you are ready to serve it.

Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork Ingredient notes:

• Pork roast: The cut of meat usually used to make pulled pork is the pork shoulder. This is sometimes called a Boston butt or pork butt. You can also use a picnic roast. The difference between the two cuts is the pork butt is located higher on the foreleg and the picnic roast is further down. Often the picnic roast will come with the bone in. No matter what cut of meat you use the longer time cooking in the crockpot will make it tender.

• BBQ sauce: Use your favorite BBQ sauce.

• Apple Cider Vinegar: the vinegar adds a bit of flavor and also helps the meat to become tender.

• Brown sugar: adding a bit of brown sugar to the mixture gives the final BBQ pulled pork a bit of sweetness. Don’t have brown sugar on hand? Use the same amount of white granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of molasses.

• Yellow Mustard: adds flavor to the sauce.

• Worcestershire sauce: include this to add a savory flavor to the sauce.

• Liquid smoke: look for liquid smoke in the same section as BBQ sauce or Worcestershire sauce. Liquid smoke is made by passing actual smoke produced from wood through water. The water holds the smokey flavor which you can then add to your food. It’s my favorite secret ingredient to add to any food that I want to have a delicious BBQ flavor.
• It also makes a great low cost replacement for recipes that call for using bacon that is being used to provide a smokey flavor to the final food. You probably are already eating foods with liquid smoke added to it. Look for a bottle and add a bit to this recipe.

• Spices: this recipe uses a blend of chili powder and thyme.

• Garlic: use fresh garlic or even dried garlic flakes or granulated garlic.

• Onion: use yellow or a sweet onion for this recipe. The onions will cook down and small bits will remain in the pulled pork. If you have picky eaters who don’t like to see onion bits then swap out the onion for 1 teaspoon of onion powder.

How to make Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork:

Start by trimming any excess fat from the pork roast. Place it in the crockpot.

Make the BBQ sauce:

In a bowl combine the liquid ingredient: BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke. Mix in the chili powder, garlic and thyme. Add in the mustard and brown sugar. Stir to allow the sugar to dissolve. Stir in the diced onions.

Pour the mixture over the pork roast in the crockpot.

Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or low for at least 8 hours until the meat is tender and you are able to shred the meat with a fork. Depending upon your crockpot and the size of your pork roast you may have to cook your roast for longer.

Shred the meat: You can either remove the cooked pork roast and shred the meat or you can shred it right in the crockpot. I like to use two forks to pull the meat apart to shred it.

How can I make this into Keto BBQ Pulled Pork?

Turning this into a keto recipe is super easy to do. Most of the ingredients are already keto friendly. The only ingredients you will need to swap out is to replace the brown sugar with your favorite sugar substitute such as Golden Monkfruit. You will also need to substitute a keto BBQ sauce. You can use a store bought brand or follow this recipe to make this easy keto BBQ sauce.

Can I use pork tenderloin instead of pork butt or shoulder?

Yes, you can use whatever cut of pork you have available to you. Tenderloin is less fatty (and often costs more) than pork butt or shoulder but it will shred just like the other cuts. Since it’s a more tender cut of meat you will want to check for doneness a bit earlier than the recipe indicates. Start checking if the meat is done at 4 to 5 hours on high or 6 or 7 on low.

What BBQ sauce is best for pulled pork?

I’ve used a variety of brands of BBQ sauce. So far I haven’t found one that doesn’t taste delicious on pork. My personal favorite is Sweet Baby Ray’s. I’m a fan of their Sweet N’ Spicy (if you like a little kick) and the Hickory and Brown Sugar sauces. If you already have a brand that you enjoy then I would give that one a try.

How can I tell that the BBQ pulled pork is done?

The pork is done when the internal temperature reached 145 degrees and it can be easily shredded.

Can I overcook the pork?

It takes a lot to over cook meat in the crockpot. Bigger cuts of meat like roasts can typically take cooking an hour or two longer without drying out the meat. The biggest worry is having the sauce thicken and burn so always make sure there is some liquid in the bottom of the crockpot to keep the meat from overcooking.

What’s the best way to reheat BBQ pulled pork?

To keep the pulled pork from being dry when reheating add a small amount of water or additional BBQ sauce (1/4 cup or less depending upon the amount of meat being heated) to the meat when heating in a saucepan. Cook only until heated through, stirring often to keep the sauce from burning.

How to store BBQ pulled pork:

Store leftover BBQ pulled pork in a covered container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.

Can I freeze leftover BBQ pulled pork?

Yes! BBQ pulled pork freezes well. Simply place any leftover meat into a freezer Ziplock bag and mark the date on it. Freeze for up to three months. Place it in the refrigerator the day before you need it to thaw then heat up and enjoy!

What to serve with BBQ Pulled Pork:

BBQ pulled pork makes delicious sandwiches. Top your sandwiches with coleslaw and a pickle slice. Enjoy some chips, potato salad, beans, peas, sweet potato fries, mac and cheese or your favorite vegetables on the side.

Don’t forget dessert. Go with chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter bars, Texas sheet cake or this easy to make Pineapple Coconut Dump Cake.

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