Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

A bowl of pulled pork next to a BBQ sauce

Knock the socks off guests with this Memphis-style Pulled Pork Shoulder, cooked in the slow cooker, then finished in oven. Once the pork shoulder is falling apart, shred it, then serve on a sandwich with slaw for the perfect summertime dinner!

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 5

Servings servings

Calories 691kcal

Ingredients

4 lb. pork shoulder or pork butt bone-in or boneless
¼ cup Barbecue dry rub seasoning more to taste if need be

Instructions

Use a paper towel to pat the pork dry after taking it out of its packaging.
Liberally season the pork with the barbecue dry rub. The entire exterior of the meat should be coated.
Place the pork into the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours. (To test to see if the pork is done, gently insert a fork or a knife into the meat, and see if it pulls apart. If it does this easily, it's done.)
Pull pork out of its juices and place on a cutting board/platter/baking sheet.
Shred the pork using tongs or forks.
Serve warm with coleslaw, a drizzle of BBQ sauce and your favorite sides.

Notes

You can use this recipe for bigger or smaller cut of pork. I use about 1 tablespoon of rub per pound of meat, so adjust accordingly.

You can use bone-in or boneless meat. Just be sure to purchase a pork butt or a pork shoulder to get the optimal flavors.

Tips and tricks to the Best Pulled Pork

Use the right cut of meat. There's no such thing as "healthy pulled pork," so please, use a pork shoulder or a pork butt in this recipe to get the right flavor profile. Please.
Trim off the excess fat from your pork butt or pork shoulder. This extra fat will make for more juices, which isn't necessarily bad, but could cause for the meat to taste a little "greasy" if there's a lot of it.
Shred it... or chop it. When the meat is fall-apart tender, remove it from the
Serve it with coleslaw and a drizzle of BBQ sauce. And with your favorite BBQ side dishes, too.
Store it in an airtight food storage container in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can freeze it for up to 2 months like this, too.

Nutrition