Pulled Pork Slow Cooker Sweet Baby Rays

full slow cooker of shredded pulled pork

collage of pulled pork photos for pinterest

One of the easiest recipes to make in the slow cooker is pulled pork sandwiches!

Only two ingredients and you'll have dinner cooking away.

This is a classic recipe that we love serving with Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese or Root Beer Baked Beans.

Shredded pulled pork with buns and barbecue sauce on side.

I believe this recipe was the third recipe on my blog, first published in February of 2013! Though this is one of my oldest recipes and is one that stands the test of time.

If I know in the morning that I need to feed a large crowd I run to the store and grab what I need for these easy slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches. It's a crowd pleaser and very economical!

pork shoulder, water and barbecue sauce for pulled pork sandwiches

How to cook pulled pork in the crockpot:

Pork Shoulder: Often called pork butt or Boston Butt
Barbecue Sauce: We use Sweet Baby Ray's though any will work great!
Water: This keeps the roast from drying out

raw pork in slow cooker with water and barbecue sauce

How long do I cook pork in the slow cooker?

The longer the better for pulled pork.
10 hours on low or 7-8 hours on high for larger roasts.
If your roast is smaller you can get away with 8-9 hours on low or 6-7 hours on HIGH

What the best way to shred pulled pork?

If your pork is really fatty remove the pork onto a cookie sheet that has a rim on it, this will give you more room to sort out the fatty pieces.
Shred with two forks, discard any fatty pieces. Add the meat back to the slow cooker along with some of the juices.

shredded pulled pork on sheet pan with 2 forks on top

Can I add seasoning to this (dry rub)?

If you would like to add a rub to the roast you can along with the barbecue sauce and water.
You can use a homemade rub or buy a pulled pork seasoning mix.
Sprinkle the mix over the pork and rub all over. Continue with the recipe below.

Can I add liquid smoke?

Liquid smoke is a great addition to pulled pork sandwiches.
You can use hickory, mesquite or applewood flavored liquid smoke.
It doesn't take much at all to flavor this recipe. Only add 1-2 TEASPOONS at the beginning of the cooking time. Not any more.

pulled pork in slow cooker ready to serve

Can I use a different liquid than water?

Soda such as Dr. Pepper, Coke, Pepsi or Root Beer.
Apple Juice or Apple Cider
Beer or Hard Cider

Can I use pork tenderloin for pulled pork?

Yes, pork tenderloin will shred just like pork shoulder. Cook on LOW for 8 hours, or high for 4-5 hours.
Tenderloin is less fatty and can have less flavor than pork butt but it is a healthier option.

pulled pork sandwich topped with barbecue sauce and coleslaw on the side

Other pulled pork recipes to make in the slow cooker:

Slow Cooker Kalua Pig
Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork
Slow Cooker Hard Cider Pulled Pork
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos

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First Published: 02/17/2013

Updated: 01/06/2020

▢
Slow Cooker- 6 quart or larger

▢ 6 lb. pork shoulder or butt (or any size (smaller) will work with this recipe!)
▢ 1 cup Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce (plus more for serving)
▢ 1 cup water

For serving:

▢ King's brand sweet Hawaiian buns or rolls (regular buns work great too)
▢ coleslaw kit (optional)
▢ barbecue sauce

Remove the pork from the wrapper and add to the slow cooker. Add the barbecue sauce over the pork.
Add 1 cup water around the roast.
Cook on low for 10 hours or on HIGH for 7-8 hours (you can get away with a little less time if your roast is very small)
Remove the roast to a plate or a rimmed cookie sheet if it is very large. (Keep about a cup of juices from the roast in the slow cooker)
Shred the pork with 2 forks, discard any fat. Add the shredded meat to the slow cooker with reserved juices.
Serve the shredded pork on buns with additional barbecue sauce and coleslaw if desired.

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Can I add seasoning to this (dry rub)?

If you would like to add a rub to the roast you can along with the barbecue sauce and water.
You can use a homemade rub or buy a pulled pork seasoning mix.
Sprinkle the mix over the pork and rub all over. Continue with the recipe below.

Can I add liquid smoke?

Liquid smoke is a great addition to pulled pork sandwiches.
You can use hickory, mesquite or applewood flavored liquid smoke.
It doesn't take much at all to flavor this recipe. Only add 1-2 TEASPOONS at the beginning of the cooking time. Not any more.

Can I add a different liquid than water?

Soda such as Dr. Pepper, Coke, Pepsi or Root Beer.
Apple Juice or Apple Cider
Beer or Hard Cider

Can I use pork tenderloin to make pulled pork?

Yes, pork tenderloin will shred just like pork shoulder. Cook on LOW for 8 hours, or high for 4-5 hours.
Tenderloin is less fatty and can have less flavor than pork butt but it is a healthier option.

Nutritional values are for a 6lb. roast and barbecue sauce, bun and toppings not included. If you use a different size roast the nutritional values will vary.

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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