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If you’re searching for the best dang crock pot pulled pork recipe, you’ve got it! My pulled pork rub adds a ton of flavor and the recipe is perfect for an easy weeknight meal!
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I don’t know what my deal is lately, but I’ve been having this crazy love affair with pulled pork.
I was never a pork girl. I mean, aside from bacon. Obviously. But, over the last year or so, I’ve become smitten with pork in all of it’s delicious forms. Pork Milanese, Pulled Pork and Pintos, and my Alabama Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches are regulars in this house. Pretty obsessed.
Lately, every time we have guests over, which seems to be every other weekend for some reason or another, I serve pulled pork. And I’m always always always asked for the recipe. I think it’s because I season the pork pretty heavily. I like barbecue sauce as much as the next girl, but I really like my pork to be able to hold it’s own.
The dry rub/seasoning mix I use is super simple. A cup of brown sugar followed up by a tablespoon of every spice you might want to throw in there. I use a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, paprika, cumin, and chipotle powder. If there is another spice you love, go ahead and add it – you can’t mess this up!
I use my Ninja Slow Cooker for this recipe – I have a few different crock pots, but this one is my favorite. It seems to be a favorite among Amazon reviewers too! Get one here.
I only use half of the spice mix on the pork while it’s cooking and then save the rest for seasoning the cooked pulled pork. It really amps up the flavor about a hundred times more than if you just dump the spice mix on the outside of the meat while it cooks. Color me obsessed.
I topped these sandwiches with a bit of my homemade tangy Carolina bbq sauce and my dill pickle slaw. The richness of the pork paired with the tanginess of the sauce and the pickle slaw is pure heaven.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it makes a ton of pork! I almost always have a big ol’ bag of this in my freezer. I just grab it out and let it thaw in the fridge all day before heating it up for dinner. It’s really been a life saver for me on busy days.
I’ve also been working on lots of other ways to use this pork up. Check back tomorrow for my Barbecue Pork and Mac and Cheese Pizza! Yes, it’s just as good as it sounds! I also have a recipe for Cuban Sliders in the pipeline for you guys.
Of course, if you’re not a fan of leftovers, you can always buy a smaller, boneless pork shoulder and just make a half of a recipe. No worries!
Barbecue Pulled Pork with Dill Pickle Slaw
Ingredients
For the pork:
- 6 pounds bone-in pork shoulder
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
For the sandwiches:
- 8 sandwich buns
- 2 cups dill pickle slaw
- 8 tablespoons barbecue sauce
- Sliced pickles for serving
Instructions
To make the pulled pork:
- Place pork in 6 quart slow cooker set to low.
- Add sugar and spices to a mixing bowl and stir well to combine. Coat the pork in half of the spice mixture. Cover and set aside remaining spice mix.
- Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Alternately, bake in the oven, covered, at 250 degrees for 10 hours or until meat is easily pulled apart with a fork.
- Use two forks to pull the pork apart. Sprinkle remaining spice mixture over the pork, tasting as you go. You may not need the full amount, so be sure to taste the pork as you season it until it's seasoned to your preference.
To make the sandwiches:
- Pile the pork on sandwich buns, top with barbecue sauce, pickles, and pickle slaw.
Kitty says
I want to know how spicy this is using 1 tablespoon of cumin and chipotle chili powder each . I use cumin in my Mexican food, but spareingly as I do not like spicy foods. I am afraid that this will be too spicy for me and my family.
Karly says
We don’t find cumin to be at all spicy, but you could certainly reduce it. If you think that cumin is spicy, you’ll probably want to omit the chili powder. ๐
Karly says
Although, I should add…we don’t find this recipe to be at all spicy. I’ve never had anyone comment that the pork is spicy either. ๐
Tiffany says
8 hours?? Anyway I can make this happen in 4/5?
Connor says
Could you do this with pork loin if thatโs all you have in the freezer?
Karly says
Pork loin isn’t as fatty as pork shoulder, so it will be a bit more dry, but it does work. Toss a little butter in there with it and see if that helps. ๐
Hailee says
I’m kind of in a time crunch..
How long would I cook this for on high?
Karly says
4 hours should do the trick!
Sam says
This was way too delicious for being that easy to make – I doubled all the ingredients to make a bunch for a party and it really worked out. They were eaten quick! Thanks so much for sharing!
Karly says
So glad it worked out for you! ๐
tracy says
thank you!!!!
tracy says
You would cover it if cooking in the oven?
Karly says
Yes, for sure.
Keith says
Have you tried this in the instant pot pressure cooker? If you have, what do you think the times would be?
Karly says
I haven’t put this exact recipe in, but I’ve done pork shoulder plenty of times. I’d follow this recipe as a guide for cooking in the IP, but swap water for the OJ: https://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2016/12/27/instant-pot-carnitas/
MEAl5 says
Thanks Karly – looks amazing!! My boy very like them!
Titania says
My slow cooker is only 4.5 quarts, should I get a small cut of meat and then reduce the other ingredients accordingly? Do you think it will matter?
Karly says
I’m not sure you’ll be able to fit the full pork shoulder in your slow cooker. If it is too big, I’d cut it in half and freeze the other piece for another time. Yes, you’ll want to adjust down the other ingredients as well.
Stacy says
Do you need to add water when cooking the pork in the slow cooker? I tried the coleslaw on fish tacos! Awesome.
Karly says
Nope, you won’t need any water. The pork releases plenty of juice.
I bet the slaw was great on fish tacos!! Now I’m craving some myself. ๐
Lori in NC says
Yum! This was excellent. I cut the sugar in the rub by half, and applied the rub before bed and let it season overnight. The pork was delicious, and we loved the dill pickle slaw (I may even add more brine next time). I served it on whole wheat rolls, and served cucumber salad and roasted okra on the side. My 14 year old said I was the best mom ever. ๐
Karly says
Glad it was a hit! ๐
Dk says
Im with ya on rub the night before, lil too sweet i wish i would of cut the brown suger down also
Tracy | Pale Yellow says
I really excited to try the rub! I make pulled pork often, but I’ve never experimented with a rub!
Karly says
It adds so much flavor! ๐
Shawn @ I Wash You Dry says
Not gonna lie, I came for the pickle slaw. But the pork looks amazing!!
Karly says
Nothing wrong with that! ๐
JU says
I need all the pork recipes I can get because I have a freezer full! Gotta put this on my short list! YUM!
Karly says
Pork for president! ๐