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Close-up of a toasted brioche bun piled high with juicy slow cooker BBQ pulled pork, creamy coleslaw, pickle slices, and barbecue sauce on rustic parchment paper atop a wooden serving board.

SLow Cooker Pulled Pork

This Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork is the ultimate easy comfort food recipe that's perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, game day, potlucks, and backyard barbecues. A well-seasoned pork shoulder cooks low and slow until it's irresistibly tender, then is shredded and tossed in a rich, smoky barbecue sauce for juicy, flavorful pulled pork every time. Serve it piled high on toasted brioche buns for classic sandwiches, on Hawaiian rolls for sliders, or enjoy it in tacos, nachos, baked potatoes, or rice bowls. With just a few minutes of prep and simple pantry ingredients, this foolproof crockpot recipe delivers restaurant-quality results with minimal effort, making it a family favorite you'll come back to again and again.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Course Appetizer, dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 395 kcal

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker or Crockpot

Ingredients
  

  • 4-5 lb boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt)
  • 1 large yellow onion sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 cups bbq sauce divided, your favorite sauce
  • 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper

Optional Toppings

  • Cole Slaw
  • Pickles

Instructions
 

  • Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels.
  • Combine the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
  • Rub the seasoning mixture over the pork.
  • Place sliced onions in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the seasoned pork on top.
  • Pour in the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, and apple cider vinegar.
  • Spread 1 cup of barbecue sauce over the pork and add the minced garlic.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 8–10 hours or HIGH for 5–6 hours.
  • Remove the pork and shred with two forks.
  • Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker.
  • Stir in the remaining barbecue sauce and cooking juices.
  • Let warm for an additional 20–30 minutes before serving.
  • Serve on toasted brioche buns or Hawaiian rolls with your favorite toppings.

Notes

Estimated Nutrition Information

Per Serving (based on 12 servings)
  • Calories: 395
  • Protein: 33g
  • Fat: 18g
  • Saturated Fat: 6g
  • Carbohydrates: 20g
  • Sugar: 15g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Sodium: 720mg
  • Cholesterol: 108mg
  • Potassium: 640mg
  • Calcium: 40mg
  • Iron: 2mg
Nutrition values are estimates and will vary depending on the brand of barbecue sauce used and the exact size of the pork shoulder.
Keyword bbq, bbq pulled pork, pork