Easy Crock Pot Pulled Pork Recipe - Butter with a Side of Bread (2024)

FAQs

What is the best liquid to cook pulled pork in? ›

Transfer everything to a large slow cooker and add a splash of liquid — water is great, but so is broth, apple juice, or beer if you have them handy. Cover and cook on low until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily.

Worgul recommends placing the pork in the slow-cooker fat side up. The fat will render thoroughly during the cooking process and by placing the meat fat side up, it makes it much easier to remove excess fat before serving. "The cooker will be nearly filled with fat and liquid after hours of cooking.

Preparing the pork

I prefer to season the meat before adding it to the slow cooker with my favourite spices, along with salt and pepper. I also recommend browning the meat slightly prior to slow cooking which will help maximise the flavour. However, this is a step that can be left out if you don't have enough time.

If you want your slow-cooked meat to taste great, sear it first. While you don't have to brown a pork roast before putting it into the crock pot, browning helps create a mouth-watering caramelization on the outsides of the pork, seals in moisture, and forms the base for the sauce, called “fond” (hello, browned bits!).

Additionally, spray chicken broth or apple juice on the meat to prevent it from losing more moisture in the crockpot. To add a strong flavor during the process, white wine can also be sprayed.

Your liquid should not cover your pork in the slow cooker: it should only come up about a quarter of the way up the sides. The pork will make more liquid as it cooks, and you need to leave room for that. And 10 hours later, this huge hunk of meat is tender and ready.

Close the Proofer and allow the pork to cook for a total of 10 or 11 hours. Midway during the slow cook process you can turn the pork over once. After 10 hours check the interior of the pork with a thermometer. We recommend a temperature of 195-200 °F / 90-93 °C for tender, juicy pork which pulls apart easily.

Slow cooked pork in the oven will make its own pan juices. So, there is no need to add liquid. In fact, you will need to drain off the liquid pan juices into a container to save for later so that they do not dilute any BBQ sauce. These pan juices can also be added back later to keep it moist.

Cover a cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours. When finished cooking, use two forks to shred the Crockpot pork shoulder. Leave it in it's juices until ready to serve. Eat as is or serve inside rolls for sandwiches.

"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't 100 percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."

Can you put pork in slow cooker without liquid? ›

As meat is cooked slowly, it lends itself to more economical cuts of meat like pork shoulder – a double bonus! See our cuts page for ideas. While it's important that your recipe doesn't dry out, don't be tempted to put extra liquid into your recipes.

But really, it takes no extra effort, just some forethought. And so I will always season lamb shanks the day before they go into the braise. I will try to season chickens the day before, but if I don't have the chance, I won't sweat it; and I will season steaks and pork roasts right before searing.

At around 2 hours, your pork chops will be cooked through (145°F) and have a texture similar to chicken breast — tender, but firm. Between 3 to 6 hours, the chops will have a texture closer to pulled pork; it will be easy to cut with a fork and will pull easily from the bone.

Discard any fatty bits and be careful not to over-shred it, so leave some nice big chunks of meat intact to cater for personal preference.

Pour 1 1/2 cups liquid, such as low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, tomato juice, light or amber beer, white or red wine, orange juice, or a mix of several liquids (and optional liquid smoke) over the pork. The pork should be only partially submerged, with some of the pork remaining above the surface of the liquid.

While I highly recommend using apple cider for this pulled pork, if you can't find any you could substitute with apple juice.

The acid from the apple cider and apple cider vinegar help to tenderize the meat while also keeping it juicy and flavorful. The low and slow cooking method makes it fall apart as soon as your fork touches it and shreds beautifully.

We use brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, a good amount of salt & pepper, and a pinch of cayenne! Make sure you use all of the seasoning! Also, really rub it into the pulled pork, get all of the nooks and crannies!