This might be one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever made. You create a spice rub, massage it onto the meat, let it rest in the fridge and then pop the meat in your slow cooker with a bit of water. The meat cooks on low all day and you wind up with wonderfully tender and flavorful meat. I used a 6 pound pork shoulder for this recipe and found that it was fork-tender after about 8 hours, if you’re trying to plan ahead. I’ll warn you that unless you’re feeding an army, you will have leftovers, but good news – the pork freezes beautifully! I portioned it into quart-sized freezer bags and on nights I didn’t feel like cooking, I pulled a bag out for a super quick and easy meal.
By Tracey
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
adapted slightly from The Way the Cookie Crumbles
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 4 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons table salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 (6-8 pound) bone-in pork shoulder
- 1 cup barbecue sauce (plus extra for serving, if desired)
Directions:
To make the spice rub: Combine all of the ingredients except the pork and the barbecue sauce in a bowl. Massage this spice rub onto the pork, coating each side thoroughly. Wrap the pork tightly with two layers of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or up to 3 days).
Unwrap the roast and place it in your slow cooker. Add 1/4 cup of water then turn the slow cooker to low and cook for 8-10 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and discard the liquid in the slow cooker. Shred the meat using two forks to pull it apart. Discard any fat. Place the shredded meat back in the slow cooker and add 1 cup of barbecue sauce, tossing to combine. Heat on low for 30-60 minutes, or until hot. Serve the pork with additional barbecue sauce, if desired.
