Tender Pork Shoulder Crock Pot Recipe With Barbecue Sauce (2024)

Diana Rattray

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

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Updated on 02/9/24

Tested by

Renae Wilson

Tested byRenae Wilson

Renae has certifications in both Pastry Arts and Culinary Arts from the Institute of Culinary Education and works as a private chef and caterer, recipe tester and developer, and food writer.Renae has written and developed recipes for Rachael Ray In Season, the Kitchn, Food52, and more.

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Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 10 hrs

Total: 10 hrs 20 mins

Servings: 8to 12 servings

Yield: 6 cups

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For this crowd-pleasing recipe, pork shoulder is cooked to perfection in the crock pot with your favorite barbecue sauce for a fabulous main dish or pulled pork sandwiches. It's incredibly easy and almost entirely hands-off, making it perfect for family dinners, game-day gatherings, and potlucks. You can shred it in the pot and keep it warm while serving.

This is a basic recipe for pulled pork using a boneless or bone-in shoulder (also known as a Boston butt), but be sure your pork shoulder will fit in the slow cooker and will allow you to put the cover on tightly before starting. If needed, you can cut the pork into pieces so that it will fit in the cooker. You'll only need a couple of other ingredients to make this tasty dish.

17 Side Dishes for Pulled Pork

If you have extra crock pot pulled pork, you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to three months. Or get creative with your leftover pulled pork and use it to make tamales, egg rolls, and more.

Tender Pork Shoulder Crock Pot Recipe With Barbecue Sauce (4)

what you'll need for this crock-pot pork shoulder recipe

A Handy Slow Cooker

A Sharp Chef's Knife

Ingredients

1 (4- to 7-pound) pork shoulder or Boston butt, bone-in or boneless
1/4 cup water
1 dash kosher salt
1 dash freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, chopped, optional
1/2 to 1 cup barbecue sauce, plus more for serving
Sandwich buns, for serving
Coleslaw, for serving

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker. Add the water and sprinkle with salt and pepper. If desired, add chopped onions.
Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Turn to low and cook 7 to 9 hours longer, until very tender.
Remove roast and discard the fat and juices. Chop or shred the pork and then return the meat to the slow cooker.
Mix 1/2 to 1 cup of barbecue sauce into the meat for flavor. Cover and cook on lowfor about 30 minutes to 1 hour longer, until hot.
Serve as is or on warm split sandwich buns with coleslaw and extra barbecue sauce on the side.

Tips

If the roast is too large to fit in one piece, cut it into large chunksor trim it to fit in your slow cooker crockery insert.
Low and slow is the best method for cooking pork shoulder. You'll know it's done when the meat is so tender you can easily pull it apart with a fork.

Recipe Variations

You can change up the flavors of this pulled pork recipe greatly depending on what kind of barbecue sauce you select. From a South Carolina mustard-based sauce to a ketchup-based Memphis barbecue sauce, there are endless variations.
Try something a little different with a Korean or Thai-style barbecue sauce.

How to Store

Leftover pulled pork should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a sprinkle or two of water if needed to keep it from drying out.
Pulled pork can be frozen. Let cool and add to a zip-top freezer bag, pressing out the air. Freeze for up to three months and defrost in the fridge before using.

Can You Overcook a Pork Shoulder in a Crock Pot?

While it's hard to overcook a tough and fatty cut like pork shoulder when it's on low in a slow cooker, it will eventually become dry as more liquid evaporates. For best results, cook it in a small amount of liquid and don't cook it for more than 10 or 11 hours for best results.

Can You Put Raw Meat in the Slow Cooker?

It is safe to add raw meat to a crock pot or slow cooker if it will be cooked through completely. Tough cuts like pot roast, pork shoulder, and stew meat can be browned first and then cooked through in the cooker or simply added to the crock pot. Ground meat is typically cooked beforehand for the best texture and so the fat can be drained.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1085	Calories
68g	Fat
47g	Carbs
67g	Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8to 12
Amount per serving
Calories	1085
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 68g	87%
Saturated Fat 23g	114%
Cholesterol 244mg	81%
Sodium 920mg	40%
Total Carbohydrate 47g	17%
Dietary Fiber 3g	12%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 67g
Vitamin C 11mg	57%
Calcium 148mg	11%
Iron 5mg	30%
Potassium 1101mg	23%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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