Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

Welcome to a new segment: Slow Cooker Monday! Look for slow cooker recipes here every Monday. Please leave a comment here or contact me if you have any requests.

Once a week we now have a slow cooker day in my house. While our schedules typically vary wildly, there’s one day when both Russ and I get home between 6:30-7pm, leaving little time to cook. It’s a beautiful thing to come home to a hot, homemade meal and a house that smells good after a long day at work.

I leave the house pretty early, so I pop some food into the cooker, set it to low for 8 hours and it automatically switches to warm after that. This week was pulled pork, which was a challenge because of my pledge to abstain from eating refined sugars this month. Russ thought it couldn’t be done, but I found 2 different BBQ sauces sweetened without sugar (one with agave, the other honey). I even found some ketchup (the base of homemade BBQ sauce) that works for me – one sweetened with agave and another totally unsweetened.

I used a store bought BBQ sauce sweetened with agave, but I think next time I’ll make my own. You can adjust the spiciness of this dish to as mild or hot as you want by adding more cayenne, hot sauce, or a spicy BBQ sauce. Any way, you’ll end up with tender, juicy, flavorful pulled pork that makes a very satisfying dinner.

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

Makes around 4-6 servings

1 medium onion, sliced however you prefer (you can even chop if you don’t want big pieces)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1.5 lb. pork shoulder roast
2 C BBQ sauce
Cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1 loaf of ciabatta

Place half of the onions and garlic at the bottom of your slow cooker. Add in pork and season with cayenne, salt and pepper. Add in remaining onion and garlic, then pour BBQ sauce over everything. I also added 1 cup of warm water, but that watered down the sauce more than I liked.

Cook on low for 8 hours.

After 8 hours, take the meat out of the slow cooker. Place in a bowl and shred with 2 forks. Return shredded meat back into the slow cooker to soak up sauce and warm back up.

Slice ciabatta bread and toast. Using a slotted spoon, scoop meat out of the slow cooker and put between 2 toasted slices of ciabatta.

More recipes you’ll love:

18 Comments on Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

annie
January 17, 2011 at 11:33 am (14 years ago)

I am a huge fan of slow cooker recipes. I am also doing weekly slow cooker posts and this recipe looks like it is right up my alley! Have you ever tried doing your pork in root beer? It is really delicious!
Reply
- Stephanie
  January 17, 2011 at 12:35 pm (14 years ago)
  
  That’s awesome Annie! I’ll go check out your posts. I’ve never tried doing pork in root beer but that sounds great. After this month of no sugar is over I’ll have to try it!
Kori
January 17, 2011 at 1:14 pm (14 years ago)

Yum, that looks delicious. I love how you served it with ciabatta bread! So much better than buns. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Reply
Stephanie
January 17, 2011 at 1:55 pm (14 years ago)

This looks great! Always on the lookout for slow-cooker recipes so I’ll be back every Monday 🙂
Reply
thecountrycook
January 17, 2011 at 2:00 pm (14 years ago)

The slow cooker and I definitely have a love affair like no other. 🙂 I just love doing pork in the slow cooker. I add just a little of liquid smoke to give it that taste of having been actually smoked (just a little). I am so hungry now looking at your pictures. Love reading your blog!
Reply
annie
January 17, 2011 at 2:04 pm (14 years ago)

Stephanie, thanks to you for stopping by my blog! I am totally down to do a guest post for you and would love you to do one for me! Just let me know.
Reply
Kita
January 17, 2011 at 2:21 pm (14 years ago)

What time is dinner? Cuz nothing beats a slow cooked pulled pork. Mmmm
Reply
Brian
January 17, 2011 at 3:58 pm (14 years ago)

Slow cooked pulled meat sandwiches have long been a favorite of mine, but keeping a Kosher home means that pork won’t work for me. I’m wondering how goat or mutton would be with this recipe? The “gamey” quality of the meat might not work terribly well with the BBQ sauce but I guess there is only one way to find out, eh?
Reply
Stephanie
January 17, 2011 at 10:00 pm (14 years ago)

Thanks everyone! So glad that everyone appreciates slow cooker recipes! 🙂

Brian – I would definitely try another kind of meat. I bet chicken or beef would be great too. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!
Reply
Lynn @ Sprinkles of Flavor
January 18, 2011 at 1:28 pm (14 years ago)

Thanks for the inspiration to use my slow cooker more!
Reply
Celia
January 18, 2011 at 1:47 pm (14 years ago)

This looks awesome! Yet another reason to buy a slow cooker…
Reply
Jean (Lemons and Anchovies)
January 18, 2011 at 2:57 pm (14 years ago)

Thanks for the reminder that I have a slow cooker. I haven’t used it at all this season and it would certainly help me on those long days. Your pulled pork looks delish!
Reply
Wheels
January 19, 2011 at 12:43 pm (14 years ago)

I want!!
Reply
GinHockey
April 23, 2011 at 7:34 pm (14 years ago)

The best pulled pork I ever had as slow cooked but the BBQ sauce was only added to the meat when putting the sandwich together. Carolina style sauce, with homemade coleslaw on the sandwich as well. Mmmmmmm. 🙂
Reply
Smoothie Maker
June 28, 2011 at 6:01 am (13 years ago)

That looks so good. Have always wanted to make pulled pork but just haven’t done it yet. May have to give it a shot.
Reply
Natural Gas BBQ Grills
February 9, 2012 at 4:12 am (13 years ago)

Hey There. I discovered your blog the use of msn. This is an extremely neatly written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your helpful info. Thank you for the post. I’ll definitely comeback.
Reply
Mike
October 24, 2016 at 4:31 pm (8 years ago)

Just asking for a fire when nobody’s home. No laziness is worth that.
Reply