Description
Juicy, fall-apart pulled pork made in your slow cooker with a simple dry rub. It cooks down in its own savory juices, so you may not even reach for the BBQ sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 lb pork shoulder butt
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
Instructions
- Trim the fat cap and cut the pork into 4 to 6 equal-sized pieces.
- In a bowl, mix the salt, pepper, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ground mustard, and cayenne pepper, then rub all over the meat.
- Whisk the chicken broth, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke together in the slow cooker. Place the meat into the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours.
- Remove the meat to a bowl and shred with two forks. Stir some of the juices back in, and add your favorite BBQ sauce if you like.
Notes
- Best cut: Pork shoulder butt (Boston butt) is ideal. Skip lean cuts like pork loin, which dry out over a long cook.
- Go easy on the added liquid. The pork releases plenty of its own as it cooks.
- Low and slow is best for fall-apart texture. High works if you’re short on time.
- Doneness cue: The pork is ready when it shreds easily with a fork.
- Add the juices back after shredding to keep the pork moist.
- BBQ sauce is optional. Many find the seasoned juices are all it needs.
- Storage: Fridge up to 4 days; freezer up to 3 months. Freeze with a little of the juice.
- Reheating: Warm gently with a splash of reserved juice or broth.
- Scaling: Scales easily up to 7 to 8 lbs for a crowd.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: BBQ
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American