Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork

Name: Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 370 min
Ingredients: 4 pound pork roast; 1 cup of liquid (beer, apple juice or water); ¼ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 2-3 cups BBQ sauce

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This delicious barbecued pulled pork is made in your crockpot, not on the grill. Slow cook a pork roast until it's pull apart tender and then add your favorite barbecue sauce.

Just 5 minutes of prep in the morning and then an easy assembly at dinnertime means pulled pork is perfect for a weeknight dinner.

A pulled pork sandwich on a hamburger bun.

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Why make this recipe

Delicious pulled pork with barbecue sauce makes a tasty dinner.

There's something so wonderful about a crockpot. I love throwing something in the crockpot in the morning and coming home in the evening to a house full of delicious smells and dinner almost ready.

This pulled pork is delicious year round and is perfect for weeknight dinners for you family or for times when you need to serve a crowd.

Almost any type of pork roast will work, although a boneless pork shoulder roast is the standard. We raise, butcher and process our own pork and we often end up with some odd sized pork roasts from various cuts. They all work great for this recipe.

Key ingredients

Pork Roast - Boneless or bone-in works fine. Choose a pork shoulder or pork butt roast. However, any cut will work. Select a roast approximately 4 pounds in weight. You can have a larger roast as long it fits in your slow cooker.
Liquid - Beer, apple juice or water. I always add a bit of liquid in my slow cooker.
Salt and pepper
BBQ sauce - make your own or use store bought

Step by step directions

Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper
Place liquid in the bottom of crockpot
Add roast and place cover on cooker

Turn on high and cook for 4-5 hours or low and cook for 7-8 hours
Remove roast and place on a plate. Allow roast to cool slightly
Remove any fat and bone (if you used a bone-in roast)
Shred meat with two forks, tongs or your hands

Shredding a cooked roast with two forks.

Remove any liquid from cooking from the crockpot
Place meat back in crockpot and add BBQ sauce

Cover and heat for 20-30 minutes until hot
Serve on hamburger buns

Recipe tips

Pork is done when it falls apart. If you try lifting the roast, it will break apart. Or insert a fork and twist. The meat should break apart.
If the meat doesn't shred easily, it needs to cook longer
Try not to open the lid of the crockpot too often. You lose a lot of heat each time it's opened.
Cut the roast into smaller chunks for a quicker cooking time

Recipe Faqs

How do I know when the meat is done?

The meat is done when it is fork tender. If it's not falling apart, it needs to cook longer. If you've selected a bone-in roast, the meat should fall off the bone.

Can I freeze pulled pork?

Yes, you can freeze pulled pork. You can freeze the pork before you've added the sauce or after the sauce has been added. Just make certain it is fully cooled prior to freezing.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

Check out all my delicious recipes!