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.
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
- 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
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.
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!
Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork
Equipment
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
Instructions
- Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper4 pound pork roast, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Pour liquid into pot and then add pork roast1 cup of liquid
- Put lid on and turn on crock pot to low. Cook for 6-8 hours,
- Pork is done when a you can insert a fork and the meat pulls apart easily.
- Remove pork from crock pot onto a large baking sheet.
- Allow to cool slightly so you can handle it. Use two forks to pull meat apart into long strands.
- Remove any fat or bone
- Remove all liquid from crockpot.
- Add pulled pork back into pot.
- Add BBQ sauce and stir.2-3 cups BBQ sauce
- Turn crockpot to high for 20 minutes until pork and sauce are hot.
- Serve on a hamburger bun.
Notes
- 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
Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
Indeed crockpot meals are awesome, Kathy. This pulled pork looks fantastic, and that sandwich is making me drool. YUM!
Kathy says
The crock pot makes getting dinner on the table so easy!
Laura @ Raise Your Garden says
I don't think you'd even speak to me anymore if you knew how much pulled pork I eat! It's up t 3 pounds of week. I love the stuff and we usually go out for it, we'd ordered 4 pounds of it for our 10th anniversary and ate it all in 2 days flat!!! But at $14 a pound, I need to make it instead. Will be trying this!
Kathy says
Laura, I think this pulled pork recipe is for you! You could make a huge batch and always have some on hand!
David @ Spiced says
Pulled pork is near and dear to my heart, Kathy! I love it! In fact, I think I'm gonna have a guys night tomorrow...and pulled pork is on the menu. (We always keep some in the freezer for easy meals.) Thanks for sharing your crockpot version...I need to try the beer idea! (Of course, I'll have to try not to drink it first...hah!)
Kathy says
You never use a full beer....always some left for sampling 🙂
Kushi says
This looks so delicious. Bookmarked!
Kathy says
Thanks!
karrie @ Tasty Ever After says
I will never turn away an easy crock-pot recipe, especially a BBQ pulled pork one! So delicious Kathy and definitely trying very soon.
Kathy says
I really need to use my crock pot more often. It makes life so much easier.
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Crock pot anything rocks the house! The convenience is just the best! This bbq pulled pork looks absolutely delish, Kathy! And if I could reach through my screen, I'd steal that sammie from you!! 😉 cheers, friend!
Kathy says
It was a delicious sammie....full of tangy sauce and pulled pork!
Fran @ G'day Souffle' says
This looks great! Regarding BBQ sauce, I've tried making my own at home (using similar ingredients to yours), but I never can make it taste as good as the sauce sold by Trader Joe's- maybe I should keep on trying!
Kathy says
Give it a try 🙂
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Gimme dat sandwich Kathy!! My husband and I would be fighting over that one! And I love that you made it in the crockpot!
Kathy says
Luckily, this makes a huge amount so no fighting needed! You can each have your own 🙂
Kathy says
My husband will love this.Thanks so much, Kathy!!
Kathy says
I hope he does love it! 🙂
Dawn @ Girl Heart Food says
I love pork in the slow cooker! It's the absolute best! Nothing like coming home to a meal all cooked and ready to go and only one pot to clean 🙂 This looks fantastic, Kathy!
Kathy says
It smells so great when I enter the house and dinner is all ready!