Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe
This slow cooker pulled pork recipe is easy and delicious! Made without bbq sauce and coated in a flavorful apple cider vinegar sauce, this makes tons of leftovers that are great to use in all your recipes.
One of the things I hear most from parents is this: “I want to make interesting food… but I also need my kids to actually eat dinner.”
This slow cooker pulled pork is one of those recipes that quietly solves both problems.
It’s familiar, comforting, and easy enough to fit into a busy day, but because it’s made without barbecue sauce, it’s incredibly flexible. That means you can serve it in a way your family already loves now, and use the leftovers to gently explore new flavors later in the week.
Pulled pork has always been one of my favorite meals, especially in the summer. There’s something deeply satisfying about a simple sandwich, juices running down your arm, knowing dinner didn’t require constant attention or last-minute stress.
This version is finished with a light apple cider vinegar sauce. Its savory, balanced, and not overly sweet, so it works just as well on a bun as it does tucked into tacos, stirred into noodles, or layered onto a pizza.
Familiar doesn’t mean boring.
It means reliable – and reliable meals are what give us the space to be curious.
Why this recipe works for busy families
This is the kind of recipe I come back to again and again because it checks so many real-life boxes:
- It’s made in the slow cooker, so dinner can cook while you do literally anything else
- It makes a generous amount, which means fewer decisions later in the week
- The flavor is approachable for kids, but adaptable for grown-ups
- It works as a base recipe, not a one-and-done meal
It’s also easy enough that someone else in your household can make it without stress, which, in my book, officially qualifies it as a keeper.
What cut of pork is best for pulled pork?
For the best pulled pork, look for a boneless pork shoulder, sometimes labeled as Boston butt or pork butt (despite the confusing name because it’s actually the shoulder).
You want a cut with good marbling so it stays tender and flavorful during a long cook. Very lean cuts like pork loin or tenderloin don’t hold up well here and tend to dry out.
If there’s excess fat on the outside, you can trim it, but some fat is exactly what makes pulled pork so forgiving and family-friendly.
How to make pulled pork in slow cooker
This is an easy recipe! For the full set of directions, please scroll down to the recipe card below.
Prepare the Pork
- Sear the pork briefly on all sides to build flavor
- Sauté the onions and spices in the same pan
- Add the pork, onions, and remaining ingredients (except the apple cider) in the slow cooker
Cook
- Cook on high for 1 hour, then switch to low
- Let it go for 6–8 hours, until the pork shreds easily
Finish the Sauce
- Shred the pork and set it aside
- Reduce the cooking liquid until slightly thickened
- Stir in apple cider vinegar to taste
- Toss the pork with the sauce and serve
That’s it. No babysitting required.
Storage and Reheating Information
Leftover pulled pork can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
It can be reheated in the microwave or oven until warm.
How to use Pulled Pork without Barbecue Sauce:
Now that you have your pulled pork, what to do with it? The following are great ideas to use your pulled pork leftovers!
- add barbecue sauce and serve them as sandwiches! (add some cilantro lime slaw for a fun twist!)
- mix it with your macaroni and cheese
- use it to make nachos
- stir it into some chili or ramen
- throw some on top of a salad
- make a bahn mi sandwich
- wrap them in dough and make dumplings or empanadas
- add it into some fried rice
- bake it into a quiche
- add it on homemade pizza!
- make tacos!
For busy, real life families
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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Ingredients
Method
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
- Sear the pork on all sides and transfer to a slow cooker.
- Turn the heat on the skillet down to medium and add the onion to the residual oil in the pan.
- Place the pork and onions on the slow cooker and add the water, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, spices, and salt in the slow cooker. Everything EXCEPT the cider vinegar should be in the crock pot now.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on high for one hour, then turn the heat down to low.
- Cook 6-8 hours, or until the pork is done and easily shreddable by forks.
- Carefully transfer the meat only to a large bowl and use tongs or two forks to pull the meat apart.
- Strain the cooking liquid and discard the mushy onions.
- Place the liquid in a medium sized saucepan and heat over medium heat until it reaches a simmer and the liquid is reduced by half and it reaches a slightly thicker consistency.
- Remove the liquid from the heat and add cider vinegar to taste.
- Pour over the meat and toss to coat.
- Serve in buns to make sandwiches.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a general estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands, and substitutions. For specific dietary needs, we recommend calculating nutrition using your preferred tool.
What oven temperature would you put it on for a fan oven, thank you
Hi Julie, I created and tested this recipe specifically for a slow cooker. If you want to make it in an oven, you will need to find a recipe specifically for that.
This is a wholesome and super delicious recipe! Way healthier than using BBQ sauce and so much more flavour!
I love the sound of this recipe! Would I be able to use this with chicken barbecuewithout making any accommodations?
Hi Gerri! You “COULD” use this recipe as a base for pulled bbq chicken sandwiches, however you would need to make some changes to the recipe. You wouldn’t need to sear chicken breasts, and chicken won’t take nearly as long to cook as a pork butt does. I would need to test this before I could give you an accurate recipe method to follow, so if you have your heart set on making a pulled chicken bbq sandwich in the slow cooker, I suggest finding a recipe especially for that to follow, I would hate to have you waste 3 lb of meat and it turn out dry or not good!
I just made this recipe today! It was absolutely delicious! I was looking for a recipe without BBQ sauce and this was perfect, absolutely recommend trying this recipe!
I made this pulled pork today, following the recipe as written, but doubling the ingredients to accommodate my pork butt which was a little over 6 lbs. It was fabulous! So easy and flavorful. I’m definitely keeping this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed it, Melissa!
I’m not instinctual enough to add cider vinegar “to taste.” Can you give a ball park figure?
You bet! I would start with like 2 Tablespoons, mix it in, and taste it. Then decide – do you like it the way it is, or would you like it to be a little more tangy? If you want it to be a little more tangy, then you can add in 1 more additional Tablespoons. Mix, taste, repeat!
That looks amazing! My husband loves pulled pork and this recipe looks simple and delicious. Yum!