Name: Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 370 min
Ingredients: 1 (1-oz) packet taco seasoning; 1 tablespoon brown sugar; 1 tablespoon ground mustard; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 3- pound boneless pork shoulder ((picnic roast))

This slow cooker pulled pork recipe is easy to make with a few simple ingredients. It’s easy to prep, and then you leave it to cook until the seasoned meat is tender and juicy. Use it to make BBQ pulled pork, pulled pork sandwiches, enchiladas, and much more!

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Today it’s all about slow cooker pulled pork! Seasoned pork shoulder cooks for several hours in the crockpot until it’s tender and juicy. It’s so easy and so delicious – a must-make!

The prep is super easy. Combine a few simple pantry spices and seasonings and then rub the spice mix all over the pork. It only takes about 10 minutes before it’s ready for the slow cooker.

Ingredients

Boneless pork shoulder – I use a picnic roast which is around three pounds. It’s a good size if you’re not serving a bunch of people. You can also use a bigger pork shoulder and double the amount of spices for the rub., but it will take longer to cook. You can use a pork butt, too. Both options have enough fat, so you don’t end up with dry pork.
Taco seasoning – Pick your favorite brand. I love to use it as the base for the spice rub because it has a great mix of flavors all in one packet so you don’t have to measure anything.
Brown sugar
Ground mustard
Minced garlic
Kosher salt and black pepper

How to Make It

☑️ Season the Pork

Mix the taco seasoning, sugar, ground mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

Place the pork in the slow cooker fat-side down and coat the top with some of the spice mix. Turn the pork over, coat the sides with the seasonings, and then sprinkle the rest of the mix over the top. The pork should be fat-side-up when you cook it.

There will be extra seasoning that won’t stick to the pork – that’s fine. The excess seasoning that ends up in the bottom of the slow cooker will flavor the juices as the pork cooks.

process photos showing how to prepare the pork.

☑️ Cook

Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook the pork on low for six to eight hours or until the internal temperature is between 185 and 190°F. Be sure to insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the pork when you check the temperature.

☑️ Shred

Use two forks to shred the meat once it’s done cooking, and stir it with the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Once you shred the meat, pull out any pieces of fat or tough parts before serving it.

☑️ Recipe Tips

Cooking liquid: The pork will release juices as it cooks, so I don’t add anything extra to keep it easy. But feel free to add some chicken broth, beer, or apple cider vinegar for extra flavor when you cook the meat. You won’t need a lot – just enough to cover the bottom of the slow cooker.
Cooking time: I don’t recommend cooking the pork on high for less time because the meat won’t be as tender. Cooking it on low allows the fat to melt slowly, which will tenderize the meat and add tons of flavor. As I mentioned, I use a boneless picnic roast which is around three pounds and takes about sixish hours to cook. If you use a larger pork shoulder, you will need to add more time. A bone-in pork shoulder will also take longer to cook.
Use a thermometer: Checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer takes all of the guesswork away. Without it, it’s hard to tell if it’s fully cooked in the middle.
Storage: Pulled pork is great for meal prep because it keeps in the refrigerator for three to four days. Just store it in an airtight container.

tongs grabbing some pulled pork in a slow cooker.

More Slow Cooker Recipes

Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This Pulled Pork recipe is an easy slow cooker recipe with just a few ingredients. It’s easy to prep, and then you leave it to cook until the seasoned meat is tender and juicy. Use it to make BBQ pulled pork, pulled pork sandwiches, enchiladas, and much more!

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Author: April Anderson

Servings: servings

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 6

Total Time: 6 10

Ingredients

1 (1-oz) packet taco seasoning
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3- pound boneless pork shoulder (picnic roast)

Instructions

Mix the taco seasoning, sugar, and the rest of the seasonings in a small bowl.
Place the pork in the slow cooker and rub the seasoning mix all over it. It’s fine if some of the seasonings end up in the bottom of the slow cooker. Make sure the pork is fat-side-up once you’ve seasoned it.
Secure the lid and cook the pork on low for six to eight hours or until the internal temperature reaches 185 to 190°F.
Shred the pork with two forks and remove any pieces of fat or grisly bits. Mix to coat the meat in the juices for serving.

Notes

I don’t recommend cooking the pork on high for less time because the meat won’t be as tender. Cooking it on low allows the fat to melt slowly, which will tenderize the meat. I use a boneless picnic roast which is around three pounds and takes about sixish hours to cook. If you use a larger pork shoulder or pork butt, you will need to add more time. A bone-in pork shoulder will also take longer to cook.

Pulled pork will keep in the refrigerator for three to four days. Just store it in an airtight container.