Cooking amazing pulled pork barbecue in a slow cooker or crockpot is easy and yields tender, flavorful meat. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you achieve delicious pulled pork:
Ingredients:
- 4-5 pounds of pork shoulder or pork butt (boneless or bone-in)
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of paprika
- 1 tablespoon of chili powder
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Prepare the pork: If the pork shoulder has a thick layer of fat, you can trim some of it, but leaving some fat will add flavor and moisture. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
Sear the pork (optional): For extra flavor, you can sear the seasoned pork in a hot skillet with a bit of oil until it gets a nice brown crust on all sides. This step is optional but highly recommended.
Assemble in the slow cooker: Place the sliced onions and minced garlic at the bottom of the slow cooker. Lay the pork on top of the onions.
Prepare the barbecue sauce: In a separate bowl, mix together the barbecue sauce, chicken or vegetable broth, brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir until well combined.
Pour the sauce over the pork: Pour the prepared barbecue sauce mixture over the pork, making sure it's well coated.
Slow cook the pork: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours or on high heat for 4-6 hours. Cooking times may vary depending on your slow cooker and the size of the pork, but the meat should be tender and easy to shred when done.
Shred the pork: Once the pork is fully cooked, remove it from the slow cooker, and using two forks, shred the meat into smaller pieces. Discard any large pieces of fat or bone.
Reduce the sauce (optional): If the sauce is too thin, you can transfer it to a saucepan and simmer it on the stovetop until it thickens to your desired consistency.
Combine the pulled pork and sauce: Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker, and mix it with the sauce until it's evenly coated.
Serve and enjoy: Serve the pulled pork on buns or alongside your favorite sides like coleslaw, pickles, or cornbread. Enjoy your delicious homemade pulled pork barbecue!
Note: You can customize the flavors by adding different spices, adjusting the sweetness, or adding a bit of heat with some chili flakes or hot sauce. Experiment with the sauce and spices to create your perfect pulled pork!