This slow cooker pulled pork is the ultimate “set it and forget” dinner that turns out fall-apart tender meat that’s incredibly flavorful every time!
Why You’ll Love This Pulled Pork
When I’m not making carnitas for taco night, this all-American pulled pork recipe is what gets my friends and family excited to come over for summer BBQs. It’s one of those dishes that makes you feel like a backyard pitmaster, yet it couldn’t be any easier in your Crockpot or slow cooker. The meat is juicy and fall-apart tender, and the spice rub hits all the right notes. If you’re after those same rave reviews I get every time I serve it, here’s why you’ll love making it:
- Prep takes just 5 minutes. The slow cooker handles the rest!
- The rub is spot on. Savory, spiced, and packed with flavor, it’s everything you want in classic pulled pork.
- It’s perfect for a variety of meals. Think pulled pork tacos, sliders, bowls, and more. I’ll share a few ideas below!
Pulled Pork Ingredients
- Pork shoulder: Boneless pork shoulder is what you need (also called pork butt or Boston butt). Look for one that’s well-marbled but not too fatty on the outside. You can always trim any excess fat off as well. Bone-in pork shoulder works too, but I prefer a boneless one for more meat-to-bone ratio in the slow cooker.
- Spice rub: My go-to blend is paprika, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. It’s flavorful-spicy (not heat-spicy) and totally addictive. If you’ve made my brisket rub before, this one’s similar, but a little bit more savory and less smoky-sweet.
- Aromatics: Diced yellow onion, fresh garlic, and a splash of orange juice to round everything out and add a subtle brightness to the final flavor.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Step 1: Mix the paprika, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper together, then generously rub the spice blend all over the pork shoulder. Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker, then add the diced onion, garlic, and orange juice on top.
Step 2: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. When it’s done, the pork should shred easily with two forks. Transfer it to a cutting board, shred, then return to the juices in the slow cooker to keep everything tender and flavorful.
What to Serve with Pulled Pork
- Go classic BBQ: Serve with sides like coleslaw, cucumber salad, potato salad, and baked beans for the ultimate summer cookout, especially as a 4th of July recipe, Memorial Day recipe, or Labor Day recipe.
- Add some sauce: Toss it with my homemade BBQ sauce for a saucier pulled pork that’s always a hit.
- Holiday centerpiece: Serve with mashed potatoes (or mashed sweet potatoes) and roasted veggies for a cozy, crowd-pleasing meal.
- Savory breakfast: Pair leftovers with a fried or poached egg for a protein-packed breakfast.
Storage Tips
If you don’t eat it all in one sitting (which is rare in my house), this pulled pork is a meal prep dream. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze portions for up to 3 months. Perfect for future taco nights or quick lunches!
More Slow Cooker Recipes
- Birria: The spices and flavor in this are so good.
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast: The best all-in-one meal for fall and winter.
- Barbacoa: The best shredded Mexican beef.
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken: A great way to cook a whole chicken with ease.
- Or give these other slow cooker recipes a try!
If you make this slow cooker pulled pork recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Description
Video
Equipment
- Slow Cooker My favorite slow cooker!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make the spice rub. In a small bowl, mix the paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and cumin together.
- Prep everything else. Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker. Add the diced onion, garlic, and orange juice on top.
- Slow cook. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. When it’s done, the pork should shred easily with two forks. Transfer it to a cutting board, shred, then return to the juices in the slow cooker to keep everything tender and flavorful.
Lisa’s Tips
- Storage tip: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze portions for up to 3 months. Perfect for future taco nights or quick lunches!
- You can add some of the remaining liquid from the slow cooker to the pulled pork for extra moisture.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally posted May 2015, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
I usually do not eat pork but all the pulled pork recipes looked too good not to try. I made this one today and it was so easy. I could not believe it. And the kitchen smelled delicious all day. The kids were quite exited and fabricated their own burritos in the oven with rice, black beans, pork and cheese. They ate it with guacamole, sour cream and some crudités. I went for the pulled pork, cabbage and arugula salad. So yummy. And we have so much left overs, so I can be lazy the next couple of days ;-)
Lisa, this looks absolutely amazing! I want to make it, but pork is really expensive where I live and I was thinking about making it with chicken. Any tips?
Unfortunately, I haven’t tried this recipe with chicken so I’m not sure how it will turn out.
Hi Devon, did you end up making it with chicken? If so, how did it turn out? I am allergic to pork but would love to try this recipe with a different protein source.
EVERYONE in our home loved it. Very easy, tasty, and freezer friendly. We were able to create several meals from this recipe (as a roast with veggies, tacos, on a salad, and a quick lettuce wrap for lunch.); this recipe is definitely a keeper. I highly recommend.
Wonderful! Excited to hear that everyone loved this pulled pork :)
The family thought this was very good, but we also thought it was missing a little something and couldn’t really put my finger on it. I used smoked paprika and we enjoyed the smokey flavour. My daughter added some acv to the liquid and thickened it with tapioca starch. The acv gave it that tang we were looking for :). Lovely with coleslaw on the side.
This is super super easy to make. Thank you Lisa for all your easy to follow, no clutter, no fuss recipes. I have recently discovered you and your channel, and am a huge fan!
Welcome to the Downshiftology community! So glad you’ve enjoyed this pulled pork recipe :)
This was so good! Added a touch of cayenne pepper. Cooked on the stovetop on low for 7 hrs. Thank you!
Hi Hazel – Amazing! Glad this recipe turned out great :)
Hi Lisa
Thanks for the great recipe.
I made the pulled pork for dinner tonight and my husband and I enjoyed it so much. This recipe is a keeper.
Andrea
Hi Andrea- Happy to hear both you and your husband enjoyed this pulled pork recipe :)
Hi Lisa
I don’t have a slow cooker, can you recommend how cook pulled pork using either a Dutch oven or a general roasting rack in the oven?
It sounds like a delicious recipe and I want to do it justice!
Thank you
Mash
Hi Mash- You can cook this in the oven as well! I would refer to my Carnitas recipe actually as I have oven instructions on that recipe post :) If you have any questions, feel free to ask!
This was a super tasty recipe and my family loved it!
We also used the leftovers to make your Pulled Pork, Cabbage & Arugula Salad and Pulled Pork Sliders!
Hi Saskia – Wonderful! This pulled pork can definitely be used in many different recipes!
Let me just start by saying I usually don’t cook with meat. I had a family coming over and I’ve decided to prepare this pulled pork and make some tacos and OH MY GOSH! I can’t begin to tell you how amazing it was. Even extremely fussy 4 year old loved it and wanted more. So soft and delicate and recipe was so easy to follow. It was first time when I ever prepered meat like this and I’m definitely gonna do it again. The only thing I can say is that I neded some help to take it out of slow cooker, it was just falling to pieces, so soft. So for me extra pair of hands was helpful :)
Hi Karolina – That’s amazing that everyone loved this recipe for pulled pork tacos! That’s one of my favorite ways to use this pulled pork recipe. But yes, be careful when taking out as it becomes extremely juicy and tender!
Thank you!!! The spice rub was perfect! Slow cooker is my cheat for larger pieces of meat, as it’s pretty much fail safe, and takes about zero effort. Most especially though, thank you for the suggested sides. I came for the pulled pork, and left with a full meal: made the cucumber salad with it, AND snagged the avocado egg salad for later.
Hi Valerie- Wow, you’re on a roll with all those recipes! And I’m glad you loved this pulled pork – it really does make for the perfect ingredient for many meals :)
I made this for the first time & am delighted with it. We had awesome tacos for lunch today! I saved the broth too, strained it and let the fat separate off in the fridge. The resulting stock is amazing. I had an espresso cup of amazing broth just now and can’t wait to use the rest when I cook this week. Thank you!
Hi Susan – Amazing! Saving the pork broth is something I’ll definitely need to do next time. But I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe overall :)
Just made a batch of this as part of a food prep, and I couldn’t believe how easy and incredibly tasty it was!
Will absolutely do it again, but I’d love if you could post a recipe of a homemade sauce to serve with (gluten, paleo free).
Tnx for awesome inspiration!
XO
Jessica
Hi Jessica – So glad you loved this recipe! It’s definitely great for meal prepping as this can go with tons of other ingredients :) As for a sauce, I will definitely keep that in mind for a future recipe!
I have made pulled pork many different ways, including dutch ovens, electric smokers, and even whole roast hogs, and this was the easiest by far, and everyone loved it. My only tweak was to add a tablespoon of ground mustard to the seasoning. I was thrown by the orange juice but it works! I am deleting my other pins for pulled pork!
Hi Jim – So glad you found a pulled pork recipe that you love! Adding ground mustard would taste delicious in this.
Looks amazing! Can you make an insta pot version of the recipe?
Hi Summer – I will definitely keep that in mind :)
Just made this yesterday – (Love the slow cooker on Sundays!) This recipe was easy and very good!! I put away 2/3 of it in the freezer for future use and will use the other this week in meals. Made pulled pork sandwiches last night. (the Primal Kitchen Classic BBQ sauce was also very good!) Later this week I will make pork taquitos in the air fryer (pork rolled up in GF corn tortillas with some taco seasoning, air fry, dip in salsa) I plan to try some easy pork enchiladas too. (Found a decent GF enchilada sauce) Also, just eat it plain with a side dish! Yum. It is tasty. Thank you, Lisa!
Hi Becky – Amazing! Isn’t this recipe so universal when it comes to making meals throughout the week :) Can’t wait to see how the rest of your meals turn out with this pulled pork.
I’ve fixed this several times…delish!
Hi Margot – Definitely a recipe to make every now and then, especially for prepping for the week :)
Hi Lisa,
Can I use beef instead of pork? How will it taste?
Thanks
I would recommend looking up a separate slow cooker beef recipe. And I’m sure I’ll have more in the future as well!
Anybody try this in the Instant Pot yet?
So easy and delicious!
Hi April – Glad you enjoyed this recipe :)
This is such a great pulled pork! I used smoked sea salt and a smokier paprika to still get a cooked outside effect with a lot less work! This turned out really well, and I definitely recommend adding back some of the cooking liquid to keep it moist (and orangey).
Hi Aimee – I’m so glad you enjoyed this pulled pork :)
Hello! I have orange juice in the fridge but no oranges – how much should I use? Thanks!
Hi Kaleigh – one orange is about 1/4 cup of juice.
Hi! This sounds delicious! The pork shoulder I bought is only about 2.5lbs. Do I need to adjust cooking time! Thanks!
Hi Ellen – your pork will likely be done a bit sooner (you can check on it an hour earlier), but it’s okay if it cooks for 8 hours as well. It will just be super tender. :)
The link to your recommended BBQ sauce is broken. Can you tell us what kind it is?
BTW, your recipes, videos, and website are awesome! I’m SOOO glad I stumbled across them on YouTube. I continue to try new recipes every week….thank you!!
Hi Margot – I’ve fixed that link for you. :) So happy you’re loving all my recipes and videos!
We tried this recipe today. It was amazing. My son couldn’t wait for his 3rd serving. Its a keeper in my family for sure. I regret not making more than 3 pounds. I’ll be trying many more of your recipes.
Hi Swapna – I’m glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe! It’s such a versatile dish to include in so many meals :)
Excellent recipe. Super easy and fresh! It’s an instant hit with my family. So versatile too! Can make tacos, salads, sandwiches. Thank you Lisa! Super yummy go-to recipe! I added bay leaves for good measure lol
Hi Jennifer – So glad you and your family enjoyed this pulled pork! It really is one of the most versatile dishes. You should also take a peek at my shredded chicken: https://downshiftology.com/recipes/shredded-chicken/
Since stumbling across this I can’t stop making it. Everyone loves it. I suggest using smoked paprika and thus far haven’t needed more than 6 hours to cook it, although leaving it on low for much longer didn’t seem to make a difference.
Hi Tony – Glad to hear you and everyone loved this pork! It’s definitely one of my favorites to add to any meal :)
I made this and it was delicious!! I made pulled pork tacos with cassava flour tortillas and topped it with cilantro, onions, and spicy guacamole. This is a good idea for a quick dinner meal since it’s in the crock-pot. I used the leftovers to make breakfast tacos with a fried egg on top! So good!!
I’m happy you loved the pulled pork Adriana! And what better way to use it than for lunch and breakfast tacos – yum!!
Smelled wonderful while cooking and tasted great. I didn’t have any orange juice so I substituted white wine. yummy.
Hi Kat – I’m so glad you loved the pulled pork! And white wine is always a great substitute ;)
Hi Lisa,
I’m following a keto diet but would love to make this for the family. Would it be okay to swap the orange juice for lemon juice?
Hi Sara – I’m not sure how that would turn out. The orange juice makes it sweet, so the lemon juice might make it a bit tart. You can certainly give it a try though and if you do, let me know how it turns out!
This is a great recipe, love ? it! I don’t have a slow cooker but I made it in a dutch oven at low 140C for 7 hours and just added some water to achieve the pulled pork.
Wonderful! I’m happy you loved the recipe Olga! :)
Great for rainy or snowy days, but as good as it is, it can’t touch smoked pork shoulder. Impossible to get that traditional smoked pulled pork in a slow cooker.
Hi Joe – Agreed, but slow cooker will have to do on those off days! :)
I have made this twice now for my family. It gets eaten up quickly! This pork shoulder goes into any meal! Eggs and pork check! Salads check! Any skillet meal with tons of veggies for dinner check! Right out of the fridge check! Sandwiches check! Great recipe!
Thanks, Brianne! This pulled pork recipe is truly versatile, isn’t it? I’m so glad you love it as much as I do! :)
This ia a grsat and easy recipe – very tasty – but the link to the BBq sauce recipe takes me to Amazon…..
Hi Debs – Thanks, I’m so glad you liked the my pulled-pork recipe! The BBQ sauce is linked to a brand I love on Amazon, but you can always use homemade or store-bought BBQ sauce. :)
I accidentally bought a bone in pork shoulder roast/ suggestions?
Hi Pat – For this recipe, it should be fine to have bone in.
Hi Lisa!
I’ve tried it twice and it didn’t work both times. I used pork shoulder. Any suggestions as to why it didn’t work? The pork would not shred. Thanks!
Oh no, Marlene! How long did you cook the shoulder and at what temperature? This may give me a better idea of why it didn’t work.
This recipe was so good! Only change I made was to use SMOKED paprika, and added a little extra S&P to taste after shredding. I reserved about a cup of the fatty liquid to keep the meat nicely moist and add flavor. Baked some fresh Brioche buns and plenty of fixins. What a supper! Will definitely be making this again and again. Thanks for the easy and delicious recipe!
You are more than welcome Mark! I’m sure it was so delicious with the smoked paprika!
Thank you Lisa for this delicious recipe! Made it for Sunday dinner and my entire family loved it! The pork was so tender and flavorful.
Wonderful! I’m so happy you loved the recipe Daisy! :)
I just made this receipe. It’s absolutely delicious! What do you do with the juice in the pot?
Wonderful! I’m happy you enjoyed it! I’ll sometimes add some of the juice back onto the pulled pork to keep it extra moist. But otherwise I toss it.
I added some tapioca starch to thicken it a bit and poured it on the meat. Another option would be to strain it and use it as a soup base. With fresh onions, veggies etc.
Hi Lisa! Do you have any recommendations for the people who don’t have a slow cooker and may want to try to do something similar in an oven?
Hi Pedro – I don’t have a recipe alternative for this in the oven, but I’m sure you could find a similar recipe online. :)
I don’t own a slow cooker and don’t plan to buy one. Any recommendation on how I can translate this to a stove-top or oven recipe?
Hi Malika – my recipe was written specifically for a slow cooker, so I’d recommend finding another pulled pork recipe online that indicates it’s for the stove top or oven. :)
Dear Lisa,
Thank you for all these new recipes !
Just a little question what kind of slow cooker are you using, I live in France and I am looking to see if I can buy one here.
Thank you , Marleen
Hi Marleen – unfortunately my model is fairly old and I don’t think it’s available anymore. But I do link to a newer slow cooker on my Shop page. :)
Drooling! Looks so delish! Pinning for later.
Awesome! This is definitely a recipe to make on the regular. And it’s so easy!
I made this recipe yesterday for dinner and my family LOVED it! My husband especially. yessss! This is the perfect recipe for me.
Awesome! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe Neli! x
That looks and sounds wonderful, such great flavours! You can’t beat some shredded pork on a sandwich!
Yes, pulled pork sandwiches are great. Though I also love pulled pork stuffed sweet potatoes. ;)
I love slow cooker anything and your pictures do complete justice to this pulled pork recipe. So few ingredients too!
Thanks so much Saima! Sometimes it can be a bit difficult making meat look good, but this pulled pork is so juicy and tender it makes it easy. :)
This is making me hungry!! I love that you can keep this in the fridge or freezer for a few months as I can see how handy it would be to have it at home and not have to worry about cooking. Cheers for sharing.
Yes, it’s great to have either pulled pork or shredded chicken on hand for easy recipes and meal prep. Both are delicious!
I love pulled pork! Looks so delicious and I love how easy it is to make!
Thanks Natalie! And yes, it really doesn’t get much easier than this recipe. So simple and tasty! :) x
Your recipes have helped me change the way I eat, thank you! I was wondering if pork tenderloin could be substituted for this recipe?
I’d recommending sticking with pork shoulder in this recipe as tenderloin doesn’t shred as easily.
Why cut the fat?
You’re welcome to leave it on if you prefer. :)