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!
This is an excellent recipe, especially for those who have never made a pulled pork. It was my first time making pork in a slow cooker, and I was thoroughly impressed! I assumed that “pepper” in the ingredients list is referring to black pepper. An important distinction, in my opinion.
Personally, I like a lot of flavor, so i chose to add a few dashes of crushed red pepper to my seasoning mix as well. I also threw in a tablespoon of brown sugar for sweetness, as I do not use barbecue sauce. The end result was delicious and tender! Don’t rush the cooking process.
Next time, I think I will throw in some more veggies and perhaps a few dashes of tomato paste. Serve that over rice and you have an amazingly easy meal!
Hi Katana – Thanks for leaving a review and I’m glad your first time making pulled pork was a success!
Hi, this looks great. Does the orange juice make it sweet at all? I am trying to keep it from being sweet. Thank you!
Hi Jane – No, your carnitas won’t be sweet!
This is the first time I’ve ever cooked pulled pork. The recipe is super simple. The pork turned out fantastic!
Hi Ariana – Happy to hear you’re loving this pulled pork recipe!
Used this recipe to make pulled pork quesadillas. Amazing!
Hi Kim – Yummy! I’m glad this pulled pork recipe worked out perfectly for quesadilla night.
Greeting All, This recipe was not for me… so “BEST” is questionable – as per my opinion. The end result was a bit bland for what I was expecting. I like the idea on some of the comments in the addition of brown sugar to liven things up a bit, though I followed the original recipe to get a baseline. I still prefer my pulled pork coming out of a smoker than a slow cooker, though I do respect that we all have our taste-buds and preferences. As such, thanks for sharing this recipe and letting me give it a try!
Hi Tony – yeah, it’s really hard to compare smoker pulled pork from slow cooker pulled pork. They just have very different flavor profiles, with smoker pulled pork being more robust in flavor for sure. But for those who don’t have a smoker, this recipe is a great and tasty option. Thanks for giving it a try!
I agree that the outcome was pretty bland. It would not have been good without the addition of a BBQ sauce to provide flavouring. I appreciate though, the ease of the recipe, and that the meat fell apart easily (always a worry that the meat won’t break down in the time the recipe specifies, leaving me in a lurch for the timing of dinner!). I’m not sure what spices I could add to increase the flavour – would it be crazy to double the amount of spices?
I’m trying this recipe out today — it’s all in the pot! I don’t do pulled pork a lot, and my previous slow cooker recipe did not have onions or garlic. Are these intended just as flavoring while the pork cooks, or do they get incorporated into the final product? Thanks!
Hi Ann – they get incorporated into the final product as well. Enjoy!
This was delicious and so so easy to make! I sliced the garlic into thin slivers and sliced the pork and stuffed the garlic in. Great recipe! How big is one serving? The nutritional information states the service size as “1serving” but how big is that?
Hi Bekah – It will depend on how big your pork shoulder is. But, each serving should be around 1 to 1.5 cups.
Can you add brown sugar into the rub mix to add some sweetness and if so how much
Should the fat really be trimmed? wouldn’t it be prudent to leave it for moisture and then remove some of it after as the fat is really good for you as well?
You can leave it on if you’d like!
This was my first time slow cooking a Boston butt and I was really unsure what I was doing. I did double the spices for an 8lb cut, but left the onion, garlic, and citric levels alone since we’re freezing most of it for post partum meals :) I didn’t have an orange, so did half lemon, half lime which still worked well. Not sure if the orange imparts a flavor, but the lemon/lime didn’t. Cooked it on low and slow in InstantPot for 8 hours and it was exactly 195°. It was deliciously juicy and just fell right apart after a short rest. It felt wasteful to toss the juices, so besides storing the meat, what other uses are there?
Hi Leana – I’m glad you enjoyed this pulled pork recipe! I haven’t tried using the leftover juices for anything yet. But if you do, please let me know!
Left over juices can be used to bake rice to add flavor. One cup leftover juice, one cup water, one cup rice (uncooked), one tablespoon butter and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Or make a cream gravy add the some juice to that to add color and flavor and then serve over noodles or mashed potatoes, along with leftover pulled pork if you have. Sylvia
you can pan fry the meat with a small amount of excess juice to make carnitas tacos.
Just made this today. So good. I use some orange juice and put in a can of chopped chillis. So good. Freezes really well.
Hi Marie – I’m so glad you love this pulled pork recipe!
Love my Pork Shoulder as was prepared by your instructions and It was delicious, plus made easy to do. I received high praises, afterwards and I remembered to share the recipes information with other. For now I am looking forward to try more recipes to enhance my culinary skills and share them. Thank you.
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Hi
Can you use pork loin instead?
Yes, you can.
there does not seem like much liquid added to the slow cooker – for sure this is right? the juice of one orange?
Yep, that’s all you need!
Made recipe with cutup pieces of pork and it came out tender and very flavorful
Happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Soooo good! It literally fell off the bone as I was pulling it out of the crockpot. I was so skeptical at first but the pork just released so much juice for it to cook in and it was very very good. Made pulled pork sandwiches with it and I might just make this often from now on cause it was so good
Wonderful! Glad this slow cooker pulled pork recipe came in handy to make sandwiches.
Absolutely fantastic!! I ended up using chimichurri sauce (1/3 of the bottle), a pineapple salsa(half the container), mixed with one cup of chicken broth to simmer my pork in. The seasonings go so well with the added flavors and the pork does fall right apart. Delisshhh!!
Thanks for leaving a review and so glad your slow-cooker pulled pork turned out perfectly!!
This is the BEST pulled pork recipe! I hunted for a recipe without bbq sauce and by far this is the best and is a keeper at our house. After separating meat freezes well, and it is very versatile. My kids use a Japanese bbq sauce for an Asian twist, I’ve added it as a topping for pulled pork pizza, we’ve had pulled pork sandwiches and of course tacos. Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Have also used your coleslaw recipe as a side to this…YUMMY!
Thanks so much, Ann! I’m happy to hear you love this recipe and my coleslaw as well! And yes, it does freeze well and is perfect for meal prep. Enjoy!
I have been looking for for a good pulled pork recipe made in a slow cooker. I have found it!! This turned out perfectly for me. We had carnitas using Lisa’s cassava flour tortillas and later in the week used it in her stuffed poblano recipe! So good!!
I’m happy to hear you’ve found a winning pulled pork recipe, Jaime!
Wow, Wow and Wow!!!
So easy to prepare and the flavours are so amazing. I made 10 lbs of pulled pork and this is the BEST recipe! The family loved it- even my 2 year old granddaughter. It’s a keeper-thank you so much 🙏
Do you have any ribs in the oven recipes?
Yay, I’m thrilled you (and your family) loved this pulled pork! I do have an awesome ribs recipe (you can use the top search bar). Though I’m sure I’ll be adding more in the future. :)
Thank you Lisa- I did find it after I left the post. I will try it out this week. Thanks again, Sal
Do you only add juice from the 1 orange to this recipe?
Yes, that’s all that’s needed as the pork will release quite a bit of juice on it’s own.
Try smoked paprika, only dash of cumin and brown sugar to cover pork.
Thanks for the tip, Gary!
Excellent recipe. Best pulled pork I have tried.
Wonderful, love to hear that. Thanks Jim!
This recipe is phenomenal. I’ve made it several times and love to sue a pineapple/papaya salsa in a corn taco. The salsa has cilantro, so once made, it takes two seconds to put them together.
Happy to hear you’re loving this pulled pork! That pineapple salsa sounds amazing :)
Hello! I’ve never left a review but it’s worth saying I made this in the InstaPot with half of the meat and obviously half of ingredients, I’m still putting to much orange juice, just because I don’t want to dry. But what I did was I cut the meat in 4ths, and then set it for 45 min in my instapot on high, release the pressure check the mean make sure it was ready, also did this because last time it was dry, the truck was to cut it in 4ths, and it was ready to be shred. My plan was to cut it longer if needed but 45 min did it for me! Thanks for the recipe ♥️
Thanks for leaving a review Claudia! Glad this worked out in the InstaPot and sharing how you did it with us.
Hi, if I use a 2lb cut of meat, should i roughly cut the cook time in half?
Can you use store bought orange juice instead of juicing an orange? If so how much? Thanks
Yes, you can do that. One orange usually is about 1/3 cup of juice.
This recipe is ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!! I bought a large piece of pork roast on sale for $5.69. (We had just returned from a trip to NY City. (I live in Virginia.) I needed something good and cheap!!!! For the price of one hamburger I had a major source of meat. I baked sweet potatoes and added a quick salad. Everyone was impressed. Thanks very much It wasn’t quick but it was DELICIOUS AND CHEAP!!!
Yay, I’m happy you loved the recipe! And yes, it really is easy to make. It’s a go-to recipe in my kitchen. :)
Excellent pulled pork ! Thank you
Glad this recipe turned out great!
So good! No more prepackaged pulled pork for us!
Glad you enjoyed this pulled pork recipe, Brandi!
I’m 3 for 3 on your recipes today! I made your BBQ sauce to go with this pulled pork for my husband’s birthday and it was so tender and juicy. Absolute winner!
Happy to hear they all have been winners, Melissa :)
Hi there, do you use ground cumin or cumin seeds?
Thanks, going to try this recipe out tomorrow 😊😄
I use ground cumin.
Hello,
Are the spices measurements correct? 2 tablespoons of paprika? My spice mixture did not look like your picture, it just looked mostly like a small bowl of paprika…
Thank you
Yes, the measurements should be correct!
Can’t wait to try this. I noticed no liquid. Is this correct ? It doesn’t get too dry?
Correct, no liquid is needed. It will release its own liquid as soon as it starts cooking.
I would like to mention that the recipe time on this page does not change no matter how many servings (lbs of meat) you enter. I ended up starting mine too late and put on high for a couple hours. Hope it is done in time
Thank you! I was just looking for this response!
It was easy to prep for sure once I found the paprika. LoL giving it a shot tonight for dinner let’s see how it goes
Hi, I’d like to make this ahead of time for 12:30 Easter Lunch as pulled pork on bum with coleslaw. How can I make Saturday and reheat for Sunday? Thanks
Hi Carolynn – you can store it in the fridge and then reheat when you’d like to enjoy it. See my tips in the post above!
I recently tried the Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe and it quickly became a new favorite in my household. The recipe was incredibly easy to follow, and the end result was nothing short of delicious. The combination of spices used in the recipe provided the perfect balance of flavor, making it a great addition to salads, bowls, and plates with sides.
What I loved most about this recipe was how versatile it was. Not only was it great as a main course, but it also made for amazing leftovers. I was able to use it in a variety of dishes throughout the week, making meal prep a breeze.
Overall, I highly recommend giving this recipe a try. It’s a great option for those who are short on time but still want to enjoy a delicious and satisfying meal. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
Thrilled to hear you were able to make the most out of this pulled pork recipe Kat!
I made this pulled pork this evening and it was perfect! I made it plain instead of BBQ which I normally do because I wanted to have options for after I freeze it instead of sandwiches or basic BBQ. We used put it on top of the macaroni I made tonight with BBQ sauce but will probably use it as taco meat next. My roast was a 3lb roast and it was done cooking in about 5 hours on low and was falling apart tender.
Glad this worked out great for your dinner ideas Alexis!
I’m considering making your slow-cooker maple mustard pulled pork for Easter, since there were no hams left to be had and I’d like to have an Easter holiday where I don’t have to be in the kitchen all day! LOL I have a 4 lb shoulder roast (bone-in) that looks like would work great for your cookbook recipe! My question: What sides with this for Easter would you recommend that I could make the day before?
I’m horrible when it comes to trying to plan menus and what goes with what, which is why I love when you give suggested sides to serve with your recipes! :)
You can make some veggies such as asparagus or string beans! Then, of course, salads always work well with pulled pork such as coleslaw, broccoli salad, or potato salad :)
I’m thinking of searing the meat first in a cast iron skillet on all sides to get the bark. What are your thoughts on that?
Yes, that’s a great way to get added flavor. Just note that you won’t get crispy edges if you do that before the slow cooker. You’ll only get the crispy edges if you bake or saute after it’s been slow cooked.
Trying this recipe for the first time, so no rating yet, but it’s cooking now and this was easy enough to do, hope it turns out great! I did have a laugh at the “heard great things about this slow cooker”. I detest mine, as it was bought spur of the moment when a more upscale one that I had died. So clicked on your link and there it was my hated slow cooker. There is no way you could cook this pork on low in this slow cooker for 8 hours as there would be nothing left of it. The low setting is not truly a low setting. I am guessing you are getting paid for plugging it, but I just wanted to let you know that I have had a bad experience with it and am shopping for a new one.
Be sure to let us know how your pulled pork turned out!
This looks amazing! Is the paprika sweet or smoked?
Thank you!
I used sweet, but you could use smoked as well!
So simple!
That was not my first pulled pork. But the best one so far.
All our gang liked it very much! It was a main meat dish for NY eve.
Will do it again!
One tip: pull the pork while it’s in slowcooker (with wooden tools, not to scrub the surface), so that small pieces are soaked within the juice/sauce.
Glad everyone loved this pulled pork recipe!
Hi there,
I am going to make this recipe but I only have an instant pot on slow cooker mode. Can you let me know how long it should cook for and the temperature? Also is one orange enough liquid for the instant pot?
I’m not sure what the instructions would be for an instant pot. You can use the same ingredients but look up a separate recipe for an instant pot pulled pork!
Loved it! Really a 4.5 star..
This turns out Very Flavorful and Tender.
We used a pork butt roast.
I needed to guess how much orange juice and onion size so used 4oz. juice (needed 6-8oz.)
and used a large onion which was perfect.
You may want to clarify that in the ingredients :)
Hi Lisa, I am planning to make this at a vacation home where there is not a slow cooker. Can you do this recipe in the oven? Or a stove top?
I’m sure you can, but I don’t have specific instructions for it. I would look up a different recipe for that!
If I am doubling or tripling the pork, do I need to double the time in the slow cooker?
Hi Eunice – If you double the pork, it should take about the same time!
I spotted some pork loin last night on sale and bought it with the thought of making this. OMG! I made it today and its’ astonishingly juicy & delicious! This is my first time ever cooking this type of meat! Pull it apart? It completely shredded apart on it’s own! I made some tacos with served it with canned beans on the side (not so good) because I didn’t plan in advance; didn’t make my own beans. This was an impulse meal based on your video! I didn’t have the paprika and used cayenne; vegetable broth in stead. I am hoping to make the cassava tortillas in the next few days & other meals with the pulled pork! Just juicy & mouth watering! I couldn’t stop eating it. Another Lisa hit! Thank you! Will be buying your book!
Happy to hear your first pulled pork was a success Elizabeth! Definitely put it together with tortillas 😉
I made this delicious pulled pork today. It was simple and SO tasty! Highly recommend.
I bought a 9 lb pork shoulder – will this recipe work if I double it and the cooking time?
There’s only 2 of us so I use about 1 1/2-2 pounds of pork carnita cut pork ( basically large chunks of pork roast) and I do on high for 2 hours and then low about 3 hours and it’s perfect…. So easy and delicious!
Glad this pulled pork turned out perfectly Marcia!
Today I made your pulled pork recipe and it’s absolutely delicious. Thank you very much for publishing it.😋😋
Glad you enjoyed this pulled pork recipe Louise!