Pulled pork is a classic BBQ food. It has become a cornerstone of the cuisine for several reasons including it’s versatility, ease to make, and multiple uses at the dinner table. It’s a great meat for sandwiches, open faced sandwiches, Mexican inspired dishes such as burritos or Chipotle bowls, or even great by it self.
There are several methods for cooking a pork roast for pulled pork. Smoking is the method of choice by most BBQ aficionados. But not owning a smoker does not disqualify you from making this tasty meat. A crock pot can turn out a wonderful meal of pulled pork. Admittedly you’ll never be able to create the smoky flavor that many desire, but you can still work in awesome flavors that will please a crowd.
Buying a pork roast for pulled pork can be confusing. There are several cuts/names that you will see at the grocery store. Pork Butt (or Boston Butt), Shoulder Roast, Pork Shoulder, Arm Roast, Blade Roast, etc. Technically there are some differences between all of these cuts, and you can feel free to read more about these at the links below. But they all come from the same region of the pig – the front shoulder area above the leg and in front of the loin. They tend to be a tougher cut of meat, but given that it will be slow cooked for 8 hours that is just fine. The cooking process will break down the connective tissue and leave you with a delicious meal!
https://www.cookscountry.com/how_tos/6638-getting-to-know-essential-pork-cuts
Don’t be surprised to find thick chunks of fat on these cuts. I try to pick the ones with the least amount of fat as possible, but you’re going to get fat on these roasts. That’s just how it is. If you are smoking or grilling the roast it is likely desired to leave the fat on. But when cooking in a crock pot try to remove as much of the fat as possible. No matter how much you remove you’ll find that there is plenty that is tough to remove or marbled into the meat. The fat is a source of flavor, but you don’t want a pulled pork soup with melted fat at the broth. So trim back what you can.
A roast can be purchased either with the bone still in or removed by the butcher. Both work just fine. In fact a bone in cut has a built in indicator of when the meat is done – the bone will pull right out with no effort. That said, I personally prefer to buy without the bone so as to maximize the amount of meat I get for my dollar. Some like bones for other purposes such as soups or broth. But don’t give to your pets.
I’ve always made smaller cuts – 3 or 4 pounds. 8 hours on low in the crock pot turns out perfect every time. I recently needed to feed a larger crowd however and cooked 7 1/2 pounds of pork. I debated in my head back and forth about what my cook time should be. Given that the weight is doubled shouldn’t the cook time be adjusted? After much back and forth in my head I decided to not make any changes. 8 hours on low in the crock pot with double the weight. And the end result – perfectly cooked pork! A simple twist with the tongs and the meat fell right apart perfectly.
Serving pulled pork can be done with countless options. Really the pork flavor itself is amazing and thus you can just let it shine by it self! Put adding some extra flavors is desired by many. I encourage trying some mild banana peppers to the meat and possibly a good BBQ sauce. You can’t go wrong with Stubbs BBQ Sauce (seriously some of the best sauces ever) or Sweet Baby Ray’s (lower priced but great sauce for the money).
One quick testament to this recipe. I made this recipe for my sons first birthday party recently. The adults and children alike at the party did enjoy this – I received several compliments. But what stood out the most was that my 1 year old son ate it and enjoyed it as well! He, like most 1 year olds, can be a bit of a picky eater and typically prefers the more bland flavors. But this was one flavor-filled meal that he was ok having some more of!
And a last note for those of you that follow specific dietary protocols, allergen avoiding diets, etc. This recipe is Paleo, dairy free, gluten free, nut free, and AIP. So eat up and enjoy!
Print Recipe |
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 30 sandwiches | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 8 hours |
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Crock Pot Pulled Pork
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- 7 1/2 pounds Pork Shoulder Roast fat removed
- 1 small Onion diced
- 4 cloves Garlic diced
- 1 tsp Basil, Dried
- 1 tsp Oregano, Dried
- 1 tsp Rosemary, Dried
- 1 tsp Himalayan Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Peppercorn
- 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1/4 cup Coconut Aminos
- Trim as much of the large chunks of fat off of the pork roast. Place in crock pot.
- Top with onion and garlic.
- Mix the dry ingredients together. Sprinkle over the pork, trying to cover as much of the meat as possible.
- Pour the coconut aminos over the top.
- Cover. Cook on low for 8 hours.
- Shred the pork and serve.
- There should be juices/liquid in the crock pot at the end of the cooking time. Do NOT drain this. Shred the meat and put back into these juices. The meat will absorb them adding flavor and moisture to the meat.
- Soy Sauce or Worcestershire Sauce could be used as a substitute for Coconut Aminos.
- There are several methods of shredding the pork.
- Twist with a tongs. Since the fat was trimmed after 8 hours it should fall apart quite easily.
- Use two forks to pull apart the meat into shreds.
- Pulled pork shredding claws such as these Meat Claws by Cave Tools.
