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No Fuss Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

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(This post has been updated from the original June 2014 version to provide a better experience for you)

If you’re looking for a CRAZY easy, no fuss, slow cooker pulled pork recipe – you’re in the right place! This enticing delight requires no pre-cooking and very minimal prep. Oh and there’s hardly any pots to wash after too. Sounds great right? It’s like that time when you discovered my slow cooker bbq chicken recipe all over again! Which was a very good day, am I right?

slow cooker pulled pork on a toasted roll

You’re throwing a bbq, Summer gathering or Winter party and you don’t know what to make that’s quick, cheap and easy, with very little effort on your part. That’s where this slow cooker pulled pork fits perfectly!

It couldn’t be easier to make (hence the ‘no fuss’ title I’ve given it) and it requires very little hands on time. If you use my super speedy shredding technique, (explained later n the post) you’ll shave so many minutes off food prep that you’ll have plenty of time to get ready and sort other things before your guests arrive! Win!

slow cooker pulled pork on a toasted roll

Is slow cooker pulled pork expensive to make?

Absolutely not! Considering how heavenly this is, it really is CRAZY cheap to make! Especially if, like me, you happen to have all the spices in your cupboards already. The meat cost me less than £3 and it yields around 6 – 8 very generous sandwiches, which makes it just a few pennies per person! That’s the kind of maths I like to do.

slow cooker pulled pork on a toasted roll

What makes this slow cooker pulled pork recipe so good?

What’s not good about this recipe? NOTHING! It’s pretty darn delicious and there’s tons of positives that’s for sure! Let’s take a closer look at the pros and you can see for yourself…

  • It’s incredibly cheap to make.
  • It tastes AMAZING!
  • It serves a large amount of people.
  • There’s no precooking required.
  • The prep time is minimal.
  • Set it and forget it!
  • Only one pot to wash (your slow cooker).
  • Perfect for parties and bbqs.
  • Use my shredding trick to save time.

I could go on but I think you get the gist! And don’t worry, if you’re looking for something a little more ‘impressive’ – my slow cooker chicken teriyaki recipe will impress by the bucket load so you should absolutely check that out too!

slow cooker pulled pork on a toasted roll

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe Tips

  • Keep the fat on the pork during cooking. You can always remove it once cooked but it imparts SO much flavour, you’d be silly to take it out beforehand.
  • Don’t waste time shredding with two forks! When the joint is cooked & still warm, roughly chop into 4 or 5 large chunks and place in an electric stand mixer with the beater attachment. Mix for 10 – 20 seconds and VOILA! Perfectly shredded pulled pork. (Just go easy, it happens fast!)
  • If you have time, marinade the meat in the fridge overnight before cooking for extra depth of flavour.
  • If having in a sandwich, butter both sides of the bread/roll to create a barrier. This will delay the bread’s inevitable demise from all those lovely juices!
slow cooker pulled pork on a toasted roll

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork – Step by Step Picture Recipe

Here is what you will need to make enough for approx 6-8 generously sized sandwiches.

(For a printer friendly version, see the recipe card at the end of this post)

Ingredients

  • 1.5 tbsp Paprika *
  • 1 tbsp Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp Coarse Black Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 85 g (1/4 Cup) Honey
  • 2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp BBQ Sauce
  • 1.5 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 kg (2 lb 2 oz) Boneless Pork Shoulder Joint (Fat on)

*If you can, use a good quality, smoked paprika – it will make all the difference.

Essential equipment

  • Slow Cooker (mine is 3.5 litre)

Instructions

Let’s start with the marinade. In a small bowl, mix together the paprika (1.5 tbsp), salt (1 tbsp), pepper (1 tsp), cayenne (1/2 tsp), garlic (1/2 tsp) & thyme (1/4 tsp).

slow cooker pulled pork spices in a small bowl with measuring spoons

Then add in the honey (85g | 1/4 Cup), red wine vinegar (2 tbsp), BBQ sauce (2 tbsp) & olive oil (1.5 tbsp). Give it all a good mix and set to one side.

slow cooker pulled pork sauce in a small bowl with a spoon

Peel & slice the onion (x 1) in half then place at the bottom of the slow cooker, face down.

two onions in a slow cooker

Slice the pork joint (1 kg | 2 lb 2 oz) in half and place on top of the onions. Leave the fat on, it adds a great deal of flavour & is easily removable once cooked. Then pour over the marinade. Try to cover as much meat as possible – it doesn’t matter if some of it falls to the bottom.

pork joint in a slow cooker

Lastly, pop the lid on and cook on low for about 6 hours or until the meat just falls apart.

cooked pork in a slow cooker

When it’s ready. Turn the slow cooker off and transfer the meat to a large bowl. Remove the fat, then using 2 forks back to back – shred the meat. Alternatively, you can do it the quick way using an electric stand mixer. See the tips section above for directions.

shredded pulled pork in a glass bowl

Don’t forget about those onions! Take them out, finely dice them (be careful, they’ll be a bit slippy) and add them straight back into the meat.

Then pop the whole lot back into the slow cooker along with those gorgeous juices. Give it a good mix and you are good to go!

pulled pork in a slow cooker

If there is a little too much juice for your liking – simply put the slow cooker on high but leave the lid off. Cook until it’s the consistency you want (it shouldn’t take too long) and stir occasionally.

Then serve your pulled pork warmed in crusty cobs or mini ciabattas with a generous helping of coleslaw. Use gluten free if you are coeliac.

slow cooker pulled pork on a toasted roll

Have you made this recipe?

I LOVE it when you share what you’ve made! You can get in touch by leaving a comment below, tagging me on social media or sending me an email. I don’t mind how, I just love hearing from you!

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slow cooker pulled pork on a toasted roll
slow cooker pulled pork on a toasted roll
slow cooker pulled pork on a toasted roll

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork - Printable Recipe

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes

This CRAZY easy, no fuss slow cooker pulled pork recipe with blow you away with how tasty, cheap and delicious it is!

Ingredients

  • 1.5 tbsp Paprika *
  • 1 tbsp Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp Coarse Black Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 85 g (1/4 Cup) Honey
  • 2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp BBQ Sauce
  • 1.5 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 kg (2 lb 2 oz) Boneless Pork Shoulder Joint (Fat on)

Essential Equipment

  • Slow Cooker (mine is 3.5 litre)

Instructions

  1. Mix together the paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic and thyme in a bowl. Add the honey, vinegar, bbq sauce and olive oil. Mix well.
  2. Cut the onion in half and place each half face down in the slow cooker.
  3. Cut the pork joint in half and rest on top of the onions.
  4. Cover the meat with the marinade.
  5. Cook on low for 6 hours.
  6. When cooked, shred with two forks in a bowl or cut into 4/5 chunks and beat briefly in an electric stand mixer. Dice the onion and place it all back into the slow cooker to soak up the juices.
  7. Serve warm.

Notes

*If you can, use a good quality, smoked paprika – it will make all the difference.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 405Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 995mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 27g

Nutritional information on kitchenmason.com should only be used as a general guideline, I am not a certified nutritionist. Please always check labels for allergens where applicable.

Did you make this recipe?

I'd love to hear about it! Please leave a comment on the blog or tag me on Instagram.

About Emma Mason

Emma is a professional blogger. Utilising over 20 years of cooking experience, she’s passionate about making your life easier, one recipe at a time! Drawing on her 12+ year background in recipe research and development, photography, copy writing and marketing, Emma has turned kitchenmason.com into a successful career. Known as ‘the organisation queen’ among friends, she is passionate about creating easy to follow recipes that anyone can follow and enjoy. She lives in Nottingham (UK) with her husband, daughter and 2 naughty cats. In her spare time she can be found reading a good book, training at the dojo preparing for her black belt grading, or dreaming up the next crazy colour combo for her hair!

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Rena

Sunday 22nd of May 2016

Hi brilliant recipe. Gave me an excuse to bring my slow cooker out of the cupboard.

Miss KitchenMason

Sunday 22nd of May 2016

Excellent! So glad you liked it Rena :)

Mary

Sunday 18th of January 2015

Yum! Thanks for this, it came out great! Did a couple of substitutes as had done things in the cupboard to use up rather than buy more: Had no cayenne but used chilli flakes instead Had no red wine vinegar but used balsamic instead Had no bbq sauce so used ketchup with a bit of brown sugar

Yum!

Miss KitchenMason

Sunday 18th of January 2015

Fab! That's one of the things I love most about cooking - improvisation :)

DeLynn

Friday 4th of July 2014

WOW yummy!

Miss KitchenMason

Friday 4th of July 2014

Thank you!

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