Easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork: Tender & Tangy
This Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork recipe features tender pork shoulder simmered in a homemade sauce of ketchup, molasses, and a kick of sambal oelek. It's a hands-off, dump-and-go dinner that delivers restaurant-quality BBQ flavor.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker (Crockpot)
- Large Saucepan
- Forks or Meat Claws
Ingredients
The Meat
- 4.25 lbs boneless pork shoulder trimmed and cut into 4 pieces
The Sauce
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 cup ketchup
- 0.25 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 3 tbsp cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp sambal oelek or other chile sauce
- to taste Kosher salt
- to taste Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Mix the Sauce: In a medium bowl, mix the finely chopped onion with the ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, molasses, Dijon mustard, and sambal oelek.
- Slow Cook: In a slow cooker, place the pork shoulder pieces and cover them with the ketchup mixture. Cook on High until the pork is very tender, about 6 hours.
- Shred the Pork: Transfer the cooked pork to a work surface. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.
- Thicken the Sauce: Pour the sauce remaining in the slow cooker into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Finish and Serve: Stir the shredded pork into the thickened sauce. Season with Kosher salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
Notes
Reducing the sauce on the stovetop is essential for concentrating the flavors and achieving a sticky, glaze-like consistency.