Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
5 from 1 ratings
It's not often in life that minimal work reaps big rewards. Pulled pork defies this unfortunate principle. Though it takes basically all day to cook, it requires surprisingly little effort. You don't need a grill, and you don't need to make your apartment unnecessarily hot. All you need is a slow cooker — any size and make will do — and the below ingredients. The smallest Crock-Pots can be a bit trickier, but it's completely manageable. Use as much of the pork as you can fit, and adjust the amount of ingredients you use based on how much pork you're able to use. One problem we've experienced with the super-small slow cookers is that the juices can get dangerously high — keep a baster nearby and check every couple of hours. If the juices are approaching the slow cooker's lid, use the baster to remove some of the liquid.
Servings
6
servings
Ingredients
  • 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
  • rub (below)
  • 4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon salt
Directions
  1. Add the sliced garlic and onions to the slow cooker in 1 even layer. Pour in the broth.
  2. If you'd like to, trim off the excess fat on the pork shoulder. Mix all of the rub ingredients together in a bowl and work the mixture into the meat.
  3. Place the pork on top of the garlic and onions, cover, and cook for about 8 hours.
  4. Place the pork on a cutting board, and strain the liquid in the slow cooker into a bowl.
  5. Remove any large pieces of fat from the pork. Using 2 forks, pull apart the meat into bite-sized pieces.
  6. Return the meat to the slow cooker and mix with the onions and garlic at the bottom.
  7. If you want to add barbecue sauce, now is the time. If not, slowly add in a little of the strained liquid at a time until the meat is just slightly moist.
  8. Combine all ingredients and mix well.