Dr. Pepper Crock Pot Pulled Pork is the perfect way to feed a crowd. This slow cooker pulled pork is easy, tender, delicious and everyone always loves it!
With just 5 minutes of prep, this pulled pork crockpot recipe is ready to go before heading off to work. You’ll come home to a slow cooker full of tender juicy pulled pork perfect for sandwiches or topping Baked Potatoes or Mac and Cheese.
Crock Pot Pulled Pork is Easy to Make
This easy Crock Pot Pulled Pork is an easy family favorite! Let the Slow Cooker do all of the work, and then pile this pulled pork on crusty buns and top with some fresh homemade coleslaw for a dish everyone raves over! This slow cooker pulled pork is perfect for Sunday supper, nachos, tailgating or even for parties (on slider buns) or piled on top of baked sweet potatoes!
The best part about this dish is that it cooks in the slow cooker and is ready when you are, which means it’s easy to make.
Pulled Pork Bar: If you are serving a crowd, you can easily turn your slow cooker pulled pork on low to keep it warm until guests are ready to eat. We just set out a basket of rolls and a bowl of slaw and our guests can create their own sandwiches!
What Kind of Pork for Pulled Pork?
While some people use a tenderloin for pulled pork, it’s so lean that it easily becomes dry and tough (it’s more suited to roasting to medium). Like most slow cooker recipes, a pork roast with lots of nice fat marbled throughout becomes very tender in the Crock Pot!
The best cut of pork for pulled pork is pork shoulder. It can go by different names (and names can vary by location). When looking for pork, I choose boneless (bone in still works just fine, may need a little bit extra time but not much). Any of the following will be great:
- shoulder butt roast
- shoulder roast
- blade roast
- pork butt
- boston butt
- picnic roast
- pork steaks (which is slices of pork butt)
Any of the cuts above benefit from cooking low and slow to break down the tissues and make it buttery and tender. Pulled pork crock pot recipes are ideal because of the cooking temperature.
How to Make Pulled Pork in the Crock Pot
- Line the bottom of the Crock Pot with sliced onion.
- Rub the pork roast with seasoning and add to the slow cooker (per recipe below).
- Pour Dr. Pepper (or Rootbeer) on top and let the Crock Pot work its magic.
- Once cooked, shred with 2 forks and stir back into the juices. Add additional BBQ sauce if needed and serve on crusty rolls!
How Long to Cook Pulled Pork in the Crock Pot
The following is for a 4lb boneless pork roast. If you are short on time, cut the pork into 3-inch cubes.
- Cook on High for 4-5 hours
- Cook on Low for 7-8 hours
Slow cooker pulled pork needs just a few simple ingredients to create a dish that is so juicy and delicious.
To tell if the pork is done, use a fork and pull off a small piece. It should be easy to remove and melt in your mouth tender. If the pork isn’t fall-apart tender, it’s not quite done yet so cook it a bit longer!
What to Serve with Crock Pot Pulled Pork
- Classic Coleslaw Recipe – Fast!
- Dill Pickle Coleslaw
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Crock Pot Corn on the Cob
- Baked Beans
- Fresh Corn Salad
Did your family enjoy this Pulled Pork Recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4-5 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast or pork butt
- salt
- black pepper
- garlic powder
- 1 onion sliced, optional
- 12 ounces Dr. Pepper 1 can
- ¾ cup barbecue sauce or to taste
- Rolls for serving
- prepared coleslaw for serving
Instructions
- Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. Rub the outside of the roast with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Pour the Dr. Pepper over the pork and cook on high 4-5 hours or on low 7-8 hours.
- The meat will be very tender. Using 2 forks, shred the pork and place back in the juices.
- Add barbecue sauce to taste. Allow to cook an additional 30-60 minutes if desired.
- Serve on crusty rolls with coleslaw.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course
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I’d say that if you’re allergic to caffine, would wouldn’t be searching for Dr Pepper pulled pork… like seriously? What is wrong with people…. buzz off and stop making the author read your bad attitude.
Amazing recipe!
I need to feed 9 people – what size roast do you recommend?
I would suggest about 6-7lbs raw boneless pork shoulder. This will cook down to about just over 3lbs = ⅓lb finished per person. If you’d like extra or leftovers you might like to go with 8lbs. Enjoy!
This also works great using root beer!
Hi there Holly! Thanks for this great recipe. My dad gave me a beautiful organic pork shoulder roast from his farm that he raised and took to a butcher I froze it and it’s been a few months I forgot about it so I pulled it out yesterday hoping it’d be defrosted in 2 days to put in the crock for a family dinner but I just realized there’s a bone in it.. Can I not use it for this recipe now? I was so sad when I realized that lol darn I hope it’s ok but If not that’s ok too.
Thanks again and hope you can awnser my question.
Hugs * Sarah! :)
Hi Sarah! So lucky to have a lovely bone in shoulder roast!! I have only made this with boneless but I’m sure that this recipe would be great with bone in as well, so much flavor!! You may need to alter the cooking time (as I haven’t cooked a bone in shoulder in the slow cooker before) but should be fine to still follow the basic recipe. I would love to hear how it works out for you!
I made this and it was really soupy and my family didn’t like it at all..My husband didn’t even try it..soo I won’t be making it again…
Sorry it didn’t work out for you. If you find you have too much liquid you can remove some of it before you shred the pork.
Can you give me a general idea of how much salt, pepper, and garlic powder to use? Thanks.
I would say about 1 teaspoon or so of pepper and garlic powder and just under ½ teaspoon of salt. Hope that helps.
Did you use diet or sugar free products? It could also be the brand of barbecue sauce you used.
The sauce will be a little bit runny. Once the meat is shredded and put back into it it should soak up some of the sauce and seem thicker.
Pork is a cheap meat right now this a quick and easy meal to make
I made this today for a superbowl family dinner. I had a 5.5 lb bone in pork butt. I cut the bone out and seared it before putting in the crock pot. I cooked it on high for 6 hours. I pulled the pork out and shredded it. I poured the juices from the crockpot through a colander and added back all the onions etc. to the pork. I added Sweet Baby Rays to taste – way more than 3/4 cup so you need to go by your own tastes. I also added back liquid about a 1/4 cup at a time. I think I only added back about a 1/2 cup of the juices. I saved the rest for another day’s gravy. I put it all back in the crock pot on low to reheat. It was delicious!!!! Thanks for the great recipe.
So glad you loved it! Thank you for sharing your tips on your measurements.
This sounds delicious I was wondering any suggestions on a good BBQ sauce?
Sweet Baby Rays is always a popular choice!
Because it’s delicious. I’m making this today, again. It’s so good and so easy. Thanks
:) You’re welcome!
I just cooked this and the pork is not shredding. It is a pork butt/shoulder. Does that just mean it hasn’t cooked long enough or is it possible I bought the wrong meat?
I would cook it longer. It will be very tender once it’s ready.
I used diet Dr Pepper, caffien free Dr pepper and regular Dr pepper 4 oz of each to equal 1 can and it turned out great and keeps everyone happy
Smelling delicious! It’s been in the crock pot since 4 a.m., and it’s now 7.
How many does this feed?
It will depend on the size of pork you purchase but as a general rule you can expect to get approximately 2-3 servings per pound. Hope that helps!
Will this work for a frozen pork? Thank you
It isn’t recommended to cook frozen pork in the slow cooker as it can reach dangerous temperatures.
Bone In or boneless pork shoulder? Or is a pork butt roast, which winco has boneless, better?
I always use boneless. And yes a butt roast is perfect in this recipe!
My roast isn’t fully submerged, is that okay? Or do I need to add something else?
It doesn’t have to be fully submerged.
Omg tried this food the first time last night. It was so good definitely going to use again for family get togethers.I used pork loin since that’s all they had at the store but it still turned out so amazing. My mom thought I was crazy for wanting to try it but I bet if she ate some she’d love it. Definitely keeping this recipe
I’m having a memorial day party at 12. Can I cook it extra long? Maybe put in in from 11pm tonight till 12 tomorrow? If so then which setting? Thanks
I have only tried it as written so I can’t say for sure. Hopefully someone else has some great advice for you!
Dr. Pepper and pulled pork? Sure, why not! My mother, who is Korean, makes a type of Korean barbecue meat which she marinades in Coca-Cola so I see no reason why this can’t be as awesome as it looks and sounds.