Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is a set-it-and-forget-it meal so easy that it practically makes itself.

Crock Pot pulled pork cooks a pork roast to tender perfection with just minutes of prep.

Spoon it over mac and cheese or into a roll with a scoop of coleslaw.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches with slow cooker in the back

Holly’s Recipe Highlights

  • Flavor: This pulled pork has lots of flavor, with a homemade sauce that’s deliciously tangy and not too sweet.
  • Difficulty: This recipe is easy to make.
  • Technique: Once the pork is cooked, I use a gravy separator to separate the fat.
  • Cooking tip: This recipe can be cooked on high or low – I find cooking on low makes it more tender. If the pork is not tender, it likely needs more time.
  • Slow cooker tip: Try not to open the lid of the slow cooker; each time you open it, it takes quite a while to get back to temperature, increasing the cooking time.
  • Freezing: Pulled pork freezes perfectly.
ingredients to make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches with labels

Ingredient Tips For Pulled Pork

  • Pork: Look for a marbled pork roast such as boneless or bone-in pork shoulder, blade roast, pork butt, or Boston butt.
  • Chili sauce (my secret ingredient): Chili sauce is one of my favorite ingredients, and it is not spicy. It’s similar to a very zesty ketchup with less sweetness. Most grocery stores have it, or you can find it on Amazon. I also use it in my meatloaf topping and on ribs.
  • Dry mustard: This adds flavor, you can replace it with a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
  • Coleslaw: If possible, homemade coleslaw adds a great tangy crunch to this sweet and savory pulled pork recipe.

Variations

This pulled pork slow cooker recipe is amazingly versatile!

Spice: Have fun with zesting up the sauce. Try alternate spices like smoked paprika, liquid smoke, Tabasco, or cayenne pepper.

How to Make Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

  1. Place the seared pork in a slow cooker and pour the sauce over the top (full recipe below).
  2. Cover & cook until tender. Meanwhile, prepare the coleslaw.
  3. Shred the pork and strain the juices.
  4. Return shredded meat to the pot, stir in the sauce & keep it warm.

Make it once and enjoy it all week in wraps, mac and cheese, nachos, or on baked potatoes.

Storing and Reheating Pulled Pork

  • Store leftover slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches separate from coleslaw in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop, oven, or in the microwave.
  • Store coleslaw in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Freeze pulled pork in zippered bags for up to 4 months.
open Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Leftovers and Storage

  • Keep leftover Crock Pot pulled pork separate from coleslaw in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
  • Keep coleslaw refrigerated for up to 4 days
  • Leftovers can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Did you love these Pulled Pork Sandwiches? Leave a rating and a comment below. 

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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches on a platter
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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This is the best pulled pork recipe for pleasing a crowd. Shredded pork roast is simmered in a tangy sauce and piled high on sandwich buns.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 50 minutes
Servings 8 sandwiches
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Ingredients  

  • 4 to 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
  • 8 to 12 hamburger buns for serving
  • barbecue sauce for serving, optional

Homemade Sauce

  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup chili sauce like Heinz, or additional ketchup
  • ¼ cup brown sugar firmly packed
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Coleslaw

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 ½ tablespoons white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon celery seed
  • teaspoon salt
  • 5 cups coleslaw mix or finely shredded cabbage

Instructions 

To Make the Pork

  • For the sauce, in a medium bowl, combine onion, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, chili sauce, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard powder, and pepper in a bowl.
  • Cut the pork shoulder in half and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the pork on all sides.
  • Place the seared pork in a 6-quart slow cooker and pour the prepared sauce over it, ensuring it's well coated.
  • Cook the pork on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours or until it's fork-tender (to quickly check it, pull a little piece of pork, it should be very tender). If the pork is not tender, it likely needs more time, cover and cook 1 hour more. While the pork is cooking, prepare the coleslaw below.
  • Remove pork from the slow cooker, discard any large pieces of fat. Remove the liquid from the slow cooker and skim any fat off the top, strain the sauce if desired.
  • Shred the pork using two forks and return it to the Crockpot. Add the sauce a bit at a time to reach desired consistency.
  • Drizzle with a little bit of barbecue sauce if desired.

To Make the Coleslaw

  • Stir together the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Add cabbage and toss to combine. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

To Serve

  • Place slaw on rolls and pile high with pulled pork.

Video

Notes

  • Avoid opening the slow cooker often. It lets heat out and will increase the cooking time.
  • Bone in pork works well in this recipe, no changes in cooking times are needed.
  • Check the pork quickly, if the pork is not tender, cover and cook 1 hour more and check it again.
  • If the pork is ready early, turn the slow cooker to warm. The pork can rest for a few hours at warm either before or after shredding. 
For a lighter coleslaw dressing, combine the following:
⅓ cup light mayonnaise
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon celery seeds
⅛ teaspoon salt
5 from 39 votes

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 537 | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 851mg | Potassium: 930mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 257IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dinner, Entree, Pork, Slow Cooker
Cuisine American

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. So good!! Left on slow for 9 hours while at work yesterday. Added two large sliced jalapenos, a few shakes of liquid smoke, and cayenne pepper to the sauce, really don’t think it make a difference after cooking that long though. 4lb butt roast perfectly shredded. Taste was great! Got myself that oxo fat separater (where have you been all my life!!) and make my own recipe for cole slaw. With a little addition of sweet/spicy bbq sauce, the perfect meal! Thank you Holly!5 stars

  2. Made this pulled pork last night. They’re honestly so delicious and perfect. We used a dark honey instead of molasses and were happy with the result. Highly recommend.5 stars

    1. Hi Marian, it is approximately 1/2 lb per serving of pulled pork. So if using a 4lb roast is will make approximately 8 sandwiches. I hope that helps.

    1. I have only made this recipe as listed but using Honey or dark corn syrup in it’s place should work. I would love to hear how it turns out for you!

  3. The recipe says this makes 6 sandwiches which doesn’t seem right for 4-5 pounds of pork? Could you please clarify. Also could the recipe be cut in half & would you cook for the same amount of time. Thankyou in advance.

    1. Hi Dana, it might not require quite as long as the full recipe I would check it with a meat thermometer to ensure it is fully cooked. A serving of pulled pork is about 1/2 lb so depending on how large your roast is, it may make more servings.

  4. If using bone in roast do we still need to cut it in half before cooking? If so do we pull the bone out prior to browning or when it is time to shred?

    1. I do recommend cutting it in half, you can leave the bone in or remove it before cooking. If leaving the bone in, you may need to increase the cooking time slightly.