Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

The ultimate Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe – Smothered in honey and chipotle, this easy crock pot pork shoulder creates a delicious sticky and smoky sauce. 

Looking for a crowd pleasing recipe to serve a big group? A batch cook to give you the base of heaps of meals from the freezer?

Or just a little somethin’ somethin’ to make Friday night feel special?

HELLO Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe!

This recipe takes about 30 seconds to prep, and 12 hours later, greets you with a sticky, spicy delicious treat of a meaty dish.

Here’s why you should add this to your meal plan:

✅ Big batch cooking saves tons of time later – YES.

✅ Just a handful of ingredients.

✅ Uses low cost pork shoulder for a great value meaty dish.

FAQs about the Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe

Which cut of meat should I use?

I think the best cut of meat for this recipe is pork shoulder.

It’s cheaper than pork loin and the fatty stripes through the meat mean it lends itself very well to this kind of cooking. I used a free range pork shoulder (like this one from Ocado) and it always works well. 

You could use a pork loin for this recipe but it just doesn’t really have enough fat. I think it’s much better to use a more economical cut like shoulder and then drain the excess fat.

I do cut off the pork skin and any excess visible fat (plus the string!) before popping in the slow cooker.

How do you PULL the PORK?!

When the meat is cooked, drain and keep the juices.

Using a couple of forks, shred up the pork into chunks.

Now you have a couple of choices:

1. If the juice you drained off doesn’t look too fatty (like mine in the photo below) just add back into the meat.
2. If there’s a LOT of fat (that layer at the top) pour that carefully off the top before adding the juices back into the meat.
3. If you want a more dry finished pulled pork, you can put the juices into a small pan over a high heat and let them bubble for a few minutes until they reduce. Then add back to the pork. (I don’t often do this as the meat kind of absorbs the juices as it sits in them, keeping it moist.

How long do you cook a pork shoulder for in the slow cooker?

I’ve cooked this slow cooker pulled pork on low for 12 hours, this makes it, juicy and tender and its the perfect set and leave recipe for long days at work.

If you have less time you could cook on HIGH, it will be delicious but it won’t be as meltingly tender as the slower cooked version. It should take around 6 – 7 hours on HIGH.

Which slow cooker do you use?

My love affair with slow cookers is a relatively new thing, but oh my goodness, since I’ve had this one I’m converted.

It wasn’t necessary in this recipe but my slow cooker pan can be used directly on the hob, check if yours does to, it saves time, and washing up. This is the one I have:

Ideas for how to serve the Slow Cooker Pulled Pork:

• In bread rolls, or as sandwiches, add some apple sauce and pour over extra gravy.
• As a taco filling.
• Tortilla wraps, lime, avocado, sour cream/yoghurt and cheese (like Pork Carnitas).
• American style with homemade potato wedges, baked beans and coleslaw.
• Add to tomato sauce and pasta for a pork ragu style dish.
• Those following a low carb diet you could also serve on salad, or on top of scrambled or fried eggs as a protein packed breakfast.
• On tortilla chips for loaded nachos.

Love a meaty slow cooker recipe…? Have a look at these:

• Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
• Slow cooker Beef joint
• Slow Cooker Ham
• Easy Slow Cooker Beef Curry
• Slow Roasted Shoulder of Lamb Recipe

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. I’d love to know how you got on and what you thought of it if you make it. Give me feedback by rating the recipe using the ⭐️s below.

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4.72 from 28 votes

Print

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Chipotle and Honey

The ultimate Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe – Smothered in honey and chipotle, this easy crock pot pork shoulder creates a delicious sticky and smoky sauce. A winning base for so many meals. This pulled pork freezes well too.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Family Food

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 12 hours

Total Time 12 hours 5 minutes

Servings 8 Servings

Calories 278 kcal

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg Pork Shoulder
• 90 g Chipotle Paste One jar
• 4 tbsp Honey
• 2 tbsp Ketchup
• 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

Metric - Imperial

Instructions

1. Set your slow cooker to LOW. 

2. Mix the chipotle paste, honey, ketchup and balsamic vinegar. 

3. If there is a layer of skin on the pork remove this and then rub the marinade onto the pork.

4. Place in the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 12 hours. 

5. Once finished drain all of the juices from the slow cooker, remove the fat and then add the juices back and start to pull the pork using two forks into bite sized chunks. 

6. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Chipotle and Honey

Amount per Serving

Calories

278

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

6

g

9

%

Saturated Fat

 

2

g

13

%

Cholesterol

 

112

mg

37

%

Sodium

 

343

mg

15

%

Potassium

 

732

mg

21

%

Carbohydrates

 

10

g

3

%

Sugar

 

10

g

11

%

Protein

 

42

g

84

%

Vitamin A

 

20

IU

0

%

Vitamin C

 

0.2

mg

0

%

Calcium

 

13

mg

1

%

Iron

 

1.7

mg

9

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.