Crock Pot Pulled Pork Recipe, Southern-Style
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This easy crock pot pulled pork recipe is made with surprising ingredients that combine to deliver juicy flavorful meat for pulled pork sandwiches. This recipe is guaranteed to help you connect to Southern cookin’ with every bite.
This crock pot pulled pork recipe made Southern-style is pretty much heaven on a bun as far as I’m concerned and it seems every region has its own way of doing it. Where I am from, the bbq pulled pork is smoked and juicy and we serve it as above. I also wouldn’t turn it down if a little bit of clear mild vinegar sauce was added or perhaps some of our sensational Alabama white barbecue sauce. In my husband’s home, they serve it slathered in a thick layer of sweet red barbecue sauce, like the bottled sauce you buy in the stores.
Last year I showed you how to make a different , so if that is the kind you prefer, click here to visit that post (and you can make it with pork or beef). Today I’m going to show you how to make the juicy kind we get in barbecue places around my home, but instead of smoking it (because I can think of a few things I’d rather do than stand over a fire in this heat) we’re gonna cook it overnight in our slow cooker.
This is the best pulled pork sandwich recipe and the perfect dish to make in advance for a busy weekend, potluck, or game day. Let it cook overnight, make the sauce, and then keep the pork in the slow cooker on warm until you’re ready to serve the .
Now get out those crockpots and let’s make the best slow cooker pulled pork, Southern-style!
Recipe Ingredients
- A pork roast (about five pounds)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Brown sugar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Hot sauce
Don’t worry, this barbecue is not spicy, but you can make it spicy if you like.
Place pork roast in the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour in your cider vinegar and put the lid on the crockpot. Cook on low for 12 hours.
Will this pulled pork taste like vinegar?
Now I know some of y’all are wondering if this crock pot pulled pork recipe is going to have a vinegar taste to it and it really doesn’t. The vinegar helps to bring out the natural flavors of the meat beautifully though. Also, you’re not going to wake up to a vinegar-smelling house. I only say this because I remember the first time I made it I was worried about that!
This is how it will look after 12 hours.
I like to cook mine overnight and then you can shred it and put it back in with the little sauce we’re going to make and just let it be on warm until lunchtime. You can also store it in the fridge when you finish the last step and heat it in the microwave whenever you’re ready for it.
Take it out of the juices after 12 hours and shred pork with a fork or go to this shredding meat tutorial here. You’re going to be surprised at how it just falls apart.
Making the pulled pork sauce
Reserve two cups of the juices from the slow cooker and discard the rest.
To those two cups of liquid, add the hot sauce…
The crushed pepper flakes…
And the brown sugar and stir well.
Return shredded pork to the slow cooker.
Pour the sauce mixture over it and give it a good stir.
Place the lid back on the slow cooker and leave on warm until ready to serve.
Serve on a fresh bread roll topped with vinegar slaw!
I eat mine just like this but if you like, you can serve it with white bbq sauce, your favorite bottled red bbq sauce (such as Kraft BBQ Sauce), or even ketchup. Whatever cranks yer tractor! There is no wrong way to eat good barbecue in my books!
Storage
Leftover pulled pork will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Simply reheat in the microwave before serving. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Make a double-batch and your future self will be very thankful.
Recipe Notes
- If you’re wondering what pork to use for this pork roast, you’re going to want a juicy boneless pork shoulder or pork butt. You can use , it’s just going to be leaner. You want to avoid though. If you have , make this delicious dish instead 😉.
- I promise the red pepper flakes aren’t going to make the pulled pork sauce spicy. They just add flavor. If you want a spicier barbecue sauce, I suggest doubling the red pepper flakes and tripling the hot sauce.
- If you’re coveting those brown and crispy ends, put the shredded pork on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for a couple of minutes in the oven.
- For smoky flavor without the effort, add a teaspoon of liquid smoke when you add the salt and pepper.
Recipe FAQs
Want to learn a trick to shredding meat?
This recipe just calls for a fork to shred this meat but that can take a while. So if you want an alternative, we’ve got a tutorial for you. Follow these step-by-step instructions to easily shred pork, chicken, or beef.
Can I make this crockpot pulled pork in advance?
Absolutely! Pulled pork is a great dish to make ahead of time. If making hours ahead of time, simply leave the pulled pork in the slow cooker on the warm setting until ready to serve. Otherwise, cook, refrigerate for up to 5 days and then reheat the pulled pork in the microwave before serving.
What do you serve with pulled pork?
While I love pulled pork sandwiches, you can also forgo the bun and simply serve this slow cooker bbq pulled pork with some of my favorite Southern sides. This includes oven-baked mac and cheese, baked beans, cheesy garlic mashed potatoes, cornbread muffins, pasta salad, or summer corn salad. You can also make pulled pork tacos with our homemade soft flour tortillas or a pulled pork salad.
You may also enjoy these recipes:
North Alabama Style Pulled Chicken BBQ
Slow-Roasted Beef Brisket in the Oven
Steak Sandwiches (World’s Easiest Supper)
Ingredients
- 1 pork roast approximately 5 pounds
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Put the pork roast in the slow cooker and add salt and pepper. Pour in the cider vinegar. Cover with lid and cook on low for 12 hours (I cook it overnight).1 pork roast, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
- Remove the pork roast from the crockpot and shred it with forks (this will be very easy).
- Drain juices from the slow cooker, reserving two cups of liquid. Return pulled pork to the slow cooker. To the reserved liquid add the brown sugar, hot sauce, and crushed pepper flakes. Stir well. Pour over shredded pork and place the lid back on the crockpot.2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon hot sauce, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Place on low or warm setting until ready to serve. Can be made ahead of time, refrigerated, and reheated in the microwave.
Nutrition
The Power Of Kindness
It’s easy to act with kindness and understanding toward those who have been kind to you. Yet the real power of kindness comes when you give it even to those who don’t deserve it.
Acting with cruelty in response to cruelty only drags down everyone involved. With kindness, you have the opportunity to lift up yourself and others. Being kind does not mean allowing others to take advantage of you. On the contrary, your kindness can give you the positive, undeniable power to make sure that everyone’s best interests are served.
Yes, there are those who will not respond well to your kindness. Act toward them with kindness and understanding anyway, and even though they won’t benefit from your kindness, you yourself still will.
Think of your kindness toward others as a valuable gift you give mainly to yourself. If anyone else is enlightened enough to accept and appreciate it too, that makes it even better.
— Ralph Marston
Submitted by Kolene. Submit yours here.
I am craving a good bbq sandwich with slaw, but Hubby doesn’t do well with pork (made ribs last week and he ate them knowing it would bring on the pain). What’s the next best thing? Chicken breast? Can you get single servings of pork roast? (I’ll eat it but I have never bought it). Life would be easy to just go to Bill’s Barbecue and get myself a sandwich, but I love to watch my family eat my cooking=)
Hey Sandra!
What if you were to make this and freeze it in individual portions for a quick pulled pork fix anytime? It freezes really well!
I have a quart and a half slow cooker with adjustments on it unlike most small ones. I cut the shoulder in parts, doublewrap some of them and just get them out and in the small slow cooker whenever I want BBQ. I think it loses flavor when I do it all at once and freeze the leftovers. Small batches is “widow lady cooking”; better when fresh cooked. Found a half slab of ribs one day at Kroger and was excited because just enough for me.
Tried this recipe this week. It was delicious. I cooked a 2½ pound pork loin roast, halved the ingredients, cost $4.59. We got 8 large hamburger buns full out of this.(even shared one with an elderly neighbor). Hummm, that is 57cents a piece. Cool. My husband said “this is a keeper”. Thanks so much for sharing.
Hey Christy – did you know you can get the (digree symbol)°,¼ ,½ ,¾ . You do this by holding down the “alt” key while you use the number pad and enter 0176 for the °, 0188 for ¼ , 0189 for ½ , and 0190 for ¾. They key is holding down the “alt” key. It helps in not feeling like you have an 11 cup issue. It will look like 1½. Neat ,Huh???
yep 4 sure!! thanks!
Everybody in Texas needs to get down to your neighborhood HEB and get their boneless center cut pork roast for 1.77/lb. this is going in the crockpot at about 5 am tomorrow and will be my excuse to get up and work out.
I got what I needed for this plus Christy’s cinnamon roll recipe for $14.
That looks crazy yummy I have been craving a bbq sandwich lately too, I am definitely going to try this recipe, I will have it will slaw I’ve seen your recipe I think where it is a vinegar based slaw ours has a touch of vinegar for tang but is mayo based with a little mustard and sugar thrown into the mix and I can’t tell you how good a bbq sandwich with slaw and a side of fries with a cold glass of Ice Tea is!! Thanks can’t wait to try this recipe out!
Christy, I just can’t do it! I was raised in Texas and you red bar b q sauce down here, anything from sweet to hot. I have made it with…. are you ready Dr. Pepper Bar B Que sauce, so darn good. Then you put dill pickles on that sandwich and onions too. But I will try it with cole slaw and let you know
Virginia
Need the recipe for that Dr. Pepper Barbeque sauce!!! I’ll put it in the file with my Alabama White Barbeque Sauce…can start the battle of the sauces!!!
,I’am from Virginia and always told people that I have met about BBQ that we had there. I am eating right now. I tried this today and it came out good. We also ate it with cole slaw. Instead of pull pork we had shreaded pork, so I put it in the blender after I pulled it apart.. I will make this again.
Thank
This looks just like the recipe I’ve been looking for .There was a great place in Rehobeth beach , Delaware, named Bubba’s for about 2 or 3 yrs it was fantastic .they had the south Caroline pork barbeque. I missed it so much .I can’t wait to try this. Thanks so much.
I can not reply to this post so I am posting a reply to the first person I see even though it’s not really a reply. So here it is: I will never try your recipie. Why? Because you say there is no such thing as bad pulled pork BBQ. As a native of VA who recently moved to CO I can honestly say that is **********. The food here is terrible the pulled pork especially. It’s so ******* bad. And traveling here over five days I tasted bbq in many different states. The closest to OK was in St. Louis. They Jd boiled peanuts. Oh don’t know about them? Well you don’t know good food
After editing your comment to get rid of the curse words that your limited vocabulary deems it necessary to use, then reading what remained of your comment I must conclude that you, precious lady, are an idiot.
Have a wonderful day.
P.S. It is spelled “recipe”.
Perfect response, good for you!
Good for you Christy. We don’nt need garbage in reading material. That belongs in the trash can. I love and read your stuff all the time. In fact I call you my Alabama sister, since I’m fromHuntsville. God bless.Linda.
Th only thing you left off was “bless your heart”. Love you !
Not all from Virginia speak in this manor, but this Barbecue is wonderful and as close as one can get from the Richmond Barbecue I’ve enjoyed since a teen. They closed, and I cried, thanks for a great receipe
Thank you, Miss Anne. Your wonderful state is honored to have you in it and it was a joy hearing from you tonight. I’m so glad you like the recipe!
I have made this several times now and I just wanted you to know how wonderful it is . I live in Texas now and am from SC and you just know I love my Southern Bar-B-Que. I have your cook book and will pass it down to my Granddaughter to cook from. Love ya girlfriend. God Bless.
I mourn to this day for Bills BBQ. I am constantly online trying to figure out what they put in that stuff…because i have never had another bbq that tasted like that bbq. It ruined me for all other bbq. I can’t eat bbq, unless it’s bills bbq (and that’s not an option anymore, since it’s closed). So if anyone has a recipe that is even remotely close to that one, PLEASE! I BEG OF YOU!
Obviously from some northern state, right? Bless her heart.
Was it close to Bills BBQ? That woman was absolutely evil to close the couple restaraunts that were left and take her recipe with her.
Hahaha!! Epic response!
Let me say if you are from Virginia, I’m ashamed of your language, and I will assume you are really from elsewhere. Our favorite barbecue was in Richmond, it closed and thus is the best receipe that’s come close. You sir, are wrong.
I also am from Virginia. I live in Michigan now. When I was a kid a neighbor always got a pig and cooked it in big hickory pit. The whole neighborhood was invited and they all brought dishes to pass. Great memories. I made this today and also added some liquid hickory smoke. It came out delicious. I got cole slaw made to top mine the northerners here won’t do it. They just don’the get it I guess but you can take this girl out of the South but you can’t take the south out of this girl.