The BEST Crock Pot Pulled Pork

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings 16 servings

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Crockpot Pulled Pork is tender, flavorful as can be, and SO easy to make! This is a true set it and forget it recipe that always hits the spot. Apple juice, a mixture of bold seasonings and barbecue sauce make this fall-apart pulled pork irresistible.

Enjoy more easy slow cooker recipes like Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup, Crockpot Meatloaf and Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin with Glaze.

pulled pork sandwich topped with coleslaw on white plate.

Crockpot pulled pork is about as easy as it gets! Simple ingredients, hassle-free steps, and amazing results every single time. This is the definition of foolproof!

I love tossing a serving of this slow cooker pulled pork on top of a homemade hamburger bun with coleslaw and some Homemade BBQ Sauce for a seriously good sandwich. However, it’s great a number of different ways – scroll down to the serving suggestions for more ideas.

No matter how you choose to enjoy this bbq pulled pork recipe, you’re going to be obsessed!

Reader Rating

“Oh my gosh, this is delicious!! We used sweet baby ray’s honey bbq sauce and SO FREAKING GOOD! 🤤” — Sarah

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Why we love it:

  • Family friendly – Everyone from great grandparents to little picky eaters loves this classic pulled pork recipe! It’s a great way to make sure everyone gets their fill of protein.
  • Low stress – Dinner doesn’t need to stress you out, especially when you can just plug in the Crockpot and let it do all the work for you.
  • Inexpensive – Yes! We love a good budget friendly recipe, especially when it’s as filling as this one. Spend a little and serve a lot – the best of both worlds.
  • So tender and flavorful – It’s melt-in-your-mouth tender and shreds so easily! It’s got great flavor, thanks to a garlic herb rub that I use on my slow cooker pork loin recipe as well.

Crockpot Pulled Pork Ingredients:

ingredients needed for crockpot pulled pork on grey surface.
  • Pork loin: I always use a boneless pork loin or pork shoulder for pulled pork. A shoulder will have more fat, but I find that the leaner pork loin stays nice and juicy with this slow cooker preparation!
  • Apple juice: Soda (like Dr. Pepper) also works if preferred.
  • Bbq sauce: Feel free to go the extra mile with Homemade Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce!
  • Seasonings: A medley of Italian seasoning, ground mustard, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper is all you need to make this pulled pork recipe incredibly flavorful.

How to make Crockpot Pulled Pork

Ready, set it, forget it! This easy Crock pot pulled pork recipe is great for those busy days when you just don’t have time to fuss over dinner. Scroll to the bottom of this page for more detailed instructions.

  • Place the pork loin in the Crockpot and cover with apple juice and seasonings.
  • Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Shred with two forks.
  • Toss the bbq sauce and pork together.
  • Keep the pulled pork warm in the Crockpot.

Variations and Substitutions

  • Mix up the liquid: Try a can of soda — try Cranberry Ginger Ale, Sprite, Coca-Cola, Dr. Pepper or go totally in your own direction and try something new!
  • Add buffalo: Try tossing it in buffalo sauce for a pork-y twist on buffalo chicken — great for game day sandwiches!
  • Add honey garlic: Stir in some honey garlic sauce and serve with rice or noodles.

How to store Crock Pot Pulled Pork

Once it cools to room temperature, you can store leftover bbq pulled pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Add a splash of moisture (water, broth, juice, or sauce) and reheat for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave, stirring each time it stops, until warmed all the way through.

Can I freeze Crockpot pulled pork?

Yes! It freezes perfectly for up to 3-4 months in a heavy duty freezer bag or freezer container. Don’t forget to date and label! It’s one of our favorite freezer meals!

bun on a white plate topped with pulled pork and coleslaw.

What is the best cut of meat for crock pot pulled pork?

I always recommend using either boneless pork loin or pork shoulder for pulled pork! See my reasons for each down below.

The best meat for pulled pork really depends on your preferences: sometimes I prefer leaner, boneless cuts of meat (if I don’t want my pulled pork too fatty), and other times I reach for higher fat cuts for more juiciness.

Either way this slow cooker pulled pork recipe is going to be tender, juicy and delicious after a long, slow cooker!

Using Pork Loin for pulled pork:

It’s an easy-to-cook, fairly lean cut of meat so you don’t have to deal with any bones. This way, I get the most bang for my buck, I don’t have to do a lot of trimming, and it’s just plain delicious.

Pork loin also tends to go on sale often for a great price, and I will pick up a few to store in the freezer until a craving for this slow cooker pulled pork hits.

Since we are slow cooking our shredded pork, the loin stays moist during the long cook time.

Using Pork Shoulder for Crockpot Pulled Pork:

Pork shoulder also gives great results! The pork shoulder is high in fat which will make a very juicy pulled pork and it is another great option.

Pork shoulder is a great option for the slow cooker as well as oven and smoked preparations as the fat ensures it doesn’t dry out.

white crockpot filled with pulled pork and steel tongs.

Serving suggestions:

Honestly, we usually eat this alone with some Brioche Buns and maybe some pickles and chips, but here are a few great side options that go well with pulled pork:

Don’t forget to serve with a tall glass of Easy Homemade Pink Lemonade or Strawberry Lemonade!

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The BEST Crock Pot Pulled Pork

5 from 105 votes
This Crock Pot Pulled Pork recipe is so easy and so flavorful! It starts with a garlic herb rub and hangs out in the slow cooker until it’s fall apart tender. 
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Servings 16 servings
Calories 222cal

Ingredients

  • 4 lb boneless pork loin or pork shoulder (trimmed if desired)
  • 1 cup apple juice (or soda)
  • 1 tablespoon seasoning salt
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried mustard
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups barbecue sauce as desired

Instructions

  • Place pork loin in a 4-6 quart crock pot and pour in apple juice.
  • Combine seasoning salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, mustard, onion powder and black pepper and sprinkle half over pork loin. Turn and sprinkle on the remaining half.
  • Cover and cook on low until fall apart tender — 8 to 10 hours. 
  • Shred with two forks, discarding excess fat. Toss in remaining juices and coat with barbecue sauce as desired. Serve on hamburger buns.

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Pork: I often use pork loin but it is leaner and will result in a leaner pulled pork. I don’t find that this is a problem because the slow cooker and juices keep the pork so moist that we don’t miss the extra fat. Pork shoulder is typically the best cut of meat for pulled pork because it is fatty, which makes it very tender when cooked. You choose which you prefer!
Apple juice: I love apples and pork, so this is my favorite liquid, but you can use broth, water or soda (Dr. Pepper or Root Beer are both delicious!).
Barbecue sauce: Choose your favorite barbecue sauce, or try my Homemade BBQ Sauce, this Easy Homemade Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce or this Homemade Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 222cal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 859mg | Potassium: 532mg | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg
Keywords crockpot pulled pork, slow cooker pulled pork

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. Kristy Schwanker says

    So I ended up using pork tenderloin instead of pork loin because the husband did the grocery shopping. I did everything else the same and this still turned out fantastic. My picky son had three sandwiches.

  2. Katie says

    I made this over the weekend, and I’m over the moon in love with it! As soon as I open the container of leftovers, my mouth starts watering because of the aroma. A coworker sampled it today and loved it too! I can’t wait to make it again!

  3. Lauren says

    I have made it before but this time I wanted to try OJ or Cranberry juice instead of Apple would that be ok?

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Cc! You should be able to use it. I’ve only used the pork loin so let me know how it goes!

  4. Amber says

    This recipe was a HUGE hit for my family, My 3 year old and 1 year old have been picky with meats but they ate this and wanted more. I wasn’t sure how many pounds my Pork Loin was, as it was gifted to us and the weight wasn’t on the packaging so I used a 12oz can of sprite in this recipe and it was perfect. I also ran out of Italian Seasoning before making this so I mixed some other seasonings (Parsley, Oregano, and I think Thyme). Anywho, this is great, Thank you for sharing, looking forward to making it again.

  5. Rachel K says

    If it make this ahead of time and freeze, what’s the best way of reheating?
    Or how long does it stay good refrigerated right after cooking it?

    • Ashley Fehr says

      It should keep in the fridge up to 4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave, stove top or slow cooker — all would be great! You may want to add a splash of liquid or barbecue sauce when reheating

  6. Lynda J Jennings says

    Made this for dinner last nite. My husband was skeptical as I am no cook…but he is raving about it. Literally, easiest thing I have ever made!!!!!

  7. Ana says

    If I do 8 lbs of pork loin instead of 4 will it need more time than the 8-10 hours or is it 8-10 regardless of the lbs we’re cooking?

  8. Jen says

    This dinner is always a hit! Love making it in the summer so I don’t have to heat up the whole house by turning on the oven. It’s so easy to change up the sauces and make it new too.

  9. Renee Goerger says

    This is my favorite dish for feeding a crowd. Great tasting sandwiches. Thanks for the recipe!

  10. Heather Smith says

    This has to be the most tender and juicy a tenderloin has ever turned out for me! I tweaked it a bit. I only had cranberry/pomegranate juice so I used that. I shredded part of it for bbq sandwiches and the rest was sliced for simple Sunday lunch. Plenty of food for the week ahead. I also cooked it on low for 2 hrs and then turned it to high for another 2hrs and it was perfect ! Thank you!

  11. Brenda says

    That’s a great idea for using leftover pineapple juice from a can of pineapples! I’m so glad you shared that!

  12. Brenda says

    USE THE LIQUID! I used Sprite and 4 thick pork chops (approx 3 lbs). There was a lot of liquid left and the chops were dry. I shredded them and put it back in the liquid and as Ashley said in some comments, that’s where all the flavor is. PERFECT! Full of flavor and no longer dry. It also soaked up all the liquid. Thanks Ashley!

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