Easy Crock Pot Pulled Pork Recipe - Butter with a Side of Bread (2024)

FAQs

What is the best liquid to cook pulled pork in? ›

Transfer everything to a large slow cooker and add a splash of liquid — water is great, but so is broth, apple juice, or beer if you have them handy. Cover and cook on low until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily.

Place butter on top of meat and wrap in foil, sealing all edges. Place in metal pan and return to grill. Cook until internal meat temperature is 205-210 degrees. Remove and let rest in sealed foil for 1 hour.

Additionally, spray chicken broth or apple juice on the meat to prevent it from losing more moisture in the crockpot. To add a strong flavor during the process, white wine can also be sprayed. You can shred the pork during smoking or in the crockpot.

Your liquid should not cover your pork in the slow cooker: it should only come up about a quarter of the way up the sides. The pork will make more liquid as it cooks, and you need to leave room for that.

We use brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, a good amount of salt & pepper, and a pinch of cayenne! Make sure you use all of the seasoning! Also, really rub it into the pulled pork, get all of the nooks and crannies!

Pour 1 1/2 cups liquid, such as low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, tomato juice, light or amber beer, white or red wine, orange juice, or a mix of several liquids (and optional liquid smoke) over the pork. The pork should be only partially submerged, with some of the pork remaining above the surface of the liquid.

When the pork reaches an internal temperature of 165 to 170 degrees F on an instant read meat thermometer (after about 4 to 5 hours), remove it from the grill and double wrap in aluminum foil to keep the juices from leaking out.

For juicy pork, wrap it up to prevent dehydration. Wrapping in foil stops the bark from drying out and also traps the fat drippings, which leads to even more moisture and flavor. More flavor. The wrap creates a steamy atmosphere, which allows the flavors to efficiently absorb into the meat.

Mix equal parts of low sodium chicken and beef broth together along with a little of your rub and mix it in with your pork. The combinations of broth, will not alter the flavor of the pork, while moistening it.

Why add apple cider vinegar to pulled pork? Pulled pork relies on both the vinegar's acidity and the low-and-slow cooking process to tenderize the meat, breaking down the protein to give the dish its signature moist, fall-apart texture. Cider vinegar also provides a tangy counterpoint to the fatty pork.

Why do you put vinegar in pulled pork? ›

After you've pulled your pork butt, drizzle over the meat and combine. The vinegar adds contrast to the smoky flavor and cuts through the fat in the meat. It also helps mellow out the darker, gamier-tasting parts of the butt. This makes enough for a 8 pound pork butt/shoulder.

All you'll need to do is pour an entire can of root beer into your slow cooker — or whatever vessel you're using to make your pulled pork — and let the soda work its magic. The sugar and carbonization will work together to flavor your meat and make it melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Close the Proofer and allow the pork to cook for a total of 10 or 11 hours. Midway during the slow cook process you can turn the pork over once. After 10 hours check the interior of the pork with a thermometer. We recommend a temperature of 195-200 °F / 90-93 °C for tender, juicy pork which pulls apart easily.

I recommended turning the pork at least once to help the meat cook evenly.

Worgul recommends placing the pork in the slow-cooker fat side up. The fat will render thoroughly during the cooking process and by placing the meat fat side up, it makes it much easier to remove excess fat before serving. "The cooker will be nearly filled with fat and liquid after hours of cooking.

While I highly recommend using apple cider for this pulled pork, if you can't find any you could substitute with apple juice. You could also do half apple juice and half a beer (trust me, it goes well)! Just be sure to use natural – no sugar added – apple juice.

Moisture: If the pulled pork is on the dry side, adding sauce can help to add moisture and make it more tender and juicy.

A pork shoulder (Boston But or the picnic portion) does not need water. The pork will produce a lot of liquid as it cooks. Just cook it on low. Our tendency is to drown meats in a slow cooker and that's not necessary.