Ingredients
1 onion, finely chopped
3/4 c. ketchup
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. mustard powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 (3- to 4-lb.) pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Coleslaw, for serving
Buns, for serving
Preparation
Step 1Combine onion, ketchup, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar and spices in the bowl of a slow cooker. Season pork shoulder all over with salt and pepper then add to slow cooker, covering it with ketchup mixture. Cover and cook until very tender (the meat should fall apart easily with a fork!), on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours or on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Step 2Remove pork from slow cooker and transfer to bowl. Shred with two forks and toss with juices from the slow cooker. Serve on buns with coleslaw.
Make It Ahead Pulled pork holds well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, meaning if you’re able to plan ahead, you can make this the night before no problem. It also freezes well! If you double the batch, save leftover in large freezer resealable bags. Turn It Into A Sandwich Seriously. This on a potato roll plus pickles and coleslaw (and potato chips, if you’re feeling crazy) = absolute perfection. It’ll make enough for at least 8 HUGE sandwiches. Having a big game day party? Buy slider buns and you’ll double the yield—at least! Skip The Searing While burnt bits would be delicious, they’re not totally necessary. For simple, juicy pulled pork, you can cook the pork from start to finish in the slow cooker. (If you do want to sear it in a hot skillet first, I applaud you.) Don’t Worry About Overcooking It’s pretty much impossible to mess this one up. If you go an hour longer than you’d intended, your pork will probably end up even more tender. Rushed and need to pull it an hour earlier? I bet you you’re still able to shred it just fine with a fork. Cook The Sauce With The Pork There’s no need to cook a separate one on the stovetop. Every element about barbecue sauce that you like—sweetness, acidity, spice—is in the slow cooker too. At the end, toss the pork with the leftover juices. (The “sauce” will be a little bit thinner, but the taste is all there.) Into Carolina-style pulled pork? Our recipe for that is pretty amazing too. Made it? Let us know how it went in the comment section below! Editor’s Note: The introduction to this recipe was edited on September 30, 2020.
