Slow Cooker Pulled Pork With Dry Rub Recipe

One of my favorite, mostly hands-off meals is slow cooker pulled pork. Whether you are making it for a warm and filling weeknight meal or double or tripling the recipe to feed a crowd, it is always a big hit!

This recipe includes a simple yet delicious homemade dry rub that you can apply to the pork the night before or right before cooking. This makes the morning prep even faster to help avoid those hectic mornings.

The slow cooker pulled pork is my go-to recipe for when we have a bunch of people over for the holidays or to watch the fireworks every summer. I can get everything prepared the day before or the morning of the gathering and then let the slow cooker do the hard work for me.

Then, each person can customize their pulled pork sandwich with their favorite BBQ toppings. Or, they don’t have to add anything at all since it is so moist and delicious all on its own!

As another bonus, there’s never any worry about making too much or having too many leftovers. You can keep the pulled pork in the fridge for a few days, or you can freeze it to make a quick and easy future meal.

How To Make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

*Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see the full recipe, including exact measurements and amounts. You can also print out the instructions. I go into a bit more detail about the recipe here first, just in case you need it.

Pulled pork is one of the most versatile ingredients. Not only does it make fantastic sandwiches which is what it is most known for, but you can also enjoy it with other types of foods as well.

Have you ever had a baked potato topped with pulled pork? What about pulled pork tacos or nachos? (Nachos are one of our favorite ways to eat pulled pork!) Don’t forget about pulled pork pizza. The possibilities are pretty much endless when you think about it, especially when you start with the right base ingredient – pulled pork!

(Looking for other mouth-watering pork recipes? Check out my oven-baked ribs: “Fall Off The Bone Oven Baked Pork Ribs With Homemade Dry Rub“.)

How Much Pulled Pork To Make

For the most part, how much pulled pork you need to make depends on whether you are cooking a boneless cut of meat or a bone-in cut of meat.

For boneless meat, the best way to figure this out is to take the number of guests you have and multiply it by 1/3 (because most people will consume around 1/3 pound of COOKED meat). But since you need to know how much RAW meat to cook, you then have to multiply that number by 2.

So for example, if you have 12 people coming over for supper, you need to take 12 x 1/3 = 4 pounds of cooked meat. Now, take the 4 x 2 to get the raw amount, which would be 8. So you need around 8 pounds of raw boneless pork to feed 12 people. (*See note below.)

For bone-in pork, you need to raise that number since there are more non-edible pieces like fat and bone. So for this cut of meat, take the number of guests times 1/2 pound. Then multiply by 2 for the raw amount.

Using the same example above, if you have 12 people attending, take 12 x 1/2 = 6. Then multiply 6 x 2 = 12 pounds of bone-in raw meat. (*See note below)

*Note

Unfortunately, it isn’t quite as easy as just using those formulas, but it can give you a good starting point.

You also need to keep in mind other factors that might change that amount. For example, are you making slider sandwiches or tacos that might require more or less meat? Are there kids eating the meal or is it a team of football players? What other food are you serving along with the pulled pork that people might fill up on?

So while there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to how much you need to cook because of all those factors, using that formula will help at least.

Ok, finally on to the actual recipe!

Ingredients For Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

The dry rub requires just a few simple pantry staple ingredients. You need brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, chili powder, and cumin.

As far as the pork is concerned, you can use either a pork shoulder or pork butt. It might also be referred to as Boston Butt. You can use either bone-in or boneless, but I typically use bone-in. (If the meat has twine attached, be sure to remove it prior to adding your dry rub.)

In addition to the dry rub and pork shoulder, there is really only one other ingredient needed and that’s chicken broth. As the pork cooks down, it will release plenty of moisture. However, the broth helps to prevent it from sticking right from the beginning.

Instructions

Start by creating the pulled pork dry rub. Simply mix all of the ingredients for the rub together in a small bowl until they are well combined.

You can apply the rub to the piece of meat either the night before or the day of cooking. Applying it beforehand allows the seasoning to really seep into the pork. In addition, it makes the morning prep even quicker.

If preparing the rub the night before, lay your pork roast on a large piece or two of plastic wrap. You want the plastic wrap to be large enough that you can wrap up the entire roast after applying the rub.

Coat all sides of the roast evenly with the dry rub mixture. Pat the dry rub in well to help it adhere to the meat. Once coated, wrap the meat up using plastic wrap to cover it. Set the pork butt on a rimmed baking pan or tray and leave it in your refrigerator overnight.

If preparing the dry rub immediately before cooking, simply mix the ingredients together in a small bowl. Evenly coat all of the sides of the roast, including the sides, top, and bottom.

Cooking The Pork Butt

In the morning or whenever you are ready for cooking, add the chicken broth to the bottom of a large 6 to 7-quart crockpot. Place the prepared pork inside. (Here is the slow cooker I use: Crock-Pot 7 Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker)

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours. The pork should be fork tender and fall apart easily when it is fully cooked.

Once the pork shoulder is tender, remove it from the crockpot and place it in a large bowl. Shred the meat using two forks. Be sure to remove any excess fat or bones that might be in your roast.

If the meat seems dry, add a couple of tablespoons of the cooking liquid. This will help to not only add more flavor but also moisture.

You can then serve the pulled pork immediately as-is or with your favorite BBQ sauce. The leftovers can be stored in your fridge for a few days.

If you have a lot of leftovers, allow the meat to cool and then add it and a bit of extra cooking liquid to freezer-safe containers. Remove any excess air and freeze for future meals. I hope you enjoy!

Until next time, thanks for stopping by!
– Chelsea

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