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Slow Cooker Fourth of July Pulled Pork

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The ultimate Fourth of July crowd-pleaser — a massive pork shoulder rubbed all over with a smoky brown sugar spice blend, slow-cooked for 8 to 10 hours in a tangy homemade barbecue sauce until the meat falls apart at the touch of a fork, then shredded and tossed back through the rich, pork-infused cooking sauce. Start it the night before, shred it an hour before guests arrive, switch it to WARM, and spend the rest of the day enjoying your own party. Pile it on toasted brioche buns with creamy coleslaw and extra sauce.

  • Total Time: 9 hours 40 minutes
  • Yield: 12 – 16 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

The Pork

  • 4–8 lbs (1.8–3.6 kg) bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt), fat cap trimmed to ½ inch

The Dry Rub

  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper

The Barbecue Sauce

  • 1 cup (240ml) ketchup
  • ½ cup (120ml) apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tbsp hot sauce
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • ½ tsp liquid smoke (optional)
  • ½ cup (120ml) chicken broth or water

For Serving

 

  • 12–16 brioche buns, toasted
  • Creamy coleslaw
  • Dill pickle slices
  • Extra barbecue sauce
  • Hot sauce

Instructions

  • Apply the dry rub. Combine all dry rub ingredients in a small bowl. Pat the pork shoulder completely dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture generously over every surface of the pork, pressing firmly into the meat. For best results, place in the slow cooker insert, cover, and refrigerate overnight. If cooking same-day, let the rubbed pork sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  • Make the barbecue sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, hot sauce, minced garlic, diced onion, liquid smoke (if using), and broth. Taste and adjust — it should be tangy, slightly sweet, and well-seasoned.
  • Assemble in the slow cooker. Pour the barbecue sauce into the slow cooker around and under the pork shoulder. The pork should be fat-side up.
  • Cook. Set the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 8 to 10 hours until the pork is completely tender, falling apart when pressed with tongs, and registers at least 195–205°F (90–96°C) internally. At this temperature the connective tissue has fully broken down and the meat will shred easily.
  • Rest and shred. Carefully remove the pork shoulder from the slow cooker and place on a large cutting board. Rest for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the bone and any large pieces of solid fat. Shred the meat using two forks or the stand mixer paddle method, pulling into long strands.
  • Skim the cooking liquid. While the pork rests, skim the majority of the fat from the surface of the cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Leave a small amount for flavor and richness.
  • Return and sauce. Add the shredded pork back to the slow cooker. Toss thoroughly with all the cooking liquid and sauce until every strand is glossy and well-coated. Taste and adjust — add more barbecue sauce, a splash of cider vinegar for brightness, or hot sauce for heat.
  • Hold on WARM. Switch the slow cooker to WARM until ready to serve. Stir occasionally. The pulled pork will hold beautifully for 2 to 3 hours.

 

  • Assemble and serve. Toast the brioche buns cut-side down in a dry skillet or on the grill. Pile pulled pork generously onto the bottom bun. Top with creamy coleslaw, dill pickle slices, extra barbecue sauce, and hot sauce. Cap and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Internal temperature, not time. Pulled pork is done when it reaches 195–205°F — the range where collagen fully converts to gelatin and the meat shreds easily. Below this, the pork may be technically cooked but still tough and resistant. Use a meat thermometer.
  • Fat cap up. Place the pork fat-side up in the slow cooker. The fat renders down through the meat during cooking, basting it continuously and keeping it moist.
  • Do not skip the overnight rub. Same-day rubbed pork is good; overnight-rubbed pork is significantly better. The salt penetrates the meat and the spices develop more fully against the surface. If you do nothing else ahead of time, do this.
  • LOW only. HIGH heat produces pork that is cooked through but not properly broken down — the connective tissue will not fully convert to gelatin and the meat will be less tender than it should be. Eight to ten hours on LOW is the path to fall-apart texture.
  • Skim the fat. Pork shoulder releases a significant amount of rendered fat during cooking. Skimming the majority of it before returning the shredded pork to the liquid is the difference between luscious pulled pork and greasy pulled pork.
  • The WARM setting is your best friend at a party. Once shredded, the pulled pork holds perfectly on WARM for 2 to 3 hours. This is the feature that makes this the ideal party dish — it is ready when you need it and stays ready all afternoon.
  • Make more than you think you need. Pulled pork disappears at a rate that is difficult to predict and the leftovers are extraordinary. Double the recipe if you have the slow cooker capacity.
  • Author: Elle
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus optional overnight rub)
  • Cook Time: 9 hours (on LOW)
  • Category: Dinner, Main Dish
  • Method: Slow Cooking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free

Find it online: https://slowcookerrecipes.us/slow-cooker-fourth-of-july-pulled-pork/