Your Go-To Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe

by Michelle Dudash, Chef and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

August 29, 2012 • 1 comment

Source: National Pork Board

I get excited when I spot pulled pork on a restaurant menu, at a catered event or at a party. I can expect–even crave—the pork’s savory juices running down my palm, melt-in-the mouth tenderness and succulent layered, yet down-home flavors. Pulled pork might seem mysterious, even daunting, to prepare. But all it takes is a slab of pork shoulder or butt (also from the shoulder), a grill, oven or slow cooker, and a little forethought to bring this heavenly dish homemade to your table.

I had a full day of events yesterday with a new assistant to train, a business meeting and a pool date with Scarlet, so I simply popped the pork into my Crock-Pot, along with a few other ingredients (see recipe below), allowing the meat to cook low and slow so I wouldn’t have to check it often.

One of the best things about this recipe is that the meat is a blank canvas, allowing you to take the cooked pork in any direction you like, whether it’s making it into a filling for Korean tacos (like I did), a classic BBQ sandwich, or over a salad of fresh seasonal fruit.

And if you’ll be hanging around Labor Day, this dish provides enough to feed a crowd.

Check out this pulled pork video, which will surely boost your confidence, as it demonstrates how easy it is to “pull” this off.

Disclosure: The National Pork Board compensated me to write this post. Thoughts and words are 100% my own.

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Your Go-To Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe

For the pork:

2 teaspoons expeller-pressed canola oil

3.5-4 pounds pork butt or shoulder, cut in half, trimmed of fat

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons dry vermouth (or white wine, broth or water)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 cup thinly sliced or diced onion

1/4 cup reduced sodium or organic chicken broth

To make the pork: Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat and add the oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on all sides of pork. Add pork to pan, placing the visible fat side down first, pressing down the centers with tongs to ensure even browning, and cook until a nice crust forms on one side, about 8 minutes. Turn pork and cook until browned on the other side, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, sprinkle with garlic powder and oregano, and transfer pork to the slow cooker. Add vermouth, place pan on low heat and scrape browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add liquid from pan, onion and broth. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours. Turn off  the slow cooker and allow pork to rest 15-30 minutes and then shred pork with two forks. At this point, you will have scrumptious, juicy pulled pork that you can use in endless ways. Read on for details about my Pulled Pork Tacos made Korean-style, or try Pulled Pork with Peaches and Cilantro, or Pulled Pork Soft Tacos.

Fixings to make my Korean BBQ Tacos with Quick Pickles and Avocado

For the pickles:

1 tablespoon honey

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 cup sliced English or Persian cucumbers (or peel traditional cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise, seed with teaspoon, and then slice)

For assembling:

10 fajita-size flour tortillas

Store-bought Korean barbecue sauce

2 avocados, thinly sliced

For the cucumbers: Dissolve honey and salt in rice vinegar, add cucumbers and chill.

To assemble: Place pulled pork in the tortillas and drizzle with barbecue sauce. Garnish with avocados and pickles.

Makes 10 servings

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 4-8 hours

You might also enjoy:

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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Made 3 Ways

By Michelle Dudash, Chef and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Published: August 29, 2012

• Yield: 10 Servings
• Prep: 20 minutes mins
• Cook: 4 hrs 0 min
• Ready In: 4 hrs 20 mins

Source: National Pork Board I get excited when I spot pulled …

Ingredients

• For the pork:
• 2 teaspoons expeller-pressed canola oil
• 3 1/2-4 pounds pork butt or shoulder cut in half, trimmed of fat
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons dry vermouth or white wine, broth or water
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 cup onion thinly sliced or diced
• 1/4 cup reduced sodium or organic chicken broth
• For the pickles:
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 cup English or Persian cucumbers peel traditional cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise, seed with teaspoon, and then slice
• For assembling:
• 10 fajita-sized flour tortillas
• Korean barbecue sauce
• 2 medium avocados thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat and add the oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on all sides of pork.
   
2. Add pork to pan, placing the visible fat side down first, pressing down the centers with tongs to ensure even browning, and cook until a nice crust forms on one side, about 8 minutes. Turn pork and cook until browned on the other side, about 5 minutes.
   
3. Remove pan from heat, sprinkle with garlic powder and oregano, and transfer pork to the slow cooker.
   
4. Add vermouth, place pan on low heat and scrape browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add liquid from pan, onion and broth.
   
5. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours. Turn off the slow cooker and allow pork to rest 15-30 minutes and then shred pork with two forks. At this point, you will have scrumptious, juicy pulled pork that you can use in endless ways.
   
6. For the cucumbers: Dissolve honey and salt in rice vinegar, add cucumbers and chill.
   
7. To assemble: Place pulled pork in the tortillas and drizzle with barbecue sauce. Garnish with avocados and pickles.
   

• Course: Entrée
• Skill Level: Easy