Dump Recipes are just the best right? Like with this Crockpot Pulled Pork, just toss all of the ingredients in, no pre-cooking is required.
Push a button and then walk away. And let me tell you, just because it’s easy doesn’t mean it ain’t delicious!
In fact, this crockpot pulled pork recipe is just the opposite. A small amount of effort will be rewarded with some AMAZING BBQ.
Plan a Week of Dinners in Minutes — Without Overspending or Overthinking It.
Join over 50,000 other savvy moms who’ve simplified dinner time!
✅ Done-for-you templates & shopping lists
✅ Budget-friendly and picky-eater approved
The BEST Slow Cooker Crockpot Pulled Pork
This is the last Crockpot Pulled Pork recipe you will ever need. It is PERFECT and makes for a great lazy summer dinner.
Just 5 minutes of prep and you are on your way to some AMAZING BBQ!
I’ve tried several crockpot pulled pork recipes in the past. Some have been good, but I’ve always far preferred the smoked version… and for the record, I still do prefer that version. But this is the first slow cooker version I’ve tried that actually comes close.
There’s a red rub recipe from my favorite BBQ cookbook, and I LOVE the flavor of pork. Obviously, you can’t cook ribs or pork shoulder with just a dry rub – it still needs to cook in the liquid. But I still wanted the flavor profile.
I love cooking pork in the crockpot because it cooks perfectly every time! This crockpot pulled pork recipe is amazing, just like my Slow Cooker Ribs Recipe.
First, you want to put your Pork into the bottom of the slow cooker and top it with the onion slices. I just do a rough chop of the onions and throw them on top.
Next, dump a half bottle of BBQ sauce on top. This is a good base and has all the sweetness that the pork will need in a good crockpot pulled pork – no need to add cola or brown sugar. Some of the main spices in the red rub are paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Next, you want to add:
- 1 tablespoon of paprika
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp black pepper.
- 1 teaspoon of salt
I have also tried this exact recipe with a pork shoulder and it came out amazing, there’s just more fat you’ll have to manage. You can cut the fat off beforehand or cook it in the fat and fish it out later.
Now you have all the ingredients in the slow cooker, turn it on and start cooking! It’s just that simple!
Cook on low for 8-10 hours and it will fall apart with the touch of a fork!
BONUS: The last time I made this, I remembered I had some liquid smoke in the cupboard. If you happen to have some, put a few shakes in. It certainly won’t hurt!
After 8 hours on low, this should shred apart very easily. Serve on hamburger buns and watch this crockpot pulled pork disappear!
I always receive a lot of questions about my Crockpot Pulled Pork Recipe, so I thought I would answer them below:
Does Pulled Pork Require liquid if cooked in a slow cooker?
You always want to add a little liquid when using a slow cooker. I always recommend at least 1/4 of a cup. This recipe called for a 1/2 cup and Barbecue Sauce, which makes it a little watery if you plan on putting it over rolls. I use a slotted spoon to serve the pork since it drains out the liquid if I plan to serve it over rolls.
Can you put raw pork in a slow cooker?
The answer is most definitely YES! The whole point of using a slow cooker is NOT cooking the food before you put it in the slow cooker. You want to literally throw everything into the slow cooker, turn it on and forget about it!
How do you make sure that the slow-cooked pork comes out tender when cooked?
Low and slow is the name of the game when cooking pork in the slow cooker. Cooking your pork fast is a sure way to make it tough and hard to eat. It will come out chewy if you cook it on high, so make sure that you cook on low for 8-10 hours to make it tender. You want to be able to shred it easily with a fork.
What is the best cut for pulled pork?
I personally like to use pork shoulder. Here is a list of my favorite cuts:
- Shoulder butt roast
- Shoulder roast
- Pork butt
- Boston butt
- Pork loin roast (the leanest cut)
Both the shoulder and butt cuts come from the shoulder of the pig, but the pork butt is higher up on the foreleg. The pork shoulder is farther down. They both start out as relatively tough and fatty cuts, but they both benefit from long, slow cooking methods.
And if you like this crockpot pulled pork dump recipe, you might be interested in my Savvy Mama Membership where I have monthly meal plans and so much more!
Ingredients
- 2 - 2.5 lbs. boneless pork loin
- 1/2 onion sliced
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 16 oz. bottle BBQ sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 1/2 cup water
- hamburger buns for serving
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the slow cooker.
- Cook on medium for 6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.
- Shred and enjoy!
Have you grabbed my freezer meal plans, yet? I might be biased but I think they are pretty amazing! They have saved our dinner hour for years now.
Plan a Week of Dinners in Minutes — Without Overspending or Overthinking It.
Join over 50,000 other savvy moms who’ve simplified dinner time!
✅ Done-for-you templates & shopping lists
✅ Budget-friendly and picky-eater approved
Im going to make this today. Do I pour the bbq sauce and water over the pork or add first to the bottom of the crock pot?
Put the water on the bottom and the BBQ sauce on top. 🙂
Cooking for a football team dinner! If I’m doubling the recipe, should I cook longer?
BBQ sauce goes on TOP of the meat and everything else goes into the water at the bottom of the pot?
Never had much luck with garlic cloves. Any problem with garlic powder?
Garlic powder will work fine. Also, you could used jarred minced garlic.
There’s a minced garlic product from Dorot that is available at Trader Joe’s but I have also bought it from my local grocery store.
Garlic cloves are easy for me to prepare. I pull off a clove from the flower, trim off each end, peel, and place on a cutting board. Using the side of a large knife press down hard on the garlic, or hit it with the side of the knife if you prefer. I press to keep it intact. It is then shredded, Take your knife and slice thinly crosswise, and you have nicely minced garlic cloves. Thank you. So fresh umm
One medium sized onion chopped with a 1/2 tsp of minced garlic ,1/2 cup of brown sugar 1/2 tsp paprika pepper to taste, 3/4 cup a water in a non stick pan add water, onions, brown sugar. Stir all ingredents together, wait for onions to carmelize or brown and serve over pulled pork. I know this has nothing to do with your question, but i thought you would like to try it.
Delicious addition to this wonderful recipe
I love fresh garlic but always have a bottle of pre-minced in my refrigerator. It’s all the taste without the fuss.
Try using a garlic press. No need to peel or chop. The skin will be left behind in the press.
100%correct, that pre-minced stuff in the jar is Gross and doesn’t have any resemblance to real garlic! It’s frankengarlic!
How many people is this recipe for?
the recipe also calls for 1/2 cup water. i usually add my peeled garlic to the water in my bullet blender and whiz it up…works great.
[…] Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Coleslaw, Coconut Seltzer w/Lemon, Lime, & Mint […]
Do used the jar minced garlic and it was great…
All of these garlic connoisseurs! Just tell me if they could tell the difference if there was jarred garlic versus fresh in this recipe with a taste test????? Never!!!
How many ounces of barbecue sauce do you put in the crockpot? 8 or 16 ounces? Also, after the pork is finished cooking, is the sauce inside the crockpot thick (like barbecue sauce?) or is a thinned down from the water? Thanks!
The recipe calls for 8oz or one cup. 🙂
I made this for the first time about 3 weeks ago. I do not cook very often and don’t have some of the ingredients the recipe called for. I put the meat in my slow cooker, set it on high, and let it cook for 5 hours. When I shredded it with two forks, it just about shredded itself. So easy. I had bar-be-que sauce and poured about half a bottle over the meat, and made sure it was mixed in well. It turned out so delicious that I was delighted. My husband loved it. So making it with just… Read more »
I personally do not add liquids until at the end. It makes the dish watery and dilutes the good drippings. I season and dredge meat in flour and brown (till golden crust on all sides)I remove meat and saute onions and garlic… Then I return meat to pot, pour onion mixture on top of meat. Cover pot (with no liquids). Meat will produce its own good juices. Cook for 2 hrs. For last hour I uncover(and leave uncovered to the end). I combine flour and 1 cup water to thicken drippings which are rich and intensely delicious.I baste the meat… Read more »
I forgot to mention that I cook the pork in the oven at 350 degrees. After meat rests, shred and combine with pan juices. Delicious!
[…] Slow Cooker Pulled Pork […]
I’ve made this quite a few times and the family loves it. I follow this recipe and add 16 ounces of root beer and sprinkle brown sugar over the top of the pork. Once the pork is done I remove the juices from the crockpot, shred the pork then back into crockpot and pour in 8-10 ounces of BBQ sauce. Heat the sauce for about 20 more minutes and you have a winner winner pulled pork dinner!
My crockpot doesn’t have a medium setting I am cooking it on high about how long should I cook it ?
Four hours! 🙂
Wondering the same. Probably 4 hours on high.
I have made pulled pork over a dozen times and try a new recipe each time, most being more complex than this one, and this is the best one of all. I used a 9lb. pork shoulder so I doubled the recipe and cooked it on low for 9 hours and it was fantastic. I probed it periodically as it cooked to allow the flavors to permeate throughout the meat and removed some juice a few times to avoid a boil over. Leftovers were even better the next day, which I have never enjoyed with the other recipes, so needless… Read more »
@Chris- how did you get a 9# pork shoulder in your crock pot? Did it fit? Thanks!
I use baby rays also this is my first time trying pulled pork … ,my man is southern so here goes the trial … I am starting on high for 2 hrs. And low 4-6 we will see…..
Thx
Any idea if I can use frozen or does it have to be thawed pork loin?
Either will work.
If frozen how long should it be cooked and on low or high? ty
From frozen, I would cook for 8 hours on low. And if you can, try and chop it into chunks before you place it in the crockpot.
thawed….always
ALWAYS use a food thermometer and cook to 160 degrees internal temperature.
About how many sandwiches does this make? Thanks!
Typically 8-10 sandwiches.
Thanks!
Depends on how thick you like your meat, short or long, thick and wide? Sometimes it just depends on the mood you are in.
How big of a pork loin for this recipe
We typically get one 2.5 – 3lbs.
How big of a family does this feed.
It depends on how old your kids are… but this will easily feed my family of 6 (ages 3-11) with plenty of leftovers.
Pork Loins don’t make good pulled pork. Better get a pork shoulder roast AKA Boston Butt Roast
So do I rub the pork with the seasoning…or just add it to the water?
I typically rub the pork with it before adding the water.
My pork loin is right around 5lbs. Should I double all of the other ingredients in the recipe? Also, my crockpot has no medium setting…Would I do it on high for 4 hours?
Yes, I would double it. Maybe you can even cut it in half and put one half in a freezer bag for later?
Cook it first, then freeze half. Makes it an easy dinner some night.
What kind of pork loin works best (shoulder, butt, etc.)?
You should NOT be using pork loin. Traditionally, roasts and pulled pork are made from the shoulder meat, which is FAR right, but had more flavor. The long cook times give the connective tissue time to break down.
Most BBQ book recommend shoulder butt, or Boston butt as the best cut for making pulled pork. (Though it still might be tough if you are cooking on high in 4 hrs.)
This calls for boneless pork loin?
UMMMM!! If we shouldn’t use pork Loin, why does it say to use boneless pork loin? Ive never made pulled pork before and found this recipe and and just threw it all in and now I see this “don’t use pork loin” comment…. kinda wish this could be corrected.
I’ve used pork loin in the past 🙂 It should turn out fine.
Traditionally, you should add other pork roasts. Personally, I prefer mine made with pork loin as I don’t care for all the fat in other cuts of pork.
I made this last week with a pork loin. It was EXCELLENT. Making it again tomorrow
Followed the directions and ours came out very watery… any idea why or advice?
Sometimes the piece of meat you use might have a little more liquid retained… when this happens to me, I’ll run it with the lid off for a hour.
Do you trim the fat off the pork loin? If you used a pork roast which cut would work best?
I usually trim off the visible fat. And a pork shoulder works better than a pork loin.
If that’s so, why does the recipe call for loin?
Have you ever used loin? That’s all I have
Oh my god, this was delicious! I did make a few changes: Instead of water, I cooked it in a cup of chicken broth, I doubled the garlic (we’re big garlic fans), and after shredding the meat, I used the rest of the bottle of the BBQ sauce (we like it saucy). SO good! Will definitely be one of our regular meals.
I have no problem with any of those adjustments 🙂 Sounds yummy!
So, Sweet Baby Ray Original cooks up with the best flavor? Making a super sized helping for kid’s track event. I am sooooo not a cook but this sounded so easy and yummy.
#ThanksForSharing #YouRock
Has anyone tried smoking it for 4 hours to get the full smoke flavor then adding it to the slow cooker to finish?
I absolutely think the best way, not the easiest, the best compromise is to smoke this for a couple of hours and then finish it in the crockpot.
I use smoked paprika for a nice smoky flavour without being overpowering. Also, we are not so keen on the sweetness of BBQ sauce so use a spicy, tangy steak sauce (like HP – we’re originally British!) and a little apple cider vinegar. Yum!
Does it matter if you cut it before putting it in or can you just leave it as a big chunk?
I usually leave it as a big chunk, but you could cut it up first too.
You should use pork shoulder not pork loin. The meat doesn’t have as much flavor due to lack of fat.
Can I check how do I freeze leftover..?
This was such an easy recipe to follow. I don’t have a lot of time to do long cooking recipes, but this was perfect. I even left town and came back to dinner. My family (6 of us) absolutely loved it. We used a 6 pound shoulder roast, and tripled the ingredients. Cooked it on high for 8 hours and it just feel apart beautifully. Thanks for the yummy meal!!!
I put my loin in the fridge to thaw on Friday at noon and it’s Sunday at noon now and my loin is still frozen what’s the best way to thaw it?
You can set it out on the counter for a couple hours then put it in the slow cooker. If it is a little frozen you should still be fine.
NOOOOO!!!! We need to stop leaving things on the counter (especially RAW MEATS) because if it drops into the temperature danger zone (41 degrees to 140 degrees) it allows bacteria to grow like crazy!! So, if you want to stop running the risk of killing yourself and others, PLEASE thaw in sink under COLD RUNNING water until thawed.
I thaw everything on my counter and even on a boat. Never had a problem and have been cooking for 40 years.
The easiest (and Fastest) way to thaw any meat is, while still in the wrapper, submerse in cool water. The water acts as a heat exchanger and within 2 to three hours a 5 lb roast is completely thawed. It also prevents bacteria growth from leaving out on a counter to thaw overnight which should never be done.
I followed the recipe because I’m not comfortable making alterations and I didn’t know that pork shoulder is a much better choice apparently. Honestly, I’m not impressed. The pork loin was not the meat of choice for the recipe and it came out extremely dry. I added more bbq sauce at the end and it saved it, barely, but I’m reviewing the recipe and I’m gonna give it an “I’m not impressed.” Next time, I’ll try the shoulder. Maybe you should edit the recipe.
A lot of people prefer pork loin because they think its’ “Healthier” – all white meat, little to no fat. But that is exactly why (in many established cooks’ opinions) it is NOT ideal for cooking low and slow…. the lack of fat causes it to dry out! To each his own, but the point of a crockpot is to give you the ability to take an inexpensive, tough cut of meat and make it into something delicious!
This has become my go-to recipe for pulled pork; my picky eaters ask for it regularly. Thank you so much!
Best Crock Pot pulled pork ever! Great recipe, thank you.
How many servings does this recipe provide?
Can you make ahead and freeze for future use.. After you defrost
When putting shredded mixture in crock pot would additional
Barbeque sauce or liquid be
Required .
How much makes a serving?
Made this with a pork shoulder roast and the rest as written and it was simple and delicious. I will definitely make this again.
I found this recipe quite by accident and am looking forward to trying it tonight. But I’m a bit confused. The recipe calls for pork loin, yet the comments say do NOT use pork loin, but rather a shoulder or butt. Please clarify!
You can use any of them as long as the weight is as the recipe states.
I have a 5.49 lb pork roast. How long should it be cooked on medium or low?
I always use pork Loin,always turns out great ,i add minced onion ,Worchestire Sauce and Other spices at random and My family is always Pleased Cook in Crock pot Have been doing this for yrs,i buy A full big size pork loin to Save,Buying in Bigger Quanity saves Money,I also Can pork loin for fast and simple barbecue.
This is the worst way to make pulled port. Never add any BBQ before cooking. Get a pork run. Grill mates. Add a spice if you want. Brown in pan with no oil nothing. Teflon. 2 min a side. Place in with nothing in slow cooker. 5-8 hours depends size you will see it break off the bone. Also use bone in pork but or shoulder. The bonless one this says is the worst no flavor. After cooking put in pan shred or pull apart w forks. Add BBQ now just little. Then on tosted bun out BBQ to taste.… Read more »
Wow so much. After then other way. The other one my husband said now he hated but said nothing. Best ever. Thank you Carmine
I have used pork loin for the pulled pork sandwiches and received raves, so food preferences are very individual. I DON’T like to brown the meat first, but I don’t knock your right to prepare your pulled pork that way and enjoy it. No one on earth is a cooking god who has all the answers and the right to proclaim that someone else is nuts for liking a different style of cooking. I taught cooking for 28 years and I still love to try different ways of cooking because I know that these things evolve over time and tastes… Read more »
You have your own ideas, but they sound pretty harsh to me. MAGA – lol! Maybe you and Donald can get together and come up with a recipe that you both like. But just remember it has to have a lot of ketchup, not BBQ. Oh well, everyone to his or her own taste. but I found this recipe very tasty, and it didn’t have anything to do with MAGA. Do you have guns too?
I don’t normally respond to reviews but felt i should leave something here… I am a busy father with busy kids. I love to grill and smoke meat but find the crockpot to be a worthy and time saving alternative. If my kids will eat the food, who cares how it was cooked or what meat was used? Carmine is right that a shoulder roast (pork butt) is typically used for pulled pork, but to say it has better flavor, more tender or juicier than pork loin is just wrong. I admit i was wary of cooking a pork loin… Read more »
Has anyone tried freezing leftovers of this recipe? Wondering if it will taste as good after frozen and reheated!
Love this recipe. Making it right now and this is the second time. The first time was for company and everyone absolutely loved it! So easy and I make it per the directions but with a shoulder roast. Thank you for sharing this, will be making this for years to come.
How many people will this recipe serve?
when writing a recipe like this and suggesting “pork loin” keep in mind that the rib end (which according to the pic is what you used) is a much different flavor profile than the loin or sirloin end and also changes the fat content / density of the meat by a significant amount.
rib end roast / half loin will generally have a darker meat wrapping around the lighter meat instead of being virtually all light meat.
rib end works great for sausages / roasts / pulled pork / etc loin end not nearly as much.
Is it possible to use boneless pork loin chops instead of boneless pork loin? Thanks!
Do you leave the piece of meat whole or cut in slices?
Really delicious! I made this with a 5+ pound shoulder roast and doubled the other ingredients. This was a very simple and delicious recipe. I’ll definitely make it again in the future. Thanks for sharing .
I’m having about 30 people over for a cookout I want to make pulled pork how much pork should I buy to feed 30 people mostly adults…thank you.
This recipe feeds 6 – 8 ppl.
Do you remove the loin from the cooked juices then pull apart or do you leave in juice?
Can I substitute apple juice for the water?
thanks
Yes. I use cherry coke myself. Adds sweetness and the acid in the coke breaks down the muscle fibers so it’s easier to break apart.
I made this in my little 3.5 at. Crock pot and it was so tasty. I cooked my 2,5 lb. Pork loin roast 6 full hours and let it rest another 10 minutes. It was so good. It pulled apart with ease. I used Kroger’s Prestige Memphis Inspired BBQ sauce and it was so juicy and tender! We served it with corn for a very filling meal. Thanks for this recipe. It’s a keeper.
After 8 hours on low, the pork did not shred. We had to chunk it with a knife and put it back on high. Not sure the cut of meat was right although it was pork shoulder. Really disappointed with how tough it was
I accidentally bought a 4.5 lb pork loin. I plan to double the rest of the ingredients. Would you suggest cutting it up or doing anything else differently?
How did it turn out? I’m doing the same on Friday. Did you put it in whole or cut it up first?
Thanks Janine
I made this following the recipe, using a pork loin and substituting smoked mild paprika. The meat was tender and delicious. We served it over white rice with the juices from the crockpot. Didn’t need to add more bbq sauce. I will definitely make this again!
Wondering when you add the onion and do you leave them in or do they cook up and unnoticed in the pulled pork? Help making tomorrow!
I actually just made my jerk pulled pork
Lauren, I see people referring to water, but no water is mentioned in the receipe. How much water, if any?
Is the water necessary? Thinking sauce would get too thin with the water and fat from roast rendering.
Yes, it keeps it from burning.