Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe Ideas

A generous helping of slow-cooked pulled pork will guarantee dinner party cheer or summer lunch satisfaction. It’s super succulent, tender and the flavourful shreds just melt in the mouth. Cooked slowly over the course of a day and served with the right accompaniments, this is a dish that’s hard to beat.

If you haven’t made pulled pork using a slow cooker, then let us lead the way. We’ve got ideas for techniques, ingredients and sides that’ll have your mouth watering. Here are some of our top pulled pork recipe ideas and serving suggestions.

Why Slow Cooker Pulled Pork?

When you’re working with meat that can be quite robust, like pork shoulder, you want to break it down into something juicier and more tender. Slow cookers run at an even, low temperature, allowing the pork to break down and become easy to pull apart.

Slow cookers are also renowned for their energy efficiency, consuming less electricity compared to turning on the oven. With slow cooker pulled pork, not only are you treating yourself to a gourmet meal, but you’re reducing your carbon footprint and your energy bill.

How to Make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

There are some things you need to know about making pulled pork before picking up a recipe. While this isn’t a complex dish, getting rich and delicious results still takes some concentration – in both senses of the word.

First, you need to select the right cut of meat. Begin with a quality pork shoulder, a cut that boasts a good balance of meat and fat. The fat is important, it’s what contributes towards the softening of the meat and the richness of the pulled pork sauce.

Before you begin cooking anything, we recommend pouring a little liquid into the base of your slow cooker. While 100ml of a simple stock adds depth, consider apple cider for a hint of tart sweetness, or even a splash of your favourite ale. This will keep the pork moist and create a base for that sumptuous sauce that pulled pork is loved for.

Our Flavour-Packed Recipe

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg pork shoulder
• 2 small onions
• 4 chopped cloves of garlic
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 80ml apple juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Method

1. Start by covering the pork shoulder in brown sugar, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper. Coat the meat generously and let this sit while you prepare the rest of the dish.
2. Chop your onions into thin slices and add them into the cooker. If you’re not using a base of liquid (see above) to start, then add a little butter in with the onions.
3. Place your joint into the slow cooker. To start off the pulled pork sauce, add in the Worcestershire sauce, mustard and apple juice.
4. Adjust the settings to low, and let it simmer gently for 6-8 hours. This slow process allows the meat to fully absorb all the spicey aromas.
5. After cooking, allow your meat to rest for about 15-20 minutes. This resting period helps in retaining the moisture. Then, you can dive in with two forks and effortlessly pull the meat apart.

Have A Flavour Fiesta with Pulled Pork Tacos

Imagine biting into a soft taco shell generously stuffed with pulled pork, crunchy slaw and zesty dressing. The meat’s deep flavour paired with the freshness of the slaw creates a vibrant mouthful. You can also try our Mexican pull-apart pulled pork recipe.

Top tip: If you have leftovers the next day, why not turn your tortillas into toasted wraps? Assemble the pulled pork, grated cheese and some spring onions, then pop your folded tortilla onto a Lékué Microwave Grill for a fast, warm and beautifully grilled pulled pork wrap.

Pile Up Your Pulled Pork Nachos

Nachos and pulled pork come together to create a sophisticated take on a treat-night classic. Layer crispy tortilla chips with generous scoops of pulled pork, melted cheese, jalapeños and cool coriander. Each warm bite is just as good as the last, and you’ll have a clean plate in no time.

Top tip: No matter how you go about it, this is a messy meal. Make sure you’ve got plenty of napkins at the ready. And why not a refreshing fizzy mocktail too? Perfectly offsetting the rich, salty feast.

Find Year-Round Comfort in Pulled Pork Potato Skins

Upgrade your comfort food game with stuffed potato skins. Hollow out baked potatoes and load them with mounds of pulled pork and an extra splash of BBQ sauce. This easy to assemble dinner will soon become a household classic.

Top tip: Use an air fryer to bake your potato skins – it’s faster than using an oven, and it doesn’t require nearly so much energy. After all, the slow cooking part of the dish is over, now you just want to eat!

What to Serve with Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

There are countless ways to serve slow cooker pulled pork, and a feast of side dishes to try out. Some of our favourites include recipes that are just as easy to pull together as the main.

What’s more satisfying than a plate of golden, crispy French fries? Made in an air fryer, they’re crisp on the outside and fluffy inside –  the perfect crunchy counterpoint to the tender pulled pork.

Or, just as golden and delicious is corn on the cobb. In this citrusy air fryer recipe, it never tasted so good! The coriander and lime will lighten the dish and bring warmth whatever the weather.

You can dive into more recipes inspiration and ideas on our blog. There are loads of options for experimenting with the ease and elegance slow cooking. It’ll be well worth the wait!