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pulled pork on a plate.
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5 from 10 votes

Slow cooker pulled pork

This slow cooker pulled pork is a versatile dish that can be used for a variety of meals. Make it plain, drenched in sauce or spiced with your favourite flavours; the choice is yours.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 5 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: International
Keyword: dairy free, egg free, gluten free, nut free, pork, pulled pork
Servings: 4
Calories: 673kcal
Author: Tonje
Cost: Cheap

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 kg pork joint
  • 100 ml water

Instructions

  • Prepare your pork joint first. Remove the rind (if any is present), along with any large chunks of fat, using a sharp knife. Work carefully! The rind and fat are white in colour, and the meat is the pink bits.
  • Pour a tiny bit of liquid at the bottom of your slow cooker. I typically just put about 100 ml water. The point is to cover the bottom so the pork joint won’t stick and burn. Don’t worry too much about the exact amount.
  • Then, add the pork joint, place the lid on top and cook for 2-8 hours on high, or 4-12 hours on low setting.
  • Use a meat thermometer to make sure that the meat has cooked through. Pork is only safe to eat after it has reached an internal temperature of 70°C / 160°F.
  • Remove the cooked pork from the slow cooker, and use two forks or pulled pork claws to shred the meat.
  • Serve immediately, or use it in your recipe of choice. I prefer to add a sauce or some seasoning to the pulled pork, as unseasoned pork is quite bland and boring. See Sauces & seasoning for ideas on how to serve it.

Notes

  • Always add a little liquid at the bottom of the slow cooker. This will just prevent the pork joint from sticking and burning. Don’t worry about covering the pork, as it will create a lot of moisture on its own.
  • Pulled pork can be left in the slow cooker for a long time, but be sure not to overcook it. It typically gets more tender by the hour, but if it overcooks it becomes dry and unpleasant to eat.
  • When cooking fat in the slow cooker, it becomes mushy and almost gelatinous. Try to remove as much of the fat as possible before placing the pork in the slow cooker to improve the consistency and flavour of the meat.
  • Always add seasoning or sauces to the pulled pork, or it won’t taste like much. See the Sauces & Seasoning section for ideas.
  • Avoid opening the lid to look at your pork. This is the golden rule of slow cooking. Opening the lid means you let out a lot of the heat, and can set the cook time back by quite a lot.

Leftovers

Leftover pulled pork can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or it can be frozen for up to 6 months. As pork joints can be quite large, freezing leftovers for meals later on can be a good idea to avoid food waste.
To use frozen leftovers, thaw it in the fridge overnight, then add it to your favourite dishes, or reheat it until piping hot before serving.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 673kcal | Protein: 58g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 830mg | Vitamin A: 18IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 4mg