Slow-cooker pulled pork
Tender, sticky pulled pork cooked low and slow in the slow cooker with a sweet-smoky rub and tangy pan sauce.
This slow-cooker pulled pork is the lazy-weekend hero: throw, forget and come back to fall-apart meat with a sticky, tangy sauce. It’s perfect for sandwiches, loaded plates or a simple supper when you want big flavour with little fuss.
The rub gives a sweet-smoky backbone while a quick sear adds depth before the low-and-slow magic. If you prefer, make it the day before — it improves overnight in the fridge and reheats beautifully.
Ingredients
- 1.8 kg pork shoulder — boneless
- 50 g soft brown sugar
- 15 g smoked paprika
- mustard powder
- ground cumin
- sea salt
- black pepper — freshly ground
- 4 garlic cloves — crushed
- olive oil
- 1 brown onion — thickly sliced
- 100 g tomato purée
- 60 ml apple cider vinegar
- 30 ml honey
- 200 ml chicken stock — low-salt
- Dijon mustard
- 5 g cornflour
- 50 ml water — for cornflour slurry
Equipment
- slow cooker
- large frying pan
- two forks or hand mixer
- fine sieve
Instructions
Make the dry rub: in a bowl mix soft brown sugar, smoked paprika, mustard powder, ground cumin, sea salt and black pepper until even.
Pat the pork shoulder dry with kitchen paper, rub all over with olive oil then press the dry rub into the meat and into any scored fat.
Cover and chill the rubbed pork in the fridge to rest and let the flavours penetrate.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high hob with a little olive oil and sear the pork on all sides until a deep brown crust forms, about 2–3 minutes per side.
Place the sliced brown onion and crushed garlic in the base of the slow cooker. Whisk together tomato purée, apple cider vinegar, honey, chicken stock and Dijon mustard, pour over the onion then put the seared pork on top.
Cook on low in the slow cooker for 8 hours until the pork is falling-apart tender and a skewer meets no resistance.
Lift the pork onto a board and leave to rest for 10 minutes so the juices settle.
Shred the pork using two forks or a hand mixer on low until you have large, tender shreds.
Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan, bring to a simmer and reduce for 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened. Make a slurry with cornflour and water, whisk into the reduced liquid and simmer 1–2 minutes to glaze. Taste and season, then toss the shredded pork in the sauce to coat.
Serve hot as sandwiches, with slaw or alongside roasted vegetables.
Tips
- Dry the pork well before applying the rub — moisture prevents a good sear.
- If short on time, skip the fridge rest and start straight away; flavour will still develop in the slow cook.
- Use two forks or a hand mixer on low to shred quickly; remove large pockets of fat as you go.
- Reserve some reduced cooking liquid to refresh the pork when reheating so it stays moist.
- Leftovers freeze well for up to 3 months in an airtight container; defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating gently.
Substitutions
pork shoulder → pork leg joint, same weight; it will be slightly leaner and less fatty
Noticeably differentchicken stock → water, same volume; the sauce will be slightly less rich
Stays closesoft brown sugar → dark muscovado sugar, same weight; deeper, more molasses flavour
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 870
- Calories
- 60 g
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 60 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 16 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I cook this on high instead of low?
Yes, you can cook on high for 4–5 hours, but results are better on low for a more tender, evenly cooked pull-apart texture.
Do I have to sear the pork first?
Searing adds flavour and colour but isn’t essential. If you skip it, increase the slow-cook time by 30–60 minutes for similar tenderness.
How do I stop the pork drying out when reheating?
Always reheat gently with a splash of reserved cooking liquid or stock and cover to trap steam; avoid high heat which can dry the meat.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes — use a gluten-free stock and ensure any added sauces (Dijon mustard/honey) are labelled gluten-free. This recipe as written may contain ingredients with gluten traces.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!