Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

## The Ultimate Set-It-and-Forget-It Dinner Slow cooker pulled pork is one of the greatest budget cooking wins you will ever discover. For less than two dollars per serving, you get a mountain of tender, smoky, saucy pork that feeds a crowd and leaves you with leftovers for days. The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity: you spend about ten minutes rubbing spices on a hunk of pork, drop it in the slow cooker, and walk away for eight hours. When you come back, dinner is done. ## Why Pork Shoulder Is a Budget Hero Pork shoulder is one of the cheapest cuts of meat at the grocery store, and for good reason. It is a tough, well-marbled cut loaded with connective tissue, which means it needs long, slow cooking to become tender. But that is exactly what makes it perfect for the slow cooker. All that collagen melts into silky gelatin, turning a bargain cut into something that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen. Buy it on sale and you can often find it for under two dollars per pound, making this recipe almost absurdly affordable. ## Tips for the Best Pulled Pork The dry rub is what gives this pork its incredible flavor base. The combination of brown sugar, smoked paprika, and cumin creates a sweet, smoky bark on the outside that pairs perfectly with tangy BBQ sauce. Do not skip the apple cider vinegar in the slow cooker. It adds a subtle acidity that cuts through the richness of the pork and helps tenderize the meat even further. When it comes to shredding, wait until the pork has rested for about five minutes after you pull it out of the cooker. Use two forks and work in sections. The meat should practically fall apart on its own. If it does not shred easily, it needs more time. Toss it back in the cooker for another hour. ## Variations to Try This recipe is endlessly adaptable. Swap the BBQ sauce for a Carolina-style vinegar sauce if you prefer something tangier. Add a few tablespoons of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for a smoky, spicy twist. For a Hawaiian-inspired version, add pineapple chunks during the last hour of cooking. You can also skip the buns entirely and serve the pulled pork over rice, on nachos, in tacos, or stuffed into baked potatoes. ## Meal Prep and Storage Pulled pork is one of the best meal prep proteins out there. It reheats beautifully and actually gets more flavorful as it sits in the sauce. Portion it into individual containers with your favorite sides for grab-and-go lunches all week. For freezing, let the pork cool completely, then divide it into freezer bags. Press out all the air, lay them flat in the freezer, and you have homemade pulled pork ready to go whenever you need a quick dinner. It keeps in the freezer for up to three months without losing quality. ## Serving Suggestions Classic pulled pork sandwiches on soft buns are hard to beat, but think beyond the sandwich. Pile it on top of mac and cheese for the ultimate comfort food mashup. Use it as a pizza topping with red onion and extra BBQ sauce. Toss it into a quesadilla with pepper jack cheese. Or serve it alongside classic Southern sides like coleslaw, cornbread, and baked beans for a full barbecue spread that costs a fraction of what you would pay at a restaurant. The bottom line is this: if you own a slow cooker and have not made pulled pork yet, you are missing out on one of the easiest, cheapest, and most satisfying meals in your entire cooking repertoire.