Easy Slow Cooker Apple Cider Pulled Pork
Tender, juicy pulled pork slow cooked in apple cider with onions, garlic, warm spices, and tangy barbecue sauce. Serve it on buns, over mashed potatoes, or with fried apples for an easy cozy fall dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 ½ to 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups apple cider
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ to 1 cup barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Season all sides with salt and black pepper.
- Add the sliced onion and garlic to the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Pour in the apple cider, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and thyme. Rub the seasoning mixture all over the pork shoulder.
- Place the pork in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours, until the pork is very tender and shreds easily.
- Transfer the pork to a large bowl or baking sheet. Remove any large pieces of fat, then shred the pork with two forks.
- Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid if desired. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and stir in the barbecue sauce.
- Cook on LOW for 15 to 20 more minutes, until hot and coated in sauce. Serve on toasted buns with coleslaw and pickles, or over mashed potatoes with fried apples.
Notes
- Pork shoulder and pork butt are both excellent choices for pulled pork.
- Use real apple cider, not apple cider vinegar, as the main cooking liquid.
- For the most tender results, cook the pork on LOW.
- If you want crisp caramelized edges, spread the shredded pork on a sheet pan, drizzle with sauce, and broil for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze cooled pulled pork with some sauce for up to 3 months.