Easy boneless slow cooker pork shoulder that only needs 3 ingredients! Use either a bone in or boneless pork shoulder in your Crockpot, this one pot meal has never been easier. Toss with bbq sauce to make sliders, tacos, or serve over rice for dinner.

Boneless Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder
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This Crockpot pulled pork recipe is the easiest yet. I wanted to share how easy it is to throw a large piece of meat with some broth into a slow cooker and have it come out perfectly. Best Crockpot recipe ever. (affiliate links present)

Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder

We have made all sorts of yummy meals like this in our pot! This and our slow cooker pork carnitas are probably our favorites. I mean this meat is great tossed with all sorts of sauces or salsa with a bit of spicy heat!

Load it up into a few pulled pork baked potatoes and it is a super cheap meal that can feed a crowd. Make all the things with this and decide for yourselves!

Let’s talk a little bit about slow cooking shall we?? First off I have a few different varieties and I love them all. Each one has an occasion to be used like….

  1. This is my favorite 6 quart programmable one with a locking lid so it’s great for bringing to a potluck too.
  2. I prefer not to use liners, but rather just spray olive oil inside before adding my food for easier cleanups.

Let me give you a peek of my pretty thang I bought recently. It goes with my kitchen so I can just leave it out on the countertop all the time. 😉

A floral design slow cooker with a white base and lid sits on a kitchen countertop, perfect for whipping up a 5 ingredient crockpot chili recipe.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

You really only need 2 ingredients but I slice an onion and include that in almost every recipe I make. To make things even easier, I bought a pre-seasoned and marinated boneless pork shoulder.

If all you can find is a bone-in piece that is fine too. You can just eliminate a lot of the work and extra fat if there aren’t any bones.

  • You can see here the one I chose.
  • Typically you can find a few different marinade options, this one stuck out to me because we love Instant Pot carnitas!

If this isn’t an option you can leave it plain and just pour a bottle of barbecue sauce on the meat at the end. OR use our lemon pepper marinade overnight.

Easy Pulled Pork Slow Cooker

Old Fashioned Pork Roast Slow Cooker

Here are a few questions you might have before you get started:

What is the best cut of meat for pulled pork?

This, pork shoulder of course. Like I said, I prefer boneless because there seems to be less fat and it breaks down a bit easier. It isn’t a lot more expensive, this piece was 3.5 lbs. already marinated for $11. You can choose pork butt as well which is a cheaper cut but a bit more saturated fat. Pork roast would be another option.

Do you add water to pulled pork in slow cooker?

Yes, a bit. I prefer broth myself and you don’t need a lot. 1/2 cup is plenty since the meat itself will exude liquid. You do need some for cooking the pork in order to create enough steam and heat to break the meat down.

How long can I keep pulled pork in slow cooker?

Once it is done, turn it to warm. Allow people to serve themselves for up to 4 hours. After that turn it off and allow the meat to reach room temperature. Store in airtight containers in the fridge thereafter.

Boneless Pork Shoulder Pulled Pork

slow cooker pulled pork

Easy Crockpot Pulled Pork

There isn’t even much explaining to do when it comes to making slow cooker pork shoulder. You need a lengthy amount of time in order to really break it down so it falls apart like you like it in the restaurants.

If I am in a hurry I have made this on high which I typically don’t recommend but with large cuts like this it seems to work just fine.

I really prefer low and slow but if I don’t think about dinner until noon then……

  • Literally you just throw in the meat.
  • Add some onions.
  • Pour in some broth and cook all day, done!!
slow cooker pork shoulder
best dry rub for meat

Can you slow cook pulled pork too long?

If the meat is left whole, it is hard to do. Once you shred it with forks though and leave it in the broth to stay moist it can get mushy if standing too long. I serve it and don’t like it sitting in the pot much longer than an hour or so.

Crockpot Pork Shoulder

If you want to marinate, do so the night before. Store in a freezer bag without any air in the fridge. Alternatively, cook it plain and just pour a jar of bbq sauce on meat at the end on the shredded meat.

  1. If you’d rather use our sweet and savory brown sugar dry rub recipe you can liberally coat the outside right before.
  2. If you want a more intense flavor, coat the night before and store in a freezer bag in the fridge
  3. Place bone in or boneless pork shoulder in slow cooker with onions surrounding it. Pour broth on top and close lid.
  4. Cook on high for 5 hours cooking time (for 3.5 lbs.) or low for 8 hours or until meat is fork tender and shreds apart easily with just 2 forks.

After it’s been covered and cooked to the point where it’s fork tender fall apart, then: serve shredded pork out of your Crock pot on slider buns as a fun appetizer or dinner. Alternatively we sometimes just serve it with Instant Pot white rice and mashed potatoes.

pulled pork

How many hours per pound for pork shoulder in slow cooker?

2-4 pounds is what we used here and found most often; 7-8 hours on low or 5 hours on high will get it to fork tender and to shred easily. If yours is 4-6 pounds you would want to slow cook for 8-9 hours on low or 6 hours on high. 6-8 pounds takes closer to 9-10 hours on low or 7 hours on high. If you choose a large 8-10 pound piece you would need almost overnight at 10-11 hours on low or 8 hours on high.

Pork Recipes in Slow Cooker

If you’re looking for more easy pork recipes to try, we have a bunch more like slow cooker ranch pork chops and more on The Typical Mom blog!

For a quicker option you can follow our Instant Pot pork shoulder recipe or Ninja Foodi pulled pork using a tenderloin.

  • Recently we use the dry rub I spoke about above on our Traeger pulled pork and it came out amazing! Intermittently throughout you’ll need to spray or drizzle a bit of apple cider vinegar on it to keep it most.
    • For any of these you can always just keep it simple too.
    • If you prefer just salt and pepper on top then go with that!
    • Use the flavors you love and prefer, these are just suggestions when it comes to seasonings.

Love balsamic vinegar? Try this other Crockpot pork tenderloin or beef arm roast recipe and see which is your fave. For the best baked pork chops, follow this recipe that people just rave about!

crockpot pork loin

How long does leftover pork last?

As long as you store it in bags or containers with the air eliminated it is safer to consume up to 4 days after cooled. Add it into a casserole, toss and warm with bbq sauce over rice or on dinner rolls for a quick meal.

Can you reheat cooked pork?

Of course, but you need to be careful so you don’t dry it out. Take out as much as you want and toss it with some sauce, like barbecue. Once coated it should stay moist heating it on the stovetop or microwave in 30 sec. intervals.

tender pulled pork
5 from 3 votes

Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder

By The Typical Mom
Easy pulled pork slow cooker recipe that only needs 3 ingredients! Tender boneless pork shoulder in your Crockpot has never been easier.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 5 hours
Servings: 6
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Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Ingredients 

  • 3 – 4 lb pork shoulder, boneless is best
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1/2 c broth
  • dry rub, optional, ours was already marinated

Instructions 

  • Place boneless pork shoulder in slow cooker with onions surrounding it. If you choose to add our dry rub, mix ingredients and rub over the entire thing before placing in pot.
  • Pour broth on top and close lid.
  • Cook on high for 5 hours (for 3.5 lbs.) or low for 8 hours or until meat is fork tender and shreds apart easily with just 2 forks. (if you have to pull it needs more time) Enjoy as is or toss meat with barbecue sauce and enjoy.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 2oz, Calories: 431kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 122g, Fat: 100g, Saturated Fat: 37g, Cholesterol: 455mg, Sodium: 356mg, Potassium: 1784mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 37IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 152mg, Iron: 8mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!
crockpot pulled pork

About The Typical Mom

Justine is the creative mind behind The Typical Mom and The Typical Family on YouTube. She began blogging about easy recipes, budget friendly activities for kids, and fun family travel destinations in September 2012.

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5 Comments

  1. I used this recipe for a boneless pork shoulder butt roast weighing 3.74#.

    I let it cook on high for 5 hours. The temperature of the pieces* was 205F – 217F.

    It was tender, juicy and delicious. I will definitely be using this recipe again. It was very simple and easy to understand.

    Thank-you so much for this recipe.

    * The roast was wrapped in twine. I had to use Google to learn what to do.

    I took the twine off and it fell apart in 4 pieces and I put it in the crockpot.

  2. Thank you. I will freeze the roast and prepare it the day we will serve it then. Excited to use your recipe!

  3. Can I make this recipe ahead in the crock pot and freeze or is it better to make and serve the same day?

    1. everything is better fresh but if you had to freeze it I would cook, shred, cool, vacuum seal or in freezer bags without air and freeze in bags. Defrost overnight in fridge and then toss with a sauce and reheat in microwave or in a pan on the stove