A pulled pork dry rub seasons this slow cooker pork shoulder to perfection for one of the most versatile proteins you can have on hand for easy dinners all week long. The dry rub is lightly sweetened with brown sugar and a secret ingredient (!) and the tender shredded pork is a crowd pleaser perfect for larger gatherings, too!
Slow cooker pork shoulder can be used for so many things: burritos, tacos, sandwiches, bowls, nachos, and more. We often double this recipe and freeze portions of the pulled pork for extra speedy dinners in the future. Your Crock Pot has never made something so delicious!
Making a batch of flavorful protein to last all week long is meal planning and meal prep at its finest. Check out these recipes for Instant Pot Shredded Beef, Beef Chuck Tacos, Easy Chicken Pecan Salad, and Broiled Chicken Thighs for more tasty ideas to help make dinnertime easier.
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Ingredients
I include ingredient notes here when I think they’ll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!
- Brown Sugar - Just a bit of sweetness compliments pork so well, and the molasses notes of brown sugar add an extra dimension to the flavor.
- Ground Coriander - Coriander has a subtle citrusy aroma and a brightness that helps cut through the richness in the pork.
- Smoked Paprika - Smoked paprika is a bold seasoning that will add smoky flavor to the pork without needing to pull out your smoker or grill.
- Cinnamon - This secret ingredient takes the pork dry rub up a notch but isn’t overpowering at all. Cinnamon enhances the natural sweetness of the pork.
- Pork Shoulder - A whole boneless pork shoulder roast (also called a pork butt) will feed a large group. Weigh your trimmed pork shoulder and use the 1x-2x-3x buttons in the recipe card to help make enough pork dry rub to season it well.
Instructions
Trim the shoulder of any large fat pieces and then cut it into large cubes, about a half a pound each. This makes seasoning the shoulder and shredding the cooked meat easier. Prepare enough dry rub for the amount of pork you wish to cook in the slow cooker. The pork shoulder pictured here was 4 pounds, so I doubled the dry rub recipe.
Combine the brown sugar, kosher salt, coriander, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk it to break up the sugar and combine the spices.
Place the pork pieces in the crock of your slow cooker. Sprinkle the dry rub over the pieces generously.
Rub the seasoning into the pork, covering all sides and ensuring the spices stick to all surfaces.
Cover the slow cooker and cook the meat for 8 hours on low or 6 hours on high. The meat should be easy to push apart with a nudge of a fork.
Remove the pork to a plate or platter. Use two forks to pull apart the meat into shreds. Discard any fat or connective tissue bits.
Pour the accumulated juices into a gravy separator or a heatproof jar. Skim off the fat and add about ¼- to ½-cup of the juices back to the meat to keep it tender and juicy.
Serve the meat from the platter or place the meat and juices back into the slow cooker to keep it warm.
Variations
Use this pulled pork dry rub to season a variety of meats, and make a few additions to the rub for the variations below:
- Pork Ribs - This blend of spices will work perfectly to season pork ribs for baked, smoked, or grilled ribs.
- Pork Tenderloin - Use a generous amount of the dry rub to coat a pork tenderloin before baking or grilling the meat.
- Slow Cooker Carnitas - Add the juice and zest of one orange and two limes to your slow cooker when cooking the dry rubbed pork shoulder. Once you’ve shredded the cooked meat, place it on a foil lined sheet pan and broil it for 2-3 minutes to get some crispy, caramelized edges.
- Make it Spicy: Add 3-5 chiles de árbol to the pork before cooking for a spicy pulled pork.
Equipment
I use a 7-quart slow cooker most often for this recipe. If you have a pressure cooker with the capacity to cook your pork shoulder, pressure cooking is a great option. Add ½ cup of liquid (water or chicken broth) to the bottom of the pressure cooker before adding the dry rubbed pieces of pork shoulder to avoid a burn error. Cook with manual high pressure for 75 minutes and allow a natural release.
Serving Suggestions
The pulled pork from this recipe can be served in a big variety of ways. Coat the pork with your favorite barbecue sauce and serve it on toasted buns for barbecue pulled pork sandwiches. Add it to quesadillas, tacos, burritos, or tostadas. Make a pulled pork bowl by serving the meat over rice and baked beans, with coleslaw and shredded cheese as a topping. Add the tender meat to chilis or soups. Build a hearty dinner salad by substituting slow cooker pork shoulder for the chicken in this Barbecue Chicken Chopped Salad. Leftovers will never go to waste with this recipe, the tender pork is perfect as a meal prep protein.
Storage
Store the prepared pulled pork dry rub in an airtight container in your dark pantry for up to 3 months. The dry rub makes a nice gift during the summer months for your favorite grilling aficionado, simply package up a jar for a friend!
Shredded and cooled slow cooker pork shoulder can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. It freezes very well, and can be stored for up to 3 months when tightly wrapped or sealed. Prepare a big batch and freeze dinner-sized portions for easy meals in the future.
Top Tip
The cooking times described here are dependent on the size of the pork shoulder roast, a 2-pound roast will take less time than a 4-pound roast. When the meat is fully cooked, there should be no resistance in shredding it, just a spoon will pull the meat apart! The meat releases a lot of juices in the slow cooker, so you won’t overcook it and be left with dry meat with this method.
FAQ
While it’s generally a good idea to sear the meat before adding it to a slow cooker, it is not necessary for this recipe. Searing at a high heat can even burn some of the spices and cause the dry rub to be bitter. The meat will still be deeply flavorful with all of the seasonings from the pork rub and you won’t need to dirty any extra pots or pans!
If your pork shoulder won’t shred easily and the meat seems tough, you’ve likely undercooked the meat. Add it back to the slow cooker and cook on high for an additional 1-2 hours
A pork shoulder will release a lot of liquid as it cooks in the slow cooker, no additional water or broth is needed with this method.
More Slow Cooker and Pressure Cooker Recipes
Here are some other delicious slow cooker or pressure cooker recipes to try next:
Make It a Meal
These are my favorite dishes to serve with slow cooker pork shoulder to make it a meal to remember:
Try It and Share
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Recipe
Pulled Pork Dry Rub for Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker 7-qt. capacity
Ingredients
Pulled Pork Dry Rub
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder
- 2 pounds pork shoulder
Instructions
- Combine the dry rub ingredients together in a medium bowl and mix until they are well incorporated.
- Place the pork shoulder in the bowl of your slow cooker. Sprinkle the pork dry rub all over the surface of the meat, pressing the spices to help them stick and covering every surface of the meat.
- Cover the pork shoulder and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 6 hours
- Remove the cooked shoulder to a plate and shred the meat with two forks or your fingers.
- Pour off the accumulated juices and separate and remove the fat. Add back about ¼ cup of the juices to help keep the meat moist.
Notes
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts caculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Cassie says
I’d love to hear how you use this pulled pork in your dinner!