This Is Our #1 Slow Cooker Recipe Of All Time

Of all the slow cooker recipes we’ve published over the years, our has emerged as the clear fan favorite. This fuss-free pork shoulder roast cooks low and slow, becoming fall-apart tender, so it can be easily shredded into perfect pulled pork.

Minimal Ingredients, Maximum Flavor

It’s easy to see why it earned such rave reviews. For starters, the ingredient list is six items long, including salt, pepper, and optional cayenne pepper. Beyond the pork butt roast itself, all you need is a small amount of liquid, like water or apple juice, and your favorite barbecue sauce. Simplicity is key with pork roasts because the method of cooking delivers big rewards in terms of flavor.

If You Hate To Cook, This One’s For You

This recipe is the embodiment of the phrase, “set it and forget it.” After adding everything to the slow cooker, the pork shoulder cooks, undisturbed, for seven to nine hours. You can let it cook overnight, or start in the morning so it’s ready come dinner time. As the pork cooks, it soaks up the liquid and seasonings and its fat renders, flavoring the meat and leaving you with a rich-tasting, tender roast. 

The final steps involve shredding the meat, which will be so tender that it can be shredded easily with just two forks. One reader even commented on how “awesome” it was. “The meat fell off the bone. Seriously fell off the bone,” she said. 

Return the shredded meat back to the slow cooker, stir in a cup of your favorite barbecue sauce, and let it cook a little longer to marry those flavors. That’s it! It’s fantastic served, sandwich-style, on toasted buns alongside a . But don’t stop there. There are a .

Other Ways To Serve It

One of the best things about this recipe is that you’ll have a lot of leftovers. Beyond classic barbecue sandwiches, you can fold it into , serve it over , stuff it into , or jazz up pizza with pulled pork and top with more of that slaw. Salad pizza for the win! For something with a Tex-Mex vibe, mix it with salsa and , rice bowls, or tacos. 

Change It Up

With a bit of extra effort, you can really make this dish sing with a homemade . But if you’re taking the easier approach, try swapping the liquid for beer, cider, or chicken stock and boosting the heat with extra cayenne and black pepper. You can also try adding in a variety of seasonings and spices to boost the flavor profile in different directions. Its adaptability makes it a smart staple recipe to keep in your repertoire.

A Real Winner

With very little effort, this recipe delivers supremely tender, fall-off-the-bone meat with big flavor. For an effortless crowd-pleasing meal that wins gold in every category, this slow cooker recipe really delivers!