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Easy Crockpot Pulled Pork with Root Beer BBQ Sauce

crockpot pulled pork with root beer - featured image
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This incredibly easy, set-it-and-forget-it pulled pork is made with a bottle of root beer and a simple pantry spice rub. The result is fall-apart tender, deeply flavorful pork with a sweet and tangy homemade BBQ sauce that’s perfect for sandwiches, tacos, or nachos.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4–5 pounds pork shoulder (pork butt)
  • 12 ounces root beer (one can, use a brand with real cane sugar, not diet)
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid (defatted)

Instructions

  1. Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Place on a cutting board.
  2. In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and dried oregano. Mix well.
  3. Sprinkle the dry rub all over the pork shoulder and massage it into every surface.
  4. Place the sliced onion and minced garlic in the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Place the seasoned pork shoulder on top of the onions.
  5. Carefully pour the root beer around the pork (not directly on top to avoid washing off the rub).
  6. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 5-6 hours, until the pork is fall-apart tender.
  7. Carefully transfer the cooked pork to a large cutting board or rimmed baking sheet. Using two forks, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces. Discard any large chunks of fat.
  8. Pour the cooking liquid from the crockpot through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup. Let it sit for a minute, then skim off the excess fat. Reserve 1/2 cup of the defatted liquid.
  9. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and the 1/2 cup of reserved cooking liquid. Whisk together and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  10. Pour about half of the finishing sauce over the shredded pork and toss to coat. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

Notes

Do not use diet root beer as it can make the sauce bitter. The fat cap on the pork shoulder should not be trimmed off as it keeps the meat moist. For the most tender results, cook on LOW. The pork will look pale when it comes out of the crockpot; the color comes from the finishing sauce. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot pulled pork, root beer pulled pork, slow cooker pulled pork, easy pulled pork, BBQ pulled pork, pulled pork sandwich

Find it online: https://freshforkful.com/easy-crockpot-pulled-pork-with-root-beer-bbq-sauce/