BBQ Pulled Pork is cooked in the slow cooker, with only 7 ingredients, for an easy recipe with almost no prep work that is perfect for pulled pork sandwiches, nachos, salads, and more!
I found a love for bbq pulled pork back when I worked at Legend’s Grille, a sports grill on BYU campus where I went to college. This bbq pulled pork is cooked in the slow cooker, where at Legend’s we smoked the meat, but it still has perfect fall apart, tender, flavorful pork, and it even has some of that smokey flavor thanks to this delicious mesquite seasoning you add in to the mix.
You only need a few ingredients, seven in fact, which includes water. Rootbeer gives the pork a sweet taste, and the sweet mesquite seasoning (which I’ve used Kirkland signature brand, but McCormick and other brands have some too!) gives it a bit of a smokey taste. Coat it in your favorite barbecue sauce, and you’re pork is so juicy and gooooood.
The pork is cooked almost all day long in your crock pot, 8 hours for best results, as it soaks in the delicious sweet smokey flavors. Then you’ll drain out the juices and shred it up. Add some bbq sauce and use it in any of your favorite recipes, on top of some yummy rolls, on a tasty salad, over some crunchy nachos and cheese, you name it. Its an easy meal, and it’s delicious.
Its perfect for a summer picnic, paired with some grilled corn on the cob, or baked beans, or a pasta salad. Don’t forget the fresh watermelon, and raspberry lemonade!
BBQ Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs boneless pork roast (pork shoulder, pork tenderloin, pork butt, etc)
- 2 cups water
- 12 oz rootbeer (1 can)
- 1 TBS pork or beef bouillon
- 1 TBS minced garlic
- 1/4 cup sweet mesquite seasoning
- 1-2 cups barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Combine water, root beer, beef bouillon, minced garlic and sweet mesquite seasoning in a medium sized bowl. Stir to combine.
- Put pork in your crock pot and pour liquid mixture over the top.
- Cook in your crock pot on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours.
- Drain the liquid from your crock pot. Remove excess fat from the sides of pork roast.
- Shred pork using 2 forks.
- Add desired amount of bbq sauce to the pork and stir.
- Serve bbq pork on sandwiches, salad, nachos, etc.
- Leftover pork can be stored in the fridge, in a sealed container for 4-5 days.
Recipe first published on June 18, 2013. Photos and text updated on May 14, 2018.
Melissa says
I’m not too keen on marbled meat. What cut of pork has the least amount of marbling but yet is still very tasty?
Aimee says
Hi Melissa, pork isn’t typically marbled as say a beef cut of meat, but a pork roast like called for will definitely have more fat throughout, but that’s what helps keep the meat really tender and helps it pull apart so well after cooking in the slow cooker. But you could try a pork tenderloin, as that isn’t usually too fatty and should still be yummy!
Melissa says
Is the pork or beef bouillon a powder, cube or liquid?
Aimee says
You can use any bouillon, I like Better Than Bouillon which is like a paste.
Ellen says
I made these today and shared with the whole family, several went back for second, and were saying these are delicious.
Scott says
Super easy and super delicious! I can not wait to make again! Lots of compliments! Yummmmy!
Sarah says
I cannot find the Kirklands sweet mesquite seasoning and in fact I can’t find any sweet mesquite seasoning. Is there anything else I could use instead?
Aimee Berrett says
Sorry Sarah, maybe they don’t sell that kind at Costco anymore. McCormick also has Mesquite seasoning, and you should be able to find that at some place like Target, or Walmart. But if you can’t find anything, I’d just leave it out and add just a little bit of salt. The bbq sauce, root beer and bouillon should give the pork a nice flavor still (even without it)
Brittany says
I know this post is a little old but i just happened to stumble upon it. Your version of a cuban sandwich sounds amazing. Is that something that could be used with this pulled pork recipe? By simply just adding the cheese and grilling a thick piece of ham?
Aimee Berrett says
This pork will have bbq sauce mixed in, where the pork on my cuban sandwich was just smoked and then topped with bbq sauce. So this one might have a stronger bbq flavor, but if you don’t add the extra bbq in the end and just do the cheese and ham, I liked lettuce on it too, then I think it would taste delicious! Let me know if you try it!
Marianne VanWulfen says
The answer to my question maybe so obvious I am embarrassed to ask but……is the BBQ sauce added to the “liquids” and poured over pork with water, etc.?
Aimee Berrett says
Sorry for not clarifying what to do with the BBQ sometimes I type a recipe quickly and forget to double check it. I edited the recipe accordingly, but you add the bbq sauce after the pork is all cooked and shredded.
hi says
how many sandwiches does it make
aimeeberrett says
It really depends how big of sandwiches you are making. If you are putting them on small hawaiian rolls or if you are putting them on big hamburger buns the number will be very different. I think it probably made at least 20
Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later! says
I love the little buns that you used 🙂 Cute! Thanks for sharing at Sweet & Savory Saturdays #18!
~Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later!
Ali says
Do you taste the rootbeer once cooked?
aimeeberrett says
I can’t taste the rootbeer when its cooked at all. I’ve tried some recipes where you only add rootbeer and nothing else and I didn’t like the strong rootbeer flavor, but with the bouillon and water it mellows the flavor out a lot, just how I like it.
If you aren’t a fan of rootbeer you could always try coke or dr. pepper instead, but like I said the flavor is very subtle.
Mama Mouse says
Next time I am trying rootbeer while cooking it for sure!
Mama Mouse says
hey we both made bbq pork yesterday haha http://mamamousesays.com/2013/06/20/pulled-pork-sammie-granny-smith-slaw/