Dr Pepper Pulled Pork in the Crock Pot is as easy as it gets! It's a delicious "set it and forget it" recipe and makes pulled pork perfect for game day, get togethers or weeknight meals!
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Pulled pork is the ultimate “cook once, eat twice” meal and this Crock Pot Dr Pepper Pulled Pork is no exception! I always love a good pulled pork sandwich, but with the leftover meat, it’s great as a pizza topping, a quesadilla ingredient, in casseroles and so much more!
Grab a pork roast and the remaining ingredients are likely ones you already have. This recipe will give you a delicious, juicy shredded pork perfect for sandwiches and beyond. Set it, forget it, and return home to juicy, tender pulled pork!
Ingredients Needed
- Pork Shoulder (or a pork butt)
- Seasoned Salt (or your favorite pork rub)
- A Can of Soda (Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, Coke or Root Beer will be the best options)
- Barbeque Sauce (Homemade or bottled sauce will work great!)
What is the best cut of meat for pulled pork?
Pork shoulder or a pork butt (also known as a Boston butt) is what I like to use. These cuts tend to have just the right amount of fat. The slow cooking method will break down the proteins and result in that juicy, tender pulled pork you're wanting!
How do you make Dr Pepper Pulled Pork in the Crock Pot?
Ladies and gents.....it's super duper easy! I promise. If you've got a Crock Pot (well, any brand of a slow cooker) and a few minutes to get the meat prepped, you're set!
- Rub the pork with seasoned salt or your favorite pork rub and place in Crock Pot.
- Add the soda. (I like to pour most of it down the side of the pot, so it doesn't rub all the seasoning off)
- Cook on low for 8 hours or until fork tender.
- Shred the pork and remove all the liquid from the Crock Pot except for 1 ½ cups.
- Add the pork and some BBQ sauce to the liquid, stir and serve!
How do you know when pulled pork is done?
I say "8 hours" on low in the instructions, but it really does depend on the brand, size and model of your slow cooker. There are two things that help determine when the pork is done. First, it should be easy to remove the meat from the bone. And second, the meat should pretty easily shred with two forks.
Are you thinking to yourself.... "Well, I thought pork just had to be cooked to 145F?" True. It would be safe to eat at 145F, however, a roast is naturally a tougher cut of meat, so it takes more time and typically more heat. Therefore, I don't focus as much on temperature for pulled pork....more on the texture.
*The National Pork Board website is a great resource on how to properly cook different cuts of pork - I highly recommend taking a peek at it!
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Dr Pepper Pulled Pork in the Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 1 4-5 lb bone-in pork shoulder
- seasoned salt
- 1 12 oz can (or 1 ½ c) Dr Pepper soda (or root beer)
- BBQ sauce of choice
Instructions
- Rub seasoned salt over the entire pork shoulder.
- Place the pork into the Crock Pot and then add the soda.
- Place the lid on the Crock Pot and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours.
- Remove the pork to a pan and use two forks to shred the meat; discard the bone or any really fatty pieces.
- Remove all but 1 ½ cups of the juices in the Crock Pot and stir in the shredded pork.
- Add the barbeque sauce and stir. Serve right away or cook on low for an additional hour.
Karissa says
Delicious and so easy! The pork was tender and full of flavor, even without the bbq sauce. All 3 of my children asked for seconds. This will be a recipe in our family favorites.
Kelsey says
<3 Thank you, Karissa. Reviews like this keep me going!! Happy holidays to you and your sweet family!
Karen says
Can you use Diet Dr. Pepper? I am diabetic.
Kelsey says
Yes, that should be fine!! 🙂
Devon says
Can you cook it on high and cut the cooking time down? Or is this one of the slow is best recipes? I’m excited to try it out either way!
Kelsey says
Yes! Slow cookers vary SO much from one brand to another, but I would guess 4-5 hours on high would do the trick! 🙂
Hilary says
How many servings does this make? I’m having people over for a housewarming and want to be sure we have enough for 8 of us
Kelsey says
Yes! Especially if you'll be serving it on buns, it should be enough as long as your roast is 4+ pounds.
Hope that helps!! 🙂
-Kelsey
Kellie says
Can leftovers of this be frozen? If so would you freeze before or after adding the bbq sauce?
Kelsey says
Hi Kellie - You certainly can!! I prefer to add the sauce before freezing (as it helps prevent the meat from getting freezer burnt!). Hope that helps!! -Kelsey