Dr. Pepper pulled pork is incredibly moist, tender and delicious, and beyond easy to make in a crockpot!
You will be amazed at how much flavor a can of Dr. Pepper adds to pork. Not only that, but the sugars in the cola help to tenderize the slow cooker pulled pork, making it fall-apart tender.
We have the same results with our coca cola cake recipe. That is one incredibly moist cake!
If you tailgate or have a lot of summer cookouts, this slow cooker pulled pork is a must-make. It feeds a huge crowd, yet we never have any leftovers. It's one of our most popular game day recipes.
Last night Chad asked me to make my pork for this weekend. So, I decided to share it with you so you can experience the best crockpot pulled pork sandwiches too.
Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork
Chad is from Iowa, and he calls this the best pulled pork ever. That is a ringing endorsement! Loaded with flavor from a homemade barbecue sauce and Dr. Pepper. Dr. Pepper? Yep.
How good is it? So good that when I make it this weekend, I won't change a thing! For real.
The best part is that the slow cooker does all of the hard work for you, so you can spend more time enjoying your guests or making side dishes to go with it.
We always make Southern style macaroni salad, a big batch of slow cooker baked beans, and some creamy cucumber salad.
Ingredient Notes
- BBQ Sauce- Try our Kansas City Barbecue sauce. It is divine in this recipe!
- Dr. Pepper - You can use a generic brand, or swap out the DP and use root beer or Coca Cola if you prefer. Just be sure to use a dark cola with sugar in it. Sugar-free pop won't give you the same results.
Best Pork for Pulled Pork
Any time you are slow cooking, it's important to use a cut of pork that has a good amount of fat and marbling. As it cooks, the fat will render down, creating moisture and lots of flavor in the pork.For our crockpot pulled pork recipe, we use boneless pork butt, also known as pork shoulder. Depending on where you live, it could also be labeled blade roast, shoulder roast, Boston butt, or picnic roast.
Tools You'll Need:
- Slow Cooker - the slow cooker is almost my most used kitchen gadget, especially during fall/winter! It's just so convenient, and lets face it, it makes comfort food taste even better!
Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork FAQ
- How long to cook pulled pork in the slow cooker?
On average a boneless pork shoulder weighs 4 to 5 pounds. If you're using a bone-in pork butt, it will likely weigh an average 6 to 8 pounds.
For a 4 to 5 pound boneless cut, expect a cooking time of 7 to 8 hours on Low heat, or 4 to 5 hours on High.
*Cooking on Low is recommended for the best tasting and most tender slow cooker pulled pork.
Bone-in pork butt can take up to two hours longer to cook.
Enjoy!
With love from our simple kitchen to yours.
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More of our favorite pulled meat slow cooker recipes:
See how easy this Dr. Pepper pulled pork is to make. Watch the video!
Yield: 12
Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork (Crockpot)
The Best Ever Simple Crockpot Pulled Pork Sandwiches are incredibly moist, tender and delicious. A simple recipe, loaded with flavor from a homemade barbecue sauce and Dr. Pepper. Dr. Pepper? Yep. You would never believe all the flavor that DP imparts into this pork.
Ingredients
- 5-pound pork butt, trimmed of visible fat
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 3 cups Dr Pepper
- 3 cups KC Style Barbecue Sauce, divided (or your favorite)
- 12 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted
- 12 pickle slices
Instructions
- Combine spices in a small bowl, mix well. Massage spice mix into pork and place in crockpot. Pour soda over pork. Cook on low 5-7 hours, until pork is tender and pulls apart easily.
- Drain completely, shred pork using 2 forks, add 2 cups barbecue sauce and cook on low for one hour. Serve on toasted bun with a pickle slice and more of the remaining 1 cup barbecue sauce.
- Enjoy!
Recipe developed by Donna Elick The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2013 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2013 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.
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Ur recipe calls for 3 cups of bbq sauce. However, in the cooking instructions it says to add only 2 cups?
ReplyDeleteHi Chris! The remaining cup is for topping the sandwiches when you serve it.
DeleteHope that helps. I really recommend using the KC BBQ Sauce found here http://www.theslowroasteditalian.blogspot.com/2012/08/kc-style-barbecue-sauce-kansas-city.html
Enjoy!
divided - 2 for cooking - the other cup for serving with the sandwiches
DeleteWhen do I put the crockpot in my smoker? ha ha ha just kidding
ReplyDeleteI put two pork butts (errr Boston Roast since all the pork names are changing now, thanks Guvment) on my Egg Friday night and I spent the next 14 hours keeping an eye on them, not sleeping. The crockpot is a reasonable option for people who aren't insane like me :)
First time I used my crockpot the glass lid shattered!! Thank god I was up!!
Deletecan you use something other than dr pepper? I don't drink that and hate to waste
ReplyDeleteMaple syrup or Cane Syrup is even better
DeleteGinger Ale
DeleteGinger Ale works great
DeleteYou can use Root Beer. Excellent.
DeleteI have seen another recipe that used Coke or Diet Coke.
ReplyDeletei think coke i better ...as it's natural sugar ..better then diet ,,which is chemicals ,,
DeleteMy opinion :)
A brown sugar and water mixture might work.
ReplyDeleteI've used GingerAle before because I didn't have Dr. Pepper. You can use any soda. I've seen recipes using orange soda even.
ReplyDeleteI am trying Pepsi. Just happened to have a can.
ReplyDeleteI am trying Pepsi. I just happened to have a can.
ReplyDeleteIs the pork roast used boneless?
ReplyDeleteI buy mine with bone if its cheaper and just cut it out.I also use the cheapest pork on sale like newyork shoulder roasts.Just cut the fat and bone and divide into what you want
DeleteWe use rootbeer and it is really good!
ReplyDeleteI live in Australia. It seems that most recipes ask for kosher salt. I can not find. what is it? reg salt?
ReplyDeleteBasically, it's just larger crystal salt.
DeleteOr sea salt
DeleteBasically, it's larger crystal salt
ReplyDeleteCan you use regular salt?
DeleteYes! Just substitute 3/4 teaspoon table salt for each 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Enjoy!
DeleteCan I just say "YUM"!!! Pinned it!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this recipe. I don't have a pulled pork in my database so I might as well start with the best. And perfect for football season. Pinned.
ReplyDeleteI've made this before and it is YUMMY. Also used with root beer. To the viewer who hates Dr. Pepper, I also hate the taste, but believe me, you do not taste Dr. Pepper in the finished product. Just YUMMINESS.
ReplyDeleteI got a Crock Pot for Christmas, I tried this recipe and it was fantastic, I used regular salt and pepper, and I used a regular Coke.
ReplyDeleteCan you use Diet pop?
ReplyDeleteCan you use diet pop?
ReplyDeleteCan you use diet pop?
ReplyDeleteI'm really not sure why pop needs to be added at all. I smoke pork butts regularly and mop them hourly with just apple juice.
ReplyDeleteThis looks so good!! We're all about pulled pork over here. Also wanted to say how much I love your branding. I always know when a recipe is yours just by the fonts you use on your photos. You're awesome! Alli @ Cupcake Diaries
ReplyDeleteCan you not use the BBQ sauce for the Jack Daniels recipe for the pork chops that yall shared Donna
ReplyDeleteDo you have a recipe for South Carolina style barbecue sauce? True pulled pork has this on it.
ReplyDeleteWow, this would be perfect for Memorial Day!
ReplyDeleteCn this be made in an instant pot pressure cooker?
ReplyDelete