Dr Pepper Pulled Pork (Crockpot) + Video
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Dr Pepper Pulled Pork is incredibly moist, tender, and delicious. Even better, this scrumptious BBQ meal is beyond simple to make with this easy pulled pork crock pot recipe!!
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 crockpot pork, making it fall-apart tender.
Dr Pepper Pulled Pork
If you tailgate or have a lot of summer cookouts, this Dr Pepper pulled pork crock pot recipe 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.
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 your Dr Pepper pulled pork.
We always make Southern style macaroni salad, a big batch of slow cooker baked beans, and some creamy cucumber salad.
Ingredient Notes and Swaps
- 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 Dr. Pepper 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. - Spices – A simple blend of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, plus salt and pepper are all you need to make flavorful Dr pepper pulled pork in the crock pot.
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 pork crock pot recipes, 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.
Crockpot Pork Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Don’t over-shred. The smaller the pieces, the faster they will dry out!
Gently shred into smaller chunks before smothering in the sauce, then shred further as needed before serving. - Keep it moist. If you transfer your Dr Pepper pulled pork to a serving tray, ladle some of the slow cooker liquid over the top.
- Toast buns for serving. You can brush them with a little butter as well.
This creates a lovely contrast in texture between the crispy bun and the tender crockpot pork.
Tools You’ll Need
- Slow Cooker – The slow cooker is almost my most used kitchen gadget, especially during fall/winter!
It’s so convenient, and let’s face it — it makes comfort food taste even better!
Pork Crock Pot Recipes FAQ
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 of 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. Bone-in pork butt can take up to two hours longer to cook.
While you certainly can, it doesn’t make much of a difference in the end results.
Skipping this step saves you the extra dishes, making this one easy pulled pork crock pot recipe!
Dr Pepper pulled pork is best served right away, when it is most tender and juicy.
That said, leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
Pro Tip
Cooking on Low is recommended for pork crock pot recipes to get the best-tasting and most tender meat.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Pulled Meat Recipes
Dr Pepper Pulled Pork (Crockpot) + Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 pounds pork butt, trimmed of visible fat
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 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!
Video
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published April 2013. Updated and republished May 2023
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I have made this recipe many times for work potlucks. It is always a hit and everyone always asks for the recipe!
Made this on a UTV trip in West Virginia. Let it cook in a crockpot all day. Whipped it up for our crew of 12 and everyone loved it!!