Serves 8
495 min
Slow Cooker Dr Pepper Pulled Pork
Recipe GLPR28b446a2763f05
Tender, succulent pulled pork infused with the sweet and tangy flavor of Dr Pepper, simmered low and slow with caramelized onions, brown sugar, and warm spices. This crowd-pleasing main course features a complex glaze of BBQ sauce, soy sauce, honey, and mustard seeds that creates a rich, deeply flavorful meat perfect for sandwiches or served over rice.
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Ingredients
3 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon Ground black pepper, divided
3 pounds Boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
2 tablespoon Vegetable oil
2 Red onions, sliced
12 ounce Dr Pepper or cola-type soda, canned
⅓ cup Brown sugar
¼ cup BBQ sauce, any variety
3 tablespoon Soy sauce
2 tablespoon Honey
1 tablespoon Mustard seeds
¾ teaspoon Chili flakes, or to taste
1½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon Liquid smoke, optional
3 Garlic cloves, crushed
Directions
Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Season all sides generously with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches if needed, sear the pork on all sides until deeply browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a slow cooker.
Add the sliced red onions to the slow cooker around the pork.
In a bowl, whisk together the Dr Pepper, brown sugar, BBQ sauce, soy sauce, honey, mustard seeds, chili flakes, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke if using, crushed garlic, remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper until well combined.
Pour the Dr Pepper mixture over the pork and onions in the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the pork is extremely tender and falls apart easily with a fork.
Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding any excess fat.
Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and stir to coat evenly with the sauce and onions. Serve warm.
