Smoked Pulled Pork – Finish with Slow Cooker

Dad will thoroughly enjoy this smoked pulled pork. It is so much more flavorful than just throwing the pork in the crockpot.

Best part? You don’t need a smoker to do it. You can even do it with same process in the oven, if it’s raining.

It takes a bit of time to put this together but it is so well worth it!

If you would like to see how to smoke a pork butt, check out this post. I usually smoke the pork one day. Refrigerate it overnight.

Then remove the large layer of fat and pop it in the slow cooker on high for 4-5 hours the day you want to serve it.

The meat just falls apart. You will love it!

This Pulled Pork is so delicious that we make it a few times per year!

Even in the middle of winter, we will do it in the oven. It makes you think of warmer times and summer BBQ’s.

Which cuts of meat to use

We find the best cut of pork to use are a pork butt or pork shoulder. They are both nicely marbled with fat and produce the juiciest pork. Pork butt has a large fat cap on top. After smoking, remove that cap before proceeding with the slow cooking.

The reason it takes 4-5 hours is that the slow cooker takes a while to get it up to temperature after being in the refrigerator overnight.

What you need

• pork shoulder or pork butt
• dry rub for pork
• wood for smoking

How to Cook Smoked Pulled Pork on the Grill

1. Salt & black pepper the roast on all sides.

2. Apply dry rub to the outside of the roast on all sides. If you do this the day before you smoke the pork, the flavor will be better. Just liberally apply rub. Place in the refrigerator overnight.

Our dry rub is a bit sweet and a bit spicy. It has brown sugar for sweetness, chili powder or cayenne pepper for the heat. Cumin for earthy flavor and garlic powder, onion powder and paprika for depth.

In the morning, remove pork from refrigerator and let come to room temperature for 30-60 minutes.

3. Start grill on one side. Place soaked wood in a container or piece of tin foil. (I usually use apple or cherry, because that is what I have around. You can buy hickory or mesquite or oak at most home stores.)

Add a separate metal container with water in it, above the fire. Place roast on grill on the side that is not lit, with a piece of tin foil protecting the side of the roast from burning.

Spritz the roast with a mixture of vinegar and oil. 1 part apple cider vinegar to 2 parts oil. Monitor the temperature of the grill with lid closed. You want the temperature to be at about 225°F.

1. Cook for about one hour per pound. Internal temperature of meat should be about 195°-205°F for the most tender pork.

Finishing Smoked Pulled Pork in the Crockpot

Cool. Cover and then refrigerate overnight. Remove the fat layer, if there is a large one. Put roast in the slow cooker with your favorite barbecue sauce, or like me, a few tablespoons of water, so that people can pick from a variety of BBQ sauces, like this Cherry BBQ Sauce, or blueberry BBQ sauce coming soon to BCC.

Cook on high about 6-8 hours. Twist with a large fork to determine if it will pull easily. It should break apart easily. If not, leave it a while longer.

Types of Smokers and Grills good for Pulled Pork

There are many types of appliances that you can use to smoke meats. The appliance that is the eaiest, less hands on time is an electric smoker! This is one of our favorite smokers.

We have also owned a charcoal smoker, like this one.

There are smokers that run on propane, which we find very handy

Combination smoker/ grills are money savers, as well as space savers, for smaller properties. This smoker/ grill is a charcoal burner.

Here is gas burning smoker/ grill combination. They even make a pellet combination, that would be fun to try.

Don’t forget though, you can even use your regular grill or the oven, if you don’t want to go out in the winter.

What to do with pulled pork

• Make pulled pork sandwiches on hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls. Serve with a side of coleslaw or top sandwich the the slaw.
• Great on tacos, burritos, enchiladas, nachos and the like.
• Perfect for freezer meals. Add leftovers to an airtight container or bag. Store in servings large enough to make a meal for your family. Pull some out any time you need a quick meal.

This recipe makes the most tender juicy pulled pork on the planet!

This is not a quick recipe, but so well worth the time! The flavor that the smoking imparts is worth every second!

Although this pulled pork takes a couple days to reach peak flavor, there is next to no hands on time.

Your grill, smoker or the oven will do all of the smoking work and the crock pot will finish it off to tender, juicy perfection!

Tools I Use

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• Pellet Combination Smoker
• Gas Burning Smoker/ Grill
• Charcoal Burning Smoker/ Grill
• Electric Smoker
• Charcoal Smoker
• 6 qt crockpot

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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today!

Enjoy. And have fun cooking!

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