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    Home » By Ingredient » Pork » Smoked Pulled Pork – Finish with Slow Cooker

    Smoked Pulled Pork – Finish with Slow Cooker

    Posted on July 7, 2021 By Beth Neels

    224 shares
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    Smoked pulled pork finished in the slow cooker Pinterest image with text overlay.
    Smoked pulled pork finished in the slow cooker Pinterest image with text overlay.
    Smoked pulled pork finished in the slow cooker Pinterest image with text overlay.

    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.

    Smoked Pulled pork sandwiches on white plates, topped with cole slaw
    Smoked Pulled Pork

    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!

    pulled pork sandwiches topped with cole slaw

    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.

    chunk of pork with salt and pepper added

    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

    chunk of pork with salt and pepper added
    1. Salt & black pepper the roast on all sides.
    pork roast with dry rub added

    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.

    rubbed pork on grill protected by a piece of aluminum foil draped over the side

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

    pork that has finished smoking

    Cook for about one hour per pound. Internal temperature of meat should be about 170°-180°F for the most tender pork.

    Finishing Smoked Pulled Pork in the Crockpot

    Pork roast in slow cooker with fork pulling the meat apart

    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 4-6 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. Internal temperature should be 195°F-205°F.

    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.

    Pork roast pulled apart on bamboo cutting board.

    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!

    pulled pork sandwiches topped with cole slaw on white plate with blue trim on a barnwood base

    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!

    pulled pork sandwiches topped with cole slaw on white plate with blue trim on a barnwood base

    Tools I Use

    Contains affiliate links, for full disclosure, see FTC Disclosure, here.

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

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    If you have any questions or comments, please ask in comment section below. We’d love to hear from you!

    I hope you enjoyed the recipe today!

    Enjoy. And have fun cooking!

    Binky's signature
    Pulled pork sandwiches topped with coleslaw on hard rolls.

    Smoked Pulled Pork – Finished 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!
    See Step by Step Photos Above!Most of our recipes have step by step photos and videos! Also helpful tips so that you can make it perfectly the first time and every time! Scroll up to see them!
    4.93 from 14 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: entree, Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 16 hours
    Inactive time: 15 hours 40 minutes
    Total Time: 16 hours 15 minutes
    Servings: 20 servings
    Calories: 209kcal
    Author: Beth Neels
    Cost: $7

    Ingredients

    • 7 lbs pork shoulder or pork butt roast, mine was 7 lbs.
    • salt & pepper
    • 1 recipe dry rub, or use your favorite store bought pork rub link for recipe below
    • spritzer bottle with a mixture of 2 parts apple cider vinegar and 1 part oil
    • wood chips for smoking
    • your favorite BBQ sauce to finish

    Instructions

    • Rub roast with salt and pepper. Then rub in the dry rub.
    • Set up grill. Add a metal container filled with water to the side of the grill that will be lit. In another metal container, place soaked pieces of wood. You can purchase hickory, mesquite and lots of other varieties. I use apple or cherry from my property.
    • Get the grill temp set to about 225°F. Add pork roast to the side of the grill that is not lit. (indirect grilling) Protect the edge closer to the burners that are lit with a piece of tin foil.
    • Mix 2 parts vinegar and 1 part oil in a clean spritzer bottle.
    • Spray with the spritzer well every hour, or so. Check temperature when it starts looking done. Internal temp should be 170° to 180°F. Let cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
    • Place roast in slow cooker the next day. Trim of any large fat strips off. You can add BBQ sauce, or sauce to the pork when it is pulled. Depending on the size of the roast, It should take 4-6 hours to finish in the slow cooker. Internal temperature should be 195°F-205°F.
    crockpot, 6 qt
    grill-gas/ smoker
    wood chips for smoking
    See all of my favorite tools and gift ideas on my New Amazon Store!Check out Binky’s Amazon Store!

    Video

    Notes

    Spritzing the pork every hour or so, adds great flavor and keeps the pork nice and moist.
    If you have a smoker, follow about instructions but place meat in your smoker.
    Allowing the meat to thoroughly cool will improve texture of the finished product. 
    Pork should register 195-205°F, after cooking in slow cooker. Pork can be cooked to 170-180°F in the smoker.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 209kcal | Protein: 29g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 103mg | Potassium: 538mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1.9mg
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    This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you click the link and purchase something, at no additional cost to you. See FTC Disclosure, here.

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    224 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. speppers69

      August 09, 2022 at 9:54 pm

      The part above has some inconsistencies from the recipe below and notes.
      Above it says to spritz with 1 part apple cider vinegar to 2 parts oil. Below in recipe it says 75% ACV to 25% oil…or 3 parts ACV to 1 part oil.
      Above it says 4-5 hours in slow cooker. Mid way down says 6-8 hours. Then in recipe it doesn’t have a time for slow cooker.
      Above it says to grill until internal temp of 195-205. In the notes below it says for smoker 170-180 and then 195-215 in slow cooker.

      Which ratio, time and temperatures are the right ones? Can’t wait to try it.

      Reply
      • Beth Neels

        August 10, 2022 at 2:54 pm

        Thanks for pointing this out. I’ll have the editorial team fix that!

        Reply
    2. R

      October 31, 2019 at 10:35 am

      5 stars
      looks sweet. gonna try this for deer camp. bradley smoker then the crock pot.

      Reply
      • Beth Neels

        November 01, 2019 at 10:36 am

        I actually have crockpotted venison recipe on BCC too! It’s awesome! Let me know how yours goes!

        Reply
    3. GARY

      December 28, 2018 at 10:42 pm

      4 stars
      I smoke mine for 2 hours early in the morning and then finish in slow cooker to have it done by dinner. Looks great, nice pictures!

      Reply
      • Binky

        December 29, 2018 at 10:36 am

        Thanks Gary! I really appreciate the comment! Happy New Year!

        Reply
    4. Brian Jones

      June 13, 2018 at 2:28 am

      5 stars
      That sounds delicious, but I have to make this because I have an experiment to try with the skin. I want to save it, scrape off the fat and dehydrate it, then deep fry it to make puffed crackling 😀 An extra treat from yummy pulled pork 😀

      Reply
      • Binky

        June 13, 2018 at 9:20 am

        That sounds like fun. Let me know how it goes! My doggies enjoy it! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Catherine Brown

      June 12, 2018 at 7:52 pm

      5 stars
      Best of both worlds: smokey plus low ‘n slow. My eyes were totally drawn to those gorgeous peonies though… DANG! I hope those came from your garden! 🙂

      Reply
      • Binky

        June 13, 2018 at 9:22 am

        They did. Of course the point of food photography is to draw the readers eye to the food! 🙂 I know they are distracting! I just couldn’t resist using them, they are so huge and gorgeous! Thanks, Catherine!

        Reply
    6. Amanda

      June 12, 2018 at 3:35 pm

      5 stars
      Looks like a recipe my dad would like. Love the coleslaw with it!

      Reply
      • Binky

        June 12, 2018 at 5:51 pm

        I love coleslaw for the top of pulled pork sandwiches! Thanks Amanda!

        Reply
    7. Loyola

      June 12, 2018 at 1:52 pm

      5 stars
      OMG this pulled pork looks super yummy. Will have to try this recipe.

      Reply
      • Binky

        June 12, 2018 at 2:07 pm

        Thanks so much, Loyola! I appreciate your comment!

        Reply
    8. Rebecca | Let's Eat Cake

      June 12, 2018 at 12:41 pm

      5 stars
      This pulled pork looks fantastic – I would imagine it would be great on pizza too!

      Reply
      • Binky

        June 12, 2018 at 2:07 pm

        I haven’t done a pulled pork pizza! Awesome idea!! Thanks Rebecca!

        Reply
    9. Heidy L. McCallum

      June 12, 2018 at 12:19 pm

      5 stars
      Smoked pulled pork is one of my favorites, this recipe looks amazingly easy to follow too.

      Reply
      • Binky

        June 12, 2018 at 12:32 pm

        Thanks Heidy! It’s super easy. For sure!

        Reply
    10. Kristina

      June 12, 2018 at 12:01 pm

      5 stars
      This is great for the weekend! I love pork very much and this looks great!

      Reply
      • Binky

        June 12, 2018 at 12:32 pm

        It really is great! Great for all those wonderful Dads out there!

        Reply
    11. Kristen

      June 12, 2018 at 11:42 am

      5 stars
      What a great idea to finish in the slow cooker. I love a good pork butt and I think my husband would like to try his hand at this recipe!

      Reply
      • Binky

        June 12, 2018 at 12:25 pm

        It is really super easy as the grill and the slow cooker do all of the work!

        Reply
    12. Shanika

      June 12, 2018 at 11:41 am

      5 stars
      Wow, this pulled pork looks so flavorful! I would definitely enjoy this sandwich!

      Reply
      • Binky

        June 12, 2018 at 12:24 pm

        It is super tender and juicy! Thanks, Shanika!

        Reply
    13. Katie

      June 12, 2018 at 10:44 am

      This is a brilliant idea! My dad loves smoked meats and a slow cooker finish would be great for me so I can have time for other recipes too

      Reply
      • Binky

        June 12, 2018 at 12:23 pm

        It frees you up to do all of the sides! Thanks for your comment, Katie!

        Reply
    14. John

      June 08, 2018 at 3:37 pm

      5 stars
      This is very interesting that you warm it again in the slow cooker! That must really keep it nice and moist!

      Reply
      • Binky

        June 08, 2018 at 4:14 pm

        It really does make it moist! Thanks for your comment, John!

        Reply

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    photo of Beth Neels aka Binky

    Welcome! Thanks for stopping by! I am Beth "Binky" Neels, wife, mother of 2 boys and 3 dogs! I will impart tips and tricks I have learned over the years, to make cooking easier and fun for you!

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