Slow-cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This week I want to share some really good slow-cooker recipes. This is a new cooking method for me since I just recently purchased one.Slow-cookers (or Crock pots as they are commonly called) have been around for decades and many of my friends tell me they own one but never use it. Well, lately it seems the slow-cooker is experiencing somewhat of a revival. There are many new beautiful slow-cooker cookbooks out there and every major food magazine have run features on slow-cooking and offer many wonderful recipes.



At the start of the new year my work schedule changed to include working every Sunday. This made me think about how we would organize dinner on Sunday nights. My husband could cook of course, but his repertoire is limited, to say the least, and I dreaded the thought of always coming home to Domino's pizza or some other take out. So, I decided to give the slow-cooker a try. And so far I am very pleased. Every Sunday this month I have put a few veggies and some meat in the cooker before leaving for work, and upon my return I am greeted by the lovely smells of dinner cooking. It is fabulous! It is almost like magic! Yesterday I put a big piece of pork shoulder in the cooker in the morning and when I came home there was the most succulent fall- apart tender meat ready to be served. Magic!


My most favorite recipe so far is the barbecue pulled pork I made yesterday. I thought it was fantastic, and looking at how my kids (even my 5-year old) gobbled it up I would say it was a winner. 


Here is the simple recipe:

Barbecue pulled pork sandwiches
For the meat:
1 (3-4 lb) boneless pork shoulder, skin and excess fat removed
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water


For the sauce:
2-3 cups bottled or homemade barbecue sauce (I used Famous Dave's)
2-3 tablespoons mustard
2-3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste

Trim pork of any excess fat, but don't spend too much time on this, the fat slips of easily when cooked. Scatter the onions over the bottom of the slow cooker and place the pork on top. Add the broth, cover and cook on low until very tender, about 8 hours.

Remove meat and let cool slightly.Meanwhile, mix together the sauce ingredients. Drain all of the juices from the cooker but save the onions. Using two forks, pull meat into thin threads.

Return the pulled pork and onions to the slow cooker and stir in the sauce. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 45 minutes to an hour longer.
Serve on hamburger buns and sides of your choice.I suggest my coleslaw

Serves 6-8 well


Ps. Have napkins or paper towels close by!
(And by the way, the hamburger buns are homemade too!Click here for the recipe)


Recipe adapted from All You, 2007