Apple Cider Crockpot Pulled Pork
This crockpot pulled pork is fall-apart tender and perfect for fall dinners! It has deep molasses and apple flavors with an easy homemade BBQ sauce and spice rub.
It may feel a bit early to share crockpot dinners, but I have a lot to share! When it was so hot this past August, I did a lot of recipe testing with my crockpot for fall and winter recipes. This apple cider pulled pork turned out beautifully, and I’m so excited to share it with you!
This is the type of recipe that makes the house smell amazing when you’re at work. It’s a great weeknight meal option that’s hearty, satisfying and actually pretty versatile! Use it on sandwiches with slaw, on nachos, or pile it on top of creamy mashed potatoes or braised cabbage.
This crockpot pulled pork is a dish that can either feed a crowd or make plenty of leftovers for your family to enjoy throughout the week.
Recipe Substitutions and Additions
This is a versatile recipe and there are plenty of ingredient substitutions you can make to best use what you already have at home. Here are a few suggestions:
- Pork butt (pork shoulder) is the best cut of meat for this recipe. I prefer using a boneless pork shoulder, but you can also use bone-in if that’s what you have.
- Instead of light brown sugar, use dark brown sugar or white sugar.
- If you don’t have smoked paprika, don’t worry! Regular paprika is fine.
- No apple cider? Just use apple juice with a teaspoon of cinnamon added. You can also use cola.
- Instead of apple cider vinegar, white vinegar can be used. Don’t skip the vinegar! It really helps add a nice balance to the richness of the meat and sweetness of the apple cider.
- Ketchup is a great substitute for red chili sauce.
- Instead of maple syrup, use honey or molasses.
- You can absolutely just use store bought sauce instead of making the homemade option below. But I would recommend looking for an option with brown sugar as a primary ingredient (not corn syrup). Smoked flavors are also very good with this pork recipe!
Serving Suggestions
This crockpot pulled pork is wonderful on a pork sandwich topped with coleslaw! You could try my old-fashioned vinegar slaw or my apple slaw on top.
Or try it on top of BBQ pulled pork nachos or German red cabbage with a refreshing apple cider martini or apple cider mimosa! For the ultimate comfort food, use it in pulled pork mac and cheese!
For dessert, I think this Pumpkin Dump Cake and Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars would pair perfectly.
Storing Leftovers
If you have leftover apple cider pulled pork, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days when stored properly, or the freezer for up to 6 months.
Allow the meat to cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container or resealable bag with as much of the air pressed out as possible.
To reheat, bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, covered. You can also microwave for 2-3 minutes covered with a wet paper towel. If the pork dries out, add a splash of chicken broth before reheating to help it stay moist.
I hope that you love this slow cooker pulled pork as much as my family does! if you make it, let me know how it went for you in the comments below.
Apple Cider Crockpot Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork shoulder, boneless, preferably
- ½ cup apple cider
For the dry rub:
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
For the sauce:
- ½ cup apple cider
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup chili sauce, like Heinz
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic, minced or 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Equipment
- Pulled Pork Shredder Claws makes shredding the pork so easy!
Instructions
- Make the rub. In a small bowl, combine the light brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and onion powder.
- Rub it into the meat. Place the pork shoulder in your crockpot, fat side up, and rub the dry rub into the meat. Carefully pour ½ cup of apple cider around the meat.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours. I recommend cooking low and slow for the most tender pulled pork.
- Make the sauce. While the meat is cooking, make the sauce. In a medium bowl, stir together the apple cider, vinegar, red chili sauce, tomato paste, maple syrup, smoked paprika, roasted minced garlic, and black pepper until well combined and smooth. Cover and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
- Shred. Once the meat is cooked to an internal temperature of about 200 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s ready to shred. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Use forks or a shredding tool to shred the pork in the crockpot, discarding excess fat, and then allowing the pork shreds to rest with the juices released during cooking. If you think there’s too much liquid in the crock pot, you can drain a bit of it before adding the sauce.
- Add the sauce. Stir well and add half of the sauce, continuing to add more until you achieve the consistency you prefer. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.
- Serve. Serve warm with buns or on its own.
