Looking for a flavor packed shredded pork recipe that is not only easy, but also is perfect for everything from tacos to rice and beans, nachos to pulled pork sandwiches? This is it. The combination of spices gives you a deep, rich flavor is wonderful on it’s own but also pairs perfectly with salsas and BBQ sauces. Have a busy lifestyle? No worries, this pork is perfect for making and freezing in individual portions so even on those hectic days you can come home, reheat, and make yourself a stress free delicious meal in no time. I love using this pork in beans and rice or quesadillas when I need something satisfying and easy for a quick meal.
I also enjoy that this recipe makes a delicious sauce to go with the pork. I like portioning the pork to make sure each is stored with the cooking liquid to not only keep the pork moist, but it also flavors the overall dish. I love making taco bowls with this pork and the liquid is incredible over rice! It takes a delicious meal to a whole new level of amazing.
The slow cooker is the hero in this recipe, taking a normally tough piece of pork butt (but don’t we love the price point?) and making it so full of flavor and fork tender. There are a few steps before adding everything to the slow cooker that I would strongly suggest following because they will help add to the depth of flavor that your pork will have. I brown the pork well first before adding to the slow cooker as this adds flavor to the pork and the sauce and also helps enhance the flavor of the spice rub. I also blend the sauce ingredients well, then cook for just a few minutes to make sure everything is well incorporated. I’ve made this dish several times without these steps and while it’s still delicious, it simply does not compare to the final taste of this pork. So while it may seem like a lot of unnecessary steps, I would highly recommend giving it a try.
Pulled Pork Meal Ideas:
So now that we have the perfect slow cooker pork butt recipe, how can you use it? This pork comes out of the slow cooker perfect to use right away but if your dish needs a little extra texture, you can use 1 tsp oil per portion of pork to crisp it up for tostadas or to give some texture on nachos. Simply heat the oil and add the pork, cooking until liquid evaporates and the edges of the pork crisp up, about 5 minutes. So so good!
Here’s a few ideas of our favorite way to use this amazing shredded pork:
- BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich with Pickled Onions & Jalapenos
- Pork with Black Beans & Rice
- Pork Egg Rolls
- Pork Burritos
- Pork Mac n’ Cheese
- Pork Nachos
- Pork Lettuce Wraps
- Pork Tostada
- Spicy Pork Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
- Pork Ragu
- BBQ Pork or Pork & Pineapple Pizza
- Pork Fajitas
- Pork Taquitos
- Pork Shepherd’s Pie
- Pork Tamales
- Pork Stuffed Avocados
- Pork Stuffed Peppers or Tomatoes with Rice
- Pork & Caramelized Onion Quesadilla
You are really only limited by your imagination! This pork is perfect to pair with leftovers or when your trying to make a great meal with items in your pantry when you haven’t had time to go grocery shopping. Enjoy everyone!
Ingredients
Pork & Spice Rub
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- 5 lbs Boston pork butt boneless
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Slow Cooker Sauce
- 8 cloves garlic
- 7.5 oz can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce any stems removed
- 8 oz white onion about 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 1½ tbsp brown sugar
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 ind cinnamon stick
Instructions
Pork & Spice Rub
- In a small bowl, mix pepper, thyme, cumin, salt, and allspice together and set aside.
- Clean any excess fat off of pork butt. Pork butt is a high fat cut of pork so you don't need to get it all, just large pockets of fat off the outside of the pork. Then cut pork into quarters and rub spice mix evenly into the pork pieces.
- Heat olive oil in a medium sized fry pain and brown all sides of the meat, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove pork and place in slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Sauce
- Add garlic and onion into fry pan and cook in leftover oil from the pork. Let soften and brown slightly. Add brown sugar and let it coat the vegetables, cooking for an addition 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently so the sugar doesn't burn. De-glaze the pan with the chicken stock, gently scraping the sides to get any bits off the sides of the pan then turn off the heat.
- Add vegetable mixture with broth into a blender and add chipotle peppers. Blend until a smooth sauce. Add sauce back into fry pan and heat until it starts gently simmering. Let simmer, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes, then remove from heat and pour over pork.
- Add cinnamon stick to slow cooker and cook over high heat for 3½-4 hours, until pork is tender and falls apart easily. Transfer to a large plate or bowl to cool for about 15 minutes so you can easily handle the pork.
- While the pork was cooking, it rendered fat into the sauce, leaving a layer of excess fat on the top of the sauce. Using a ladle, carefully remove as much as you can from the surface of the sauce until there is only about ⅛ inch left on the surface (this small amount adds flavor without the sauce becoming greasy). Shred pork and add back into the sauce. Add red wine vinegar and mix well. Enjoy!
