top of page
PAT'S PULLED PORK RECIPE

Prep Time:

15 minutes

Total Time:

8 hours,

25 minutes

Cook Time:

7-8 hours

Additional Time:

10 minutes

Servings

24+ sliders,

about 12 people

Quick Note

One time when preparing the pork shoulder, I caught a chef's knife as it was sliding off my countertop and sliced my hand pretty good. Don't be an idiot like me: Never catch falling knives! (Unless you're in the circus.)

CAUTION: some profanity below

This recipe uses some language that may be unsuitable for younger readers/chefs. If your kid needs to cook this recipe for some reason, maybe translate it for them.

​

You've been warned.

Ingredients:

  • ½ pork shoulder/butt

  • Salt

  • Pepper

  • Garlic Powder

  • Sazon seasoning

            1 Tbsp. cumin

            1 Tbsp. garlic powder

            1 Tbsp. ground turmeric

            1 Tbsp. paprika

            1 Tbsp. dried oregano

            1 tsp. onion powder

  • Barbecue sauce (optional)

  • Two dozen burger sliders (optional)

Equipment: slow cooker, a pair of tongs, a cutting board, and two forks

​

Directions:

  1. Cut skin off pork shoulder, but don’t cut the fat off. Leave that shit alone. Also, it doesn’t matter if you use bone-in or boneless pork shoulder. I prefer bone-in, but it’s your life. Make your own choices like every other adult.

  2. Season the pork shoulder with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Use as much as you like, but keep the ratio at 50/50 for the salt and pepper. You can omit the garlic powder if you’re a reckless goon with no appreciation for the finer things in life. But I wouldn’t suggest it. Just use less if you gotta be difficult.

  3. Mix together the above ingredients to make your own sazon seasoning. This is my favorite combination, but you may hate it. You can substitute ground coriander for the turmeric or paprika, or another herb for oregano—that would be insane, but go for it if you don’t care about how your pulled pork comes out.

  4. Season your pork shoulder with the sazon seasoning you just made. Give it a nice thick coat and get into the grooves and flaps. Love it. Cradle it. But be gentle; this is a family recipe.

  5. Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker and cover. Cook on LOW. If you cook on high, I swear to God I’ll show up at your house, steal your pork shoulder, and feed it to the feral cats in Philly, because no human should have to eat that shit.

    1. Your cook time depends on the size. If the pork shoulder is under four pounds, I usually do 7-7.5 hours. More than four pounds will need 8 hours.

  6. Take the pork shoulder out of the slow cooker once it’s done and put it on a cutting board. You do not need to let it rest. If you have to let it rest for some reason, leave it for no more than 20 minutes or else it’ll dry out like a grandpa in the Sahara.

  7. Clean the bones and any other hard substances out of the slow cooker. A lot of fat will have rendered during the last eight hours. Leave it in there! That’s the good stuff.

  8. Use two forks to shred the pork, and throw that into the slow cooker. Every once in a while, mix the shredded pork with the juices. Make sure every piece gets some lovin’.

  9. Once you’ve gone through all your useable pieces, throw the scraps out or feed them to your turtle to see how she reacts.

  10. If you want pulled pork sliders, cut the buns in half and pile on as much pulled pork as you’d like. Top with your favorite barbecue sauce. This recipe serves around 24 sliders—fewer if you’re a savage.

© 2023 by Devour NJ

Devour NJ and its authors are not responsible for the quality or end result of your food. If your meal comes out badly, it's your own fault.

Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase the risk of foodborne illness.

bottom of page