This Zesty Crock Pot BBQ Pulled Pork is the perfect recipe for a weeknight dinner or to feed a crowd! It is simple, delicious, and the slow cooker handles all the hard work.
Season pork shoulder with salt, pepper, and garlic on all sides.
Set pork in the crock pot. Pour 1 cup barbecue sauce, Italian Dressing, salt, and peppers over the top of the roast.
Cover and set to cook on low for 8 hours. Once done, remove the roast, cover with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes. Drain the juice from the slow cooker into a bowl, and remove the fat from the top with a fat separator or by chilling then spooning it from the top, then set aside.
Use forks and a carving knife, or insulated food gloves to pull the meat from the bones, discarding any fatty or undesirable pieces.
Once the meat is pulled, mix it with 1.5 cups of juices and the remaining 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce. You can add more juice or barbecue sauce as desired.
Notes
The red pepper flakes in this recipe are optional. If you like a small bit of spice, you can add up to 1 tbsp, or more depending on the level of heat you like, or leave it out all together if you want it more traditionalThe pork can be cooked longer than 8 hours in the slow cooker if desired. This will continue to tenderize the meat. I do not recommend cooking for a shorter amount of time since this is a fattier cut of meat, it takes a longer time to break down the tissue and get it really tenderPull the pork from the bone while the meat is still hot to make this process the easiest. Using thermal food gloves can help dramatically with this process since it will be HOT!