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    Home » Slow Cooker

    Best Pulled Pork Recipe (69 cents/serving)

    Published: Jun 5, 2021 · Modified: Jul 30, 2021 by Jessica Fisher

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    Looking for a simple yet flavorful way to cook pork? This slow cooker pulled pork combines a homemade rub with a cheap cut of pork, a pork butt, and cooks it slowly in the Crock-pot for the best pulled pork recipe you ever tasted.

    Versatile and freezer-friendly, the pulled pork is delicious on its own, in BBQ sandwiches, or in tacos and burritos. It’s the perfect protein for busy nights!

    everything bun with pulled pork this …
    Jump to:
    • Why Make This
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Serving Suggestions
    • FAQs
    • Recipe Costs
    • More Great Pork Recipes
    • Tell us what you think!
    • Best Ever Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

    When you sit down to meal plan, do you crave fun food that is easy to make and prime for the season? Fun food is what we want when we go out to eat or invite folks over, right?

    I’ve got you covered for fun as well as delicious frugality with the Best Pulled Pork Recipe you’ve ever made. Trust me!

    Why Make This

    It’s very make ahead. This slow cooker pork butt recipe can be made in advance so you can go play at the beach, park, or lake — or go to work on a regular day — and not worry about what’s for dinner. Come home to supper all ready to go.

    It’s easy. Between being a fantastic filling for tacos or sandwiches and good for eating as a main dish, this pulled pork proves to be a perfect busy night or company dinner. Since the slow cooker does the cooking, you can take it easy either way!

    It’s easy on the budget. It’s simple to make a very large batch of this pulled pork, depending on what size roast you buy. Pork butt or shoulder roasts are extremely affordable, so don’t hesitate to stock up when you see a sale.

    It’s versatile. The custom spice blend is versatile so that it complements Mexican food (think tacos, burritos, enchiladas) just as well as it does classic barbecue sandwiches. It’s out of this world on Everything Hamburger Buns with this homemade BBQ sauce.

    Leftovers can take a new identity the next day without tasting like they’re out of place. Bonus: This pork fits a variety of diets so all your meat eaters can enjoy it.

    Ingredients

    pork butt in its packaging on table next to bowl with spices measured out.

    You don’t need much for this recipe except a pork butt roast and a handful of spices.

    Using a blend of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, onion flakes, chili powder, ground cumin, cayenne, and cloves will give your pulled pork great flavor without a lot of work.

    All the ingredients are gluten-free, making this a great addition to a Whole 30 meal plan, paleo, and other gf diets. Just be sure to check your chile powder package. Sometimes they add funky stuff to chile powder.

    The roasts I buy are huge, making for two meals for our family of 8. I love cooking once and feeding my family multiple times. However, if your roast is significantly less than 8 pounds, use less of the spice mix. Store it in an airtight container in the pantry until you’re ready to make this again.

    Trust me, you will want to!

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    • mixed spices in glass bowl
    • pork shoulder in slow cooker with spices
    • pulled pork in a glass dish
    • pork sandwich on plate with cole slaw next to bowl of pulled pork.

    This recipe is super simple.

    1. Measure out the spices and mix them together.
    2. Place the roast in the slow cooker and coat it generously with the spice mixture. Cover and cook for 6 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low.
    3. When the meat is cooked, it will easily shred. You can shred the cooked pork in the slow cooker or remove it to a dish. Simply pull the meat apart with a fork or tongs. Moisten the meat with some of the drippings if you like.
    4. Serve chunks of meat as a main protein or in sandwiches or tacos.

    Make-ahead instructions

    This pulled pork will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or stovetop before serving.

    Freezing Instructions

    For longer storage, stash this in the freezer for up to 6 weeks. Just be sure to chill the meat completely before placing in the freezer compartment. This helps it freeze quickly and prevents freezer burn.

    I purposely developed the spice mix to go with BBQ as well as Mexican flavors, so the possibilities of how to serve the final product are truly endless. Make a big batch and divided it into meal-size packages to stash in the freezer.

    pulled pork in freezer container

    Be sure to watch our video to see how easy it is to make this slow cooker pulled pork.

    Serving Suggestions

    Use the savory pulled pork in tacos, burritos, taquitos, chimichangas, lettuce wraps, salads, and sandwiches.

    We love serving this piled high on a kaiser roll and you can drizzle on some of your favorite barbeque sauce. You can even add a scoop of this Simple Coleslaw Recipe. Or maybe some Homemade Dill Pickles!

    Then don’t forget the sides! Macaroni Salad, Easy Mac &Cheese in the Instant Pot, or this Easy Homemade Deli Potato Salad would all make excellent side dishes.

    FAQs

    What kind of meat do you use for crockpot pulled pork?

    By nature, pulled pork needs to be made from a cut of pork that will become tender and basically fall apart after cooking. Pork butt and pork shoulder roasts fit the bill perfectly. These might also be labeled Boston butt or picnic shoulder.

    Pork butt and pork shoulder roasts are perfect all year-round. Roasts cook up super well in the slow-cooker which is an ideal tool to use in the summer time as well as in the busy winter months. Not only do they save you from heating up the oven, but they can also sit for awhile cooking dinner while you finish your daily business.

    Is pork butt the same as pork shoulder?

    Both cuts are from the shoulder of the pig, but pork butt is just higher up on the foreleg. Generally these are tough, fatty cuts which means they are cheaper in price. 
    They benefit from a slow cooking method like this recipe that utilizes your crockpot! The slow cooker will help to break down this tough, fatty meat into a juicy pulled pork you will want to pile high on a bun with barbecue sauce.

    Can I overcook pork in a slow cooker?

    It is possible to overcook the pork on the high setting. If you are worried about overcooking the pork then I recommend using the low setting.

    Should you brown pork before slow cooking?

    I don’t bother with browning the meat before putting it in the slow cooker. The long, slow cooking process will break down the meat and create a juicy, shredded pork.
    However, that being said, you can by all means brown the meat on all sides before adding it to the slow cooker. Doing so, will just add a bit more flavor.

    Do I need to add water to the pulled pork?

    Surprisingly, no. You don’t need to add water to the roast and spices in the slow cooker. This cut of pork is naturally juicy, and yes, fatty. In just a few minutes it will juice up in the pot. At the end of the cooking time, you should have a decent ½ to 1 cup of drippings. You can use these to moisten the meat, make soup or chili, or discard.

    Recipe Costs

    Knowing how much it costs you to prepare a recipe can help you decide if it’s the type of recipe to make regularly or one you might want to save for special occasions. Let’s crunch some numbers and see how this recipe pencils out.

    • pork butt roast $1.99/lb x 8 pounds = $16
    • spices $0.50

    When you make an 8-pound pork butt, you should have enough for 24 servings of pulled pork for tacos or sandwich filling. At $16.50/batch, this works out to 69 cents a serving!

    Save even more.

    Pulled pork is already a very affordable dish, thanks to the fact that pork roast is a cheap cut of meat. However, there are a few other things you can do to lower your costs even more:

    • Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. When you see a good price on pork roasts, buy a few extra to stash in the freezer for later. You know you’ll use them — especially when you make this pulled pork. Stocking up can save you money.
    • Buy spices in bulk. I regularly buy larger containers of spices I use frequently, like pepper, sea salt, garlic powder, and chili powder. I store excess dried herbs and ground spices in the freezer if I know it will be awhile before I go through the large container.
    plate of pulled pork tacos, a tamale, and rice and beans.

    More Great Pork Recipes

    • Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
    • Raclette Recipe Without a Grill
    • Leftover Ham Recipes to Help You Save Money
    • Spicy Pork Chili with Pumpkin (91 cents/serving)

    Tell us what you think!

    We love to hear your experiences with Good Cheap Eats. Click the STARS on the recipe card or leave a STARRED comment to let us know what you think of the recipe.

    best pulled pork in a freezer container to freeze.
    Print Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections
    4.7 from 50 votes

    Best Ever Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

    Looking for a simple yet flavorful way to cook pork? Combine a homemade rub with a cheap cut of pork and cook it slowly in the slow cooker for a fantastic filling for sandwiches, lettuce wraps, and tacos.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time6 hrs
    Total Time6 hrs 10 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Servings: 24
    Calories: 141kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Cost: $0.69/serving

    Equipment

    • 7-qt slow cooker
    • cooking tongs
    • ziptop freezer bags
    • redi-tainers

    Ingredients

    • 8 lb bone-in pork butt or shoulder roast
    • 1 tablespoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
    • 1 tablespoon onion powder
    • 1 tablespoon dry onion flakes
    • 1 tablespoon chile powder or ground chile
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or more to taste
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Remove the roast from the packaging and place in the bottom of a large slow cooker.
    • In a small bowl combine the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, onion flakes, chili powder, black pepper, cumin, cloves, and cayenne pepper. Spread this all over the roast, turning the meat to coat all sides.
    • Cook in the slow cooker for 6 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low. The meat will be so tender that it will easily shred with tongs or two forks. Remove the bones and fat, and shred the meat.
    • Serve the meat as a filling for tacos, sandwiches, lettuce wraps, burritos, salads, or taquitos.

    Notes

    To freeze: cool the meat and divide it into meal-size portions in plastic containers with lids or in ziptop freezer bags. Chill completely before storing in the freezer.
    To serve: reheat in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop with a bit of water, if necessary.
    Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.
    Nutritional values are approximate and based on 1/16th the recipe.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 141kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 367mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @goodcheapeatsblog or tag #goodcheapeats!

    This post was originally published on May 26, 2015. It has been updated for content and clarity.

    « How to Make a White Sauce or Bechamel (79 cents/batch)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dina

      February 08, 2022 at 11:32 am

      5 stars
      I’ve made this multiple times now. Once cooked, I usually freeze containers of it. Then I have them ready to go to the coast or when I have people over. I always hated pork until this recipe. There is no overly porky flavoring with all these spices. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        February 08, 2022 at 11:38 am

        Yay! So glad it’s so a winner for you. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.

        Reply
    2. Adrienne

      October 19, 2021 at 10:58 am

      5 stars
      OMG! Amazing!

      Reply
    3. Stephanie Friesen

      December 20, 2020 at 10:34 am

      This recipe is THE BEST!! I could literally drink the drippings that’s how good the spice combo is. And I always tell guests to try it before adding any BBQ sauce to their bun. It needs nothing in my opinion. And it turns out well no matter what cut i use. Just keep the meet in the drippings. Delicious!!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        December 20, 2020 at 6:36 pm

        Yay!

        Reply
    4. Nancy V

      December 06, 2020 at 10:47 am

      5 stars
      Soooo good and soooo easy. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        December 31, 2020 at 1:46 pm

        Yay! So glad to hear you enjoyed it. Thanks for leaving a review, Nancy. I appreciate your feedback.

        Reply
        • Brenda Miller

          January 28, 2022 at 6:07 am

          5 stars
          I’m making this Sunday for Kansas City Chiefs game. Go Chiefs! The spice blend you developed is beyond perfect! I divided it in half and add bbq sauce and the other half for taco! It’s a win win! Just wanted to say thank you!

        • Jessica Fisher

          January 28, 2022 at 9:57 am

          Yay! So glad to hear it!

      • Laura

        February 24, 2022 at 11:22 am

        How spicy is this considered? Trying to satisfy kids that don’t like too spicy but adults that do!

        Reply
        • Jessica Fisher

          February 24, 2022 at 1:07 pm

          It is really flavorful, but not what I would call “hot”.

    5. Alexandra

      June 13, 2020 at 1:53 pm

      5 stars
      We used a 5.22 lb bone-in pork butt, so I was a little unsure about how long to cook it on low. So first, I want to say this came out amazing, but secondly for people who weren’t sure about different sizes, 6 hours on low worked perfectly. Falling off the bone yumminess!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        June 14, 2020 at 10:40 am

        Awesome! Thanks for providing that extra information, Alexandra. I appreciate recipe testers like you! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Sarah

      May 18, 2020 at 10:38 am

      Hi Jessica,
      Thanks so much for your tips and amazing recipes! Quick question, do you think that if I put this on overnight 10-11 hours on low, and then left it in the slow cooker on warm until lunch (around 12 p.m.), that it would still be good? Worried about overcooking it, but would love to have the cooker do the work overnight!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        May 18, 2020 at 10:54 am

        It would probably cook too long that way. I would likely cool and refrigerate as early in the am as I could and then reheat for lunch or dinner.

        Reply
    7. Charles Carson

      May 13, 2020 at 4:57 am

      Can I use this recipe on the smoker and how long for a 3.5 pounds to smoke

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        May 13, 2020 at 6:51 am

        I don’t have a smoker, so I can’t help with this. Sorry.

        Reply
    8. Desirae

      May 10, 2020 at 4:32 pm

      Hey there, I’m making this right now. It smells so good and I can’t wait to try it. My question is about the serving size. It says 211 calories per serving, but exactly how big is 1 serving size. I didn’t see it anywhere.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        May 11, 2020 at 8:44 am

        That figure is very approximate since we’re not going to be able to predict how much bone and fat comes in your roast. Our calculations are based on dividing an 8-lb bone-in roast (before cooking) into 16 portions. After fat and bone being removed, this is “probably” about 1/3 a pound, so I would say a pretty generous portion. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    9. Francis Compton

      April 24, 2020 at 11:05 am

      I was just wondering if this can be made with the shank or “picnic” portion of the roast.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        April 24, 2020 at 12:12 pm

        That should be fine.

        Reply
        • Julia McMahon

          March 29, 2022 at 3:45 am

          Fantastic recipe. My husband and I like to fry up a portion in a tiny bit of oil and wrap in a tortilla. The crispness from frying brings out such a yummy flavor! Thanks for the recipe!

      • Melissa Mazurkiewicz

        July 11, 2021 at 1:31 pm

        Soooooooo excited to try this recipe. Our local place only has 2lb ones though. What cook time would you recommend?

        Reply
        • Jessica Fisher

          July 12, 2021 at 8:45 am

          It will likely be done in 4 hours on high and near 6ish on low. It really depends on the slow cooker. You could do a couple at one time if you’ve got an oval cooker. You can cut them to fit since you’re going to shred it anyway.

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