Slow cooker BBQ pork is one of those simple, dependable meals that gives you tender, flavorful meat with very little hands-on time.
By cooking a well-marbled pork shoulder low and slow in an easy homemade BBQ sauce, you end up with juicy, pull-apart pork that’s rich in flavor and free from unnecessary ingredients. This method allows the natural fats and connective tissue to break down properly, giving you consistent, reliable results every time.
Serve with a picnic salad (our favorites are healthy broccoli salad, warm citrus salad, easy frozen green pea salad or fresh green bean salad), and you can enjoy the taste of a summer cookout any time of year!
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Quick Look at This Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Slow Cooker BBQ Pork
- ✅ Ready In: 8–10 hours (low) or 5–6 hours (high)
- ✅ Yield: 6–8 servings
- ✅ Calories: Approximately 350–450 per serving (varies)
- ✅ Tools: Slow cooker, blender, baking sheet
- ✅ Freezer Friendly: Yes
- ✅ Why You'll Love It: Simple, nourishing, and dependable with rich homemade flavor
- ✅ Tip: Don’t rush the cook time, low and slow is what makes the pork tender and easy to shred.
What Makes This Recipe Unique?
Now, here’s why this slow cooker BBQ pork is something you’re going to come back to again and again:
- Minimal Effort - Hands-off cooking, so you can focus on your day without stressing about dinner, plus freezer-friendly, so you can cook once and enjoy multiple meals.
- Simple - Uses real-food ingredients for genuine from-scratch cooking.
- Frugal - Turns an affordable cut of meat into something tender and delicious
- Slow-Cooker Magic - Keeps your kitchen cool during warmer months.
- Versatile - Just like our best whole-roasted chicken recipe, slow-cooker BBQ pork is flexible and can be used in a variety of easy, family-friendly dishes.
Key Ingredients
For a full list of ingredients and measurements, check out the recipe card below.
- Homemade BBQ Sauce - A rich, naturally sweet and tangy blend of peaches, molasses, and spices that creates deep, slow-cooked flavor.
- Pork Shoulder - Pork butt or Boston butt are also great cuts to use.
- Chicken Broth - I love this homemade chicken bone broth.
How to Make Slow Cooker BBQ Pork
Step 1: Preheat your oven broiler. Place peaches cut side up on a baking dish. Broil until lightly browned. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, then peel off the skins.
Step 2: Combine peaches and all sauce ingredients, then use an immersion blender, blender, or food processor to blend until smooth.
Step 3: Slice onions and layer them on the bottom of your slow cooker. Pour in the chicken broth.
Step 4: Season the pork roast generously with salt and pepper, then place it on top of the onions.
Step 5: Pour the BBQ sauce over the pork, covering as much surface as possible. Cook on low for 8–10 hours or high for 5–6 hours.
Step 6: Once fully cooked, shred the pork directly in the slow cooker using two forks. Stir the meat into the sauce and add more if needed before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This slow cooker BBQ pork is one of those meals that stretches beautifully across multiple dinners. This is also a great way to use what you already have on hand, no need to make it complicated.
- Serve on buns with coleslaw for a classic sandwich.
- Serve on fresh sourdough discard tortillas to make soft tacos or quesadillas with cheese and fresh herbs.
- Layer over nachos with cheese, tomatoes, and sour cream.
- Use as a pizza topping with onions and peppers. (Here are even more ideas for the best pizza toppings.)
- Spoon over baked potatoes or sweet potatoes.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerating - Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Freezing - Let the shredded pork cool completely, add a bit of sauce or cooking liquid to keep it moist, and store flat in freezer bags for easy thawing. This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months, making it a really practical option for busy weeks when you just need something ready to go.
- Reheating - Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or under cool water. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, and add a splash of broth or extra sauce if needed.
The Homestead Kitchen
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It’s packed full of cream-of-the-crop homesteading information, including recipes, DIY instructions, inspirational stories, homesteading hacks, book reviews, gardening tips, kids' projects and more. We can’t wait to share it with you!
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Did you try this slow cooker bbq pork recipe? If so, please leave a star ⭐ rating and your comments in the recipe card below. Then snap a photo and tag us on social media @homesteadingfamily so we can see!
Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Recipe
Equipment
- Broiler Pan
- Blender or a food processor or immersion blender
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
For the BBQ Sauce
- 4 peaches pitted and halved
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup Worcestershire
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons molasses
- 4 cloves garlic diced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard or 1 Tablespoon prepared Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger or 2 Tablespoons fresh grated ginger
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Roast
- 3-4 pound pork shoulder or pork butt
- 1 whole onion sliced
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon salt enough to season the roast well
- 1 Tablespoon pepper enough to season the roast well
Instructions
For the Sauce
- Place peaches cut side up on a baking sheet and put under the oven broiler.
- Broil until the peaches begin to brown. (Watch the fruit carefully so it doesn’t burn.)
- Remove broiled peaches from the oven and allow to cool for 3 minutes, then peel off the skin.
- Place BBQ sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor: vinegar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, molasses, garlic, paprika, mustard, ginger and broiled peaches.
- Blend BBQ sauce until smooth, scraping down as necessary to ensure no lumps.
For the Roast
- Line the bottom of your slow cooker with onion slices, then pour in chicken broth. Rub all sides of the pork roast with salt and pepper, then place on top of the onion slices.
- Pour peach BBQ sauce over the roast, aiming to cover as much of the exposed meat as possible. Reserve some BBQ sauce for serving if desired.
- Slow cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.
- Using two forks, shred the roast in the slow cooker and mix it with additional BBQ sauce (if needed) before serving.
Notes
- Serve on buns with coleslaw for a classic sandwich.
- Serve on fresh sourdough discard tortillas to make soft tacos or quesadillas with cheese and fresh herbs.
- Layer over nachos with cheese, tomatoes, and sour cream.
- Use as a pizza topping with onions and peppers. (Here are even more ideas for the best pizza toppings.)
- Spoon over baked potatoes or sweet potatoes.
- Refrigerating - Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Freezing - Let the shredded pork cool completely, add a bit of sauce or cooking liquid to keep it moist, and store flat in freezer bags for easy thawing. This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months, making it a really practical option for busy weeks when you just need something ready to go.
- Reheating - Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or under cool water. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, and add a splash of broth or extra sauce if needed.
