Crock Pot Pulled Pork Sliders
Apple, garlic and thyme slow-cooked pork shoulder, shredded into its savory juices and served on soft slider buns.
A six-pound pork shoulder becomes fork-tender after hours with apple juice, brown sugar, mustard, onion, thyme and garlic. Shredding the meat directly into the slow-cooker juices keeps every slider succulent and deeply seasoned.
Instructions
- 1
Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder and place the pork in the slow cooker.
- 2
In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, ground mustard, black pepper and brown sugar. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the pork.
- 3
Arrange the sliced onion and 6–8 thyme sprigs around the pork.
- 4
With a small sharp knife, make 14 shallow cuts across the top of the pork. Press one garlic half into each cut.
- 5
Pour the apple juice around, rather than over, the pork and cover the slow cooker.
- 6
Cook on High for 4–6 hours or on Low for 10–12 hours, until the pork is completely tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.
6 hr
- 7
Remove and discard the thyme stems and bone. Shred the pork with two forks, then stir it into the cooking juices and onions.
- 8
Serve the pulled pork on slider buns, adding barbecue sauce if desired.
Ago's Notes
- Boneless pork shoulder may be used, but bone-in gives more flavor; boneless or smaller cuts may cook faster.
- Scale the seasonings, especially the salt, when using a smaller pork shoulder.
- The pork is ready when it pulls apart easily with a fork; remove and discard the bone before shredding.
- Refrigerate pulled pork airtight for up to 5 days or freeze, cooled, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Keep the shredded pork warm in its apple-onion juices, then pile it onto slider buns with barbecue sauce or coleslaw if desired.
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