Tender Crockpot Pulled Pork with Root Beer BBQ
An easy 4-ingredient slow cooker recipe where root beer tenderizes the pork shoulder and caramelizes into a sticky, sweet-savory glaze.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 lb pork shoulder (Boston Butt)
- 1 bottle (12 oz) classic root beer
- 1 cup barbecue sauce (molasses-based preferred)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Optional: 1 tsp garlic powder or onion powder
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Place the seasoned pork in a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Pour the entire bottle of root beer over the meat; liquid should come halfway up the side.
- Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours (or High for 4-5 hours). Do not open the lid during cooking.
- Check for fork-tenderness. Shred the pork using two forks directly in the pot, discarding large fat or bone pieces.
- Pour barbecue sauce over the shredded pork and mix to coat evenly.
- Let the pork sit on the Low setting for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Serve on buns or plates, optionally topped with coleslaw.
Notes
Do not use diet root beer as the sugar is needed for caramelization. If the liquid is too thin, leave the lid off for the last 30 minutes to reduce. Let the pork rest after shredding to reabsorb juices.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 ounces of pulled p
- Calories: 275
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Protein: 22
Keywords: pulled pork, crockpot recipe, slow cooker, root beer pork, easy dinner, meal prep, comfort food