Sweet and Savory Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Name: Sweet and Savory Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 6 h 15 min
Total time: 6 h 35 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Soul Food, Southern Recipes, American
Ingredients: 0.33 cup Balsamic Vinegar; 0.75 cup Barbecue Sauce; 0.5 tsp Black Pepper; 1 lb Bone-In Pork Shoulder Butt Roast; 2.5 tbsp Brown Sugar; 0.25 tsp Celery Salt; 0.5 tsp Dry Mustard; 0.25 tsp Garlic Salt; 0.25 tsp Ground Cinnamon; 0.25 tsp Ground Ginger; 0.25 tsp Ground Nutmeg; 10 whole Hamburger Bun; 1 tbsp Olive Oil; 0.5 tsp Onion Powder; 1.5 tsp Paprika; 1 cup Root Beer; 2 tsp Salt; 1.5 oz Whiskey

Side Dish 🥗Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪Snack 🍿 Soul Food 🇺🇸Southern Recipes 🇺🇸American Comfort-Food

Sweet and Savory Slow Cooker Pulled Pork pairs tender, fall-apart shoulder meat with a caramelized, spiced rub and a sauce layered with root beer, balsamic, and a whisper of whiskey. The result is juicy, slightly smoky pork with balanced sweetness and tang, perfect for piling onto soft buns for casual gatherings, game day, or weekend family dinners.

Prep20 mins
Cook6 hrs 15 mins
Serves10
DifficultyMedium

1

Put the pork shoulder roast into a large plastic bag, pour 1 cup of root beer over the meat, and press out all the air from the bag. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 6 hours to overnight.
2

The next day, combine the light brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, dry mustard, onion powder, garlic salt, celery salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a bowl.
3

Take the meat out of the marinade and shake off the excess. Rub the meat all over with the spice mixture, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
4

Stir together the balsamic vinegar, 1 1/2 cups of root beer, whiskey, and brown sugar in a bowl until the sugar dissolves.
5

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and sear the meat on all sides until a brown crust forms, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the seared meat to a slow cooker. Pour the balsamic vinegar–root beer mixture over the meat, set the slow cooker to High, and cook for 6 to 8 hours.
6

Take the roast out of the slow cooker and shred it with 2 forks. Discard the bones and all but 1 cup of the liquid in the slow cooker. Return the shredded meat to the cooker, stir in the barbecue sauce, and let it sit on Low until ready to serve. Serve piled on buns.