Ingredients (10)
- 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 (4-1/2- to 5-pound) boneless or bone-in pork shoulder (also known as pork butt), twine or netting removed
- 2 cups barbecue sauce (optional)
Tip
How to Freeze Pork
Pork fares best in the freezer if packaged with freezer-friendly materials like waxed paper, aluminum foil, or heavy-duty plastic bags.
Wrap any meat tightly so that air does not escape and freeze at 0°F. Generally, fresh cuts of pork can last up to six months, while ground pork can last up to three.
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Tip
How to Thaw Pork
Pork is easiest to thaw when placed in the refrigerator in its original wrapping. Small roasts will take three to five hours per pound, while larger roasts can take up to seven hours per pound. Thawing ground pork depends entirely on the thickness of its packaging.
It is safe to cook frozen or partially-frozen pork, but its cooking time may take 50 percent longer. Frozen pork should not be cooked in a slow cooker.
It is safe to cook frozen or partially-frozen pork, but its cooking time may take 50 percent longer. Frozen pork should not be cooked in a slow cooker.
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Next: How to Store Pork
Tip
How to Store Pork
Sealed pork products can typically last in the fridge for two to four days, with ground pork having a slightly shorter shelf life at one to three. Ham or other smoked pork products like bacon can be stored for up to a week, though this only applies to products that aren’t vacuum sealed or prepared with preservatives. The latter can obviously last a lot longer.
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Tip
How to Store Pulled Pork
As with other cooked meats, pulled pork can be stored in an airtight container and placed in the refrigerator. It should, however, be consumed or frozen within a few days.
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Next: How to Freeze Pulled Pork
Tip
How to Freeze Pulled Pork
Because pulled pork is typically made in a slow cooker, chances are likely that you'll have excess meat. Cooled pork can be transferred to freezer bags, but be sure to leave at least an inch of space from the top. The frozen pork will expand and this will prevent the bag from splitting. You can also use airtight freezer containers.
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Tip
How to Thaw Pulled Pork
The most effective way to thaw your bags of pulled pork is to place them in a saucepan of simmering water. You'll have hot and steamy, barbecued meat in no time!
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The easiest and, arguably, tenderest pulled pork comes out of the slow cooker. Here, we coat pork shoulder with a spice rub of dark brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon, then cook it on a bed of garlic and onions moistened with chicken broth. Six to ten hours later, the juiciest pork imaginable is ready to be shredded and served atop Pulled Pork Nachos, or in a sandwich with your favorite Barbecue Sauce (for the best version ever, make your own Hamburger Buns).
This no-fuss, versatile recipe makes enough to feed a crowd—it’s one of our favorites to dish out at Super Bowl parties. Until then, visit our friends at CBS Sports for everything you need to know for the Super Bowl.
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What to buy
Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Cook and Carry Oval Slow Cooker
This top-rated Crock-Pot Cook & Carry Programmable Slow Cooker is perfect for the cook with a busy lifestyle and offers customizable cooking times and temperatures.
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Instructions
- 1Place the onions and garlic in an even layer in the slow cooker and pour in the stock or broth. Combine the sugar, chili powder, measured salt, cumin, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork and place the meat on top of the onions and garlic. Cover and cook until the pork is fork tender, about 6 to 8 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low.
- 2Turn off the slow cooker and remove the pork to a cutting board. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl. Pour the onion mixture from the slow cooker through the strainer and return the solids to the slow cooker. Set the strained liquid aside.
- 3If the pork has a bone, remove and discard it. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker, add the barbecue sauce, if using, and mix to combine. If you’re not using barbecue sauce, use a spoon to skim and discard the fat from the surface of the strained cooking liquid, and then add 1/4 cup of the liquid at a time to the slow cooker until the pork is just moistened. Taste and season with salt as needed.
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