Name: Slow Cooker Cider Pulled Pork Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 8 h 25 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: For Rub:; 2½ tbsp brown sugar; 2½ tbsp kosher salt; 1½ tsp pumpkin pie spice; 1½ tsp chili powder; 1½ tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 tsp dry mustard; ¼ tsp Cayenne pepper; For Pork:; 6 lbs pork shoulder; 12 oz hard apple cider; 2 cups apple cider; For Sauce:; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 3 cloves garlic; ¾ cup ketchup; ½ cup brown mustard; ⅓ cup brown sugar; ¼ cup apple cider vinegar; ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce; 2 tsp liquid smoke; ¾ tsp kosher salt; 2 cups pork stock

How To Make Slow Cooker Cider Pulled Pork

Prepared in a slow cooker, this piquant, flavorful, and well-spiced Cider Pulled Pork is served with a tasty sauce, then piled on top of buttered buns.

Preparation: 30 minutes

Cooking: 8 hours 25 minutes

Total: 8 hours 55 minutes

Serves:

Ingredients

For Rub:

2½tbspbrown sugar,packed
2½tbspkosher salt
1½tsppumpkin pie spice,or 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground cloves, and a dash of nutmeg
1½tspchili powder
1½tspfreshly ground black pepper
1tspdry mustard,ground
¼tspcayenne pepper

For Pork:

6lbspork shoulder,boneless, trimmed of excess fat
12ozhard apple cider,(1 bottle)
2cupsapple cider

For Sauce:

2tbsptomato paste
3clovesgarlic
¾cupketchup
½cupbrown mustard
⅓cupbrown sugar
¼cupapple cider vinegar
¼cupWorcestershire sauce
2tspliquid smoke
¾tspkosher salt
2cupspork stock,(leftover from braising)

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the rub.
Trim your pork shoulder of excess exterior fat.
Massage the rub into the meat.
Place the pork in a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour in both ciders.
The liquid should come about ¾ of the way up the side of the meat. The meat should not be completely submerged.
Cover with the lid, and set the slow cooker to low heat for at least 8 hours.
Let the pork with the cooking liquid cool completely while still in the slow cooker insert on the counter.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and pour the cooking liquid into a separate storage container.
Transfer the pork back to the slow cooker insert and cover.
Refrigerate the pork and the cooking liquid overnight or up to 3 days.
When ready to serve the pork, remove it and the cooking liquid from the refrigerator.
Scrape any solidified fat from the outside of the pork and the surface of the cooking liquid.
Using the fingers or two forks, shred the pork.
This can be done right in the slow cooker, on a sheet pan, or on a cutting board.
Pick out and discard any large pieces of fat as you go.
Warm the shredded pork in the slow cooker on the Low or Warm setting while you prepare the sauce.
If the pork seems dry at any point, stir in a few tablespoons of the leftover cooking liquid.
Alternatively, warm the pork on a sheet pan covered with foil in a low oven.

Sauce:

Measure out two cups of the leftover cooking liquid.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the tomato paste and garlic.
Whisk together and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Whisk in the remaining ingredients, finishing with the reserved 2 cups of cooking liquid.
Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a gentle boil.
Reduce the sauce, whisking occasionally, about 15 minutes until it has the viscosity of thick tomato soup, but not as thick as ketchup.
Taste and adjust the seasoning as preferred.
Reserve about ½ cup of the sauce to serve in a small bowl alongside the pork.
Pour the rest of the sauce over the pork, toss to combine, and serve it to the masses.
Place a pile of pork on top of buttered, toasted buns, top with pickles, pickled onions, or extra sauce, and dig in.

Recipe Notes

The meat will release liquid as it cooks. A 6-quart slow cooker for 6 pounds of meat works well. If desired, double the recipe.
If desired, the pork can be served as soon as it finishes slow-cooking. Remove the pork from the liquid and transfer the liquid to a measuring cup. Shred the pork and then keep it warm in the slow cooker or on a covered baking sheet in a low oven. Use 2 cups of the cooking liquid to make the sauce. Serve immediately.
Refrigerating the pork whole, rather than shredded, helps keep it moist and prevents it from drying out too much until you’re ready to serve.
The remainder of the sauce can be strained and saved for another purpose, or frozen for up to 3 months.