Dr Pepper Pulled Pork is a sweet and tangy, absolutely delicious pork that is fantastic made into sandwiches.
Coleslaw is the perfect side dish for pulled pork or in my case condiment. Pile it high as a slightly sweet, crunchy, cool condiment for your pork.
Dr Pepper Pulled Pork
I love a good crock pot dinner. However, I know we all have a dislike of flavorless mush. I get it completely. This is why I like to make my meat in the crockpot on busy days and add a quick and easy side like pasta salad for a complete meal.
Pork roast in the crock pot is a classic way to go. Just add a few seasonings, some sliced onions, and a liquid, turn it on, and walk away.
While it’s unlikely that you’ll catch me drinking a Dr Pepper by itself, with pork? The sweet soda is perfection.
If the thought of Dr Pepper doesn’t work for you, try Coke. It is just as good without the tangy hint of flavor you get from Dr Pepper. Apple juice is another good option.
Soda or pop on pork does sound crazy, however, the sugar in the soda caramelizes and cooks into the pork slowly as the fat cooks down giving the pork and subtly sweet flavor.
I can not stress enough – this is not the time for diet soda. Sugar is your friend when cooking with pork.
Pulled Pork with Dr Pepper
For Dr Pepper Pulled Pork I typically use pork shoulder, however pork butt works just as well.
In recipes, those two cuts of pork are fairly interchangeable, as they are actually side-by-side on the pig. Contrary to its name, pork butt is the cut just above the shoulder – not the literal butt, that is the ham.
Bone-in or boneless it does not matter. After cooking your pork roast just remove the bone and any larger chunks of fat. Let the pork cool slightly before shredding and return it to the liquid.
I do not trim my pork roast closely at all when putting it in the slow cooker. Much of that fat will cook down and season the meat beautifully with the spices and Dr Pepper.
After cooking, I will sometimes skim off a bit of the liquid fat if I feel there is too much.
Crock Pot Dr Pepper Pulled Pork
This recipe multiplies nicely. I double the recipe for a 5-6 pound roast almost every time I make this, to ensure that we’ll have leftovers.
It is not necessary to double the Dr Pepper when multiplying the recipe, there will be plenty of liquid with just one can of soda.
Ingredients:
- onion
- pork shoulder roast
- kosher salt
- smoked or plain paprika
- granulated garlic or garlic powder
- freshly ground black pepper
- Dr Pepper
- barbecue sauce
Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork Recipe
- Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker and set the roast on top. Season with spices. Rub the spices all over the pork. Pour Dr Pepper over the pork and cover with the lid.
- Cook on LOW for 4-5 hours, adding about 30 minutes for each additional pound if you’re multiplying the recipe.
- When the meat can be easily pulled apart, shred the pork with tongs and allow the shredded pork to rest in the cooking liquids until ready to serve. Add barbecue sauce to taste and serve warm.
Crockpot Dinners
The slow cooker really does come in handy when meal planning. I like to make sure I am cooking with lots of great flavors and focus on meals my family loves.
Another pork option is easy shredded pork with a spicy twist! Mexican Pulled Pork is made with taco seasoning and orange juice, cooked to fall-apart perfection in the slow cooker.
Hearty meatballs, sweet pineapple, and colorful bell peppers are tossed with your favorite barbecue sauce to create a crockpot full of sweet and sour meatballs that the whole family craves.
Making a whole chicken in the slow cooker takes just a few minutes of prep and results in tender, juicy chicken you can use in so many ways.
Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites:
First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high.
My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker?
For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect.
If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.
Dr Pepper Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion sliced thin, about 1 cup worth
- 3 pounds pork shoulder roast
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoon smoked or plain paprika
- ¾ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 12 ounces Dr Pepper not diet
- barbecue sauce of your choice for serving
Instructions
- Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker and set the roast on top. Season with spices. Rub the spices all over the pork. Pour Dr Pepper over the pork and cover with the lid.
- Cook on LOW for 4-5 hours, adding about 30 minutes for each additional pound if you're multiplying the recipe.
- When the meat can be easily pulled apart, shred the pork with tongs and allow the shredded pork to rest in the cooking liquids until ready to serve. Add barbecue sauce to taste and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Lindsay says
I’ve been making our pulled pork this way for years now. It turns put perfect every time. There’s some kind of magic in that can of soda.
Mary says
YES! You get it, I wish I could describe better what it does. No other soda does quite the same thing.