I’ll be honest, the real reason I own a slow cooker is for this pulled pork. I set it up before bed, and by morning my whole house smells like a smokehouse.

This slow cooker pulled pork has become my go-to for feeding a crowd, whether it’s a Sunday get-together or just a week where I want dinner handled five different ways.

The secret is the beer.

5 stars
5-star review

“Made the recipe yesterday, used a swirl of olive oil to saute the onion and garlic otherwise did exactly as written. Had it for dinner tonight, all i can say is OMG it’s good!!!”

—Bill S
Add your review »

This is pulled pork with a dark beer marinade, and it’s not just for flavor. The beer does double duty. As the pork butt slow-cooks for hours, the dark beer tenderizes the meat while it braises, breaking down the connective tissue so it shreds practically on its own.

At the same time, its malty, slightly bitter depth balances out the smoked paprika and brown sugar in the rub, so you get something savory and smoky instead of one-note sweet.

That braising liquid (beer, pork drippings, and spices) gets strained and added back in after shredding, which is really what makes this beer-marinated pork so juicy instead of dry.

Scroll down for the full recipe!

A white plate filled with tender slow cooker pulled pork, with two forks resting on the side. The background shows part of a plant and a striped cloth.

Slow Cooker

This 6 quart crockpot allows you to program your cook time and has a locking lid which is perfect for taking your dish to any get-together.

VIEW PRODUCT

🐷 Look, if you’re craving something a little different, my Cuban roast pork (lechon asado) takes a similar low-and-slow approach but in the oven, marinated in my Cuban mojo marinade instead of beer. It’s one of my most-made Cuban dinner recipes for exactly that reason!

If you plan on adding your favorite BBQ sauce to the pulled pork, you can toss the pork in the BBQ sauce in the ceramic dish and leave it on the warm setting until ready to serve. I recommend you use guava BBQ sauce or my honey whiskey BBQ sauce (scroll to the recipe notes!).

A raw marbled pork shoulder, perfect for slow cooker pulled pork, sits inside a black slow cooker on a light, textured surface.
Side-by-side images of a slow cooker: on the left, a whole seasoned pork roast; on the right, the same pork transformed into tender slow cooker pulled pork after cooking.

A few quick notes: For the best results, stick with Boston butt or pork shoulder. They’ve got the marbling this recipe needs. No bread? No problem. This pulled pork is just as good over arroz blanco or chipotle mashed sweet potatoes.

Leftovers keep in the fridge for 4-5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months in a sealed bag. And yes, you can prep the night before; just leave the ceramic dish in the fridge and start the slow cooker in the morning.

A white plate filled with tender slow cooker pulled pork sits on a light surface, with two forks placed on the plate. A green plant and a striped cloth are visible at the edges of the image.
4.08 from 13 reviews

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork (with Dark Beer)

Jamie Silva
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
My slow cooker pulled pork recipe is made with bone-in pork butt, smoky spices, and dark beer. The pork butt is slow-cooked to tender, fall-off-the-bone, juicy perfection. Practically cooks itself! It’s full of delicious flavor, and I’ve also included a recipe for my favorite honey whiskey BBQ sauce that goes with it!
Print Pin Save

Ingredients
 

  • 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • Salt + pepper to taste
  • 5.5 lbs bone-in pork roast, (pork shoulder or Boston Butt)
  • 12 ounces dark beer
  • 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
  • Guava BBQ Sauce, (or your favorite bbq sauce)

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl, mix together the paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, and salt + pepper to taste. Set aside.
  • Poke holes in the roast with a knife. Place the roast in the ceramic dish of the slow cooker. Pour in the beer and the liquid smoke. Rub the spice mix over the pork roast and cover the ceramic dish with the lid.
  • Cook the pork roast in the slow cooker on LOW for 8 hours, or until fork-tender. Slow cooker times will vary so I'd recommend you check the manufacturer's instructions for your slow cooker.
  • Once done cooking, remove the bone using tongs. Drain the liquid from the ceramic bowl and save 1 cup of the liquid.
  • Using two forks, pull apart the meat into shreds, removing the fatty pieces (unless you like it, you can leave it in), and taste/adjust seasoning as needed.
  • After shredding the pork, add the cup of liquid back into the ceramic dish and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes. This will result in deliciously moist and tender pulled pork. Serve and enjoy!
  • If you plan on adding BBQ sauce to the pulled pork, you can toss the pork in the BBQ sauce in the ceramic dish and leave it on the warm setting until ready to serve.

Notes

How To Make Honey Whiskey BBQ Sauce
  • 1/4 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup honey whiskey (I used Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey)
  • 1/3 cup tomato paste
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
In a saucepan, cook the onion and garlic, low and slow, at medium-high heat, until the onions are translucent. Carefully pour honey whiskey into the saucepan.
Once reduced slightly, add tomato paste, dark brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, and smoked paprika.
Let simmer for around 30-45 minutes until reduced. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, but still pourable.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 440kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 42g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 131mg, Sodium: 109mg, Potassium: 802mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 879IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 2mg
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: boston butt, crockpot pulled pork, pork butt, pulled pork, pulled pork recipe, slow cooker pulled pork
Did You Make This?I want to know! Leave a comment & recipe rating below or tag @asassyspoon on social media!