Pork · Slow cooker

Crock Pot Pulled Pork Recipe (Slow Cooker)

Pulled pork doesn't need a smoker or eight hours tending a fire. Two Boston butts, half a Vidalia onion each, a splash of liquid smoke, and a bottle of Coca-Cola in the slow cooker will do the heavy lifting while you get on with your day. Eight hours later, you've got tender, flavourful meat without the fuss.

R By Richard · Adapted from YouTube · Published 28 May 2026
⏱Prep 20 min
🍽Serves 10
How to make Pulled Pork in a Crock Pot

Source video by YouTube on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules and is marked for human review.

Daryl from Bad Beast Barbecue shares his crock pot shortcut for pulled pork when there isn't time to fire up the smoker. Two Boston butts are seasoned with a low-salt rub, then layered into the slow cooker with onion, garlic, liquid smoke, fresh herbs and Coca-Cola. After 8 hours on high the pork is pulled apart with bear claws, mixed back through the strained cooking juices, and finished with Cajun seasoning and Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce.

Editor's note: Quantities are given per crock pot for two Boston butts cooked in parallel; this recipe is scaled to one crock pot / one Boston butt. Boston butt weight not stated. Rub recipe was referenced but not detailed in the transcript (Daryl said it would be in the video notes). Olive oil quantity not stated. Cajun seasoning and Sweet Baby Ray's quantities not stated (added to taste at the end). Servings estimated, not stated. | Second-pass critique flagged 2 fabricated and 11 quantified issues. See critique.issues for detail.

Ingredients

Main
  • 1 wholeBoston butt (pork shoulder)
  • olive oil
  • dry rub
Crock pot
  • 0.5 wholesweet Vidalia onion, chopped
  • 1 tspgarlic
  • 1 tspliquid smoke
  • Coca-Cola
  • 0.25 cupfresh parsley
  • 0.25 cuporegano
  • 0.25 cupbasil
To finish
  • Cajun seasoning (add late)
  • Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce (add late)

Method

  1. Rub the Boston butt with a little olive oil to help the seasoning stick, then coat all over with your dry rub.

    ~5 min

  2. Scatter the chopped half onion across the base of the crock pot so the meat can sit on top and absorb the flavour.

    ~2 min

  3. Add 1 teaspoon of garlic to the base of the crock pot.

    ~1 min

  4. Place the seasoned pork butt on top of the onion and garlic. It may be a tight fit.

    ~2 min

  5. Add 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke over the pork. Do not use more, the flavour is very strong and will overpower the other seasonings.

    ~1 min

  6. Pour Coca-Cola in and around the pork butt, filling the crock pot to about three quarters of the way up. The pork will release its own juices as it cooks, so do not overfill.

    ~2 min

  7. Scatter the parsley, oregano and basil over the top.

    ~1 min

  8. Cover and cook on high for 8 hours.

    ~480 min

  9. Lift the cooked pork out into a tray. Strain the cooking liquid, keeping back the onions, herbs and spices to fold back through the meat.

    ~5 min

  10. Pull the pork apart with bear claws or two forks, discarding any large lumps of fat.

    ~10 min

  11. Stir the reserved onions, herbs and a little of the strained juices back through the pulled pork. Season to taste with Cajun seasoning to bring the salt up, then stir through Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce to finish.

    ~5 min

Frequently asked

Do I need to sear the pork butt first?
Daryl doesn't sear it in this recipe. He oils and rubs the pork, then puts it straight into the crock pot. The Coca-Cola, onion and herbs do the flavour work over 8 hours.
Why Coca-Cola?
The Coke helps tenderise the pork as it cooks slowly for 8 hours, and the sugars add a gentle sweetness that pairs well with barbecue sauce at the end.
Can I cook it on low instead of high?
The transcript specifies high for 8 hours. If you want to switch to low, a Boston butt typically needs around 10 to 12 hours on low to pull cleanly, but this is outside what the source covered.
Why use a low-salt rub?
Because Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce and the Cajun seasoning added at the end both bring salt. Starting with a low-salt rub means you can adjust the final seasoning without it tipping over.
What are bear claws?
Bear claws are clawed handles used to shred cooked meat. Plastic and metal versions are widely available. Two forks will do the same job if you don't have a set.
Extraction notes (transparency): Quantities are given per crock pot for two Boston butts cooked in parallel; this recipe is scaled to one crock pot / one Boston butt. Boston butt weight not stated. Rub recipe was referenced but not detailed in the transcript (Daryl said it would be in the video notes). Olive oil quantity not stated. Cajun seasoning and Sweet Baby Ray's quantities not stated (added to taste at the end). Servings estimated, not stated. | Second-pass critique flagged 2 fabricated and 11 quantified issues. See critique.issues for detail.