BEST SLOW COOKER PORK SHOULDER RECIPES

Steps:

• Dry pork shoulder with a paper towel and make 1” incisions with a knife all over.
• Pulse garlic, ¼ cup oil, cumin, salt, pepper, and oregano in a food processor until a paste is formed. Remove 2 tablespoons of the paste and set aside.
• Rub pork shoulder all over with remaining paste, pushing some of it into the incisions.
• Place pork in slow cooker, cover, and cook on low until meat is fork-tender but not yet completely falling apart, 7 1/2 to 8 hours.
• To make the sauce, heat remaining ¼ cup oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add reserved 2 tablespoons garlic paste and let sizzle, stirring continuously until fragrant, just about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool before whisking in orange juice, lime juice, serrano, and cilantro.
• Serve sliced pork over rice with sauce drizzled on top.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the garlic and onion powders, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork. If you have time, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight. If you don’t, no worries; proceed to Step 2.
• Lightly grease the crock of a slow cooker. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear the pork until golden brown on all sides, about 2 minutes each side. Add onion, if using, to the slow cooker. Add the pork on top of the onion. Pour soda over the pork and set the slow cooker to low for 6 to 8 hours, until the meat has collapsed and shreds easily.
• Drain most of the liquid from the slow cooker and shred the meat directly in the pot. Add about 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce and stir to combine. (At this point, if you like crisp bits in your pulled pork, you can spread the shredded pork on a sheet pan and place under a broiler for a couple minutes then return to the slow cooker.) Taste and add more barbecue sauce, hot sauce, salt or pepper, if desired. Serve with soft rolls and extra sauce on the side.