This Slow Cooker Maple Pulled Pork has the perfect amount of sweetness and makes dinner time a piece of cake!
You know I have a thing for my slow cooker. I did write an entire slow cooker cookbook after all – I may have mentioned it a time or two! I’ve used my slow cooker so much in the last year and a half while I was developing the recipes, writing the cookbook, testing the cookbook, photographing the cookbook that I’ve gotten a little addicted to it.
If I go more than 3 or 4 days without using my slow cooker I start to shake a bit. You would think between the 100 recipes in the cookbook and the dozens I have here on the blog that I’d run out of ideas on how to use my slow cooker. Lucky for you and me, that isn’t the case.
One of the easiest and most popular recipes to make in the slow cooker is pulled pork. I’ve got a couple of them here on the blog including this Balsamic Honey Pulled Pork and Slow Cooker Shredded Chipotle Pork. Pulled Pork is a go to slow cooker recipe for a lot of people I know, and I even know some people that only use their slow cooker for pulled pork (I hope to enlighten them on how much you can really do it a slow cooker soon!) Today’s recipe is a variation on that pulled pork theme.
Maple Pork
Instead of BBQ sauce, we are using maple syrup. I used a pork shoulder roast, onion, garlic and some seasoning. A mixture of chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin and salt was used to rub into the roast. I then browned it in some olive oil and put it into the slow cooker. Pour a mixture of maple syrup and apple cider vinegar over the top. Then just let it cook on low for 7-8 hours or until the pork falls apart.
All that is left to do is drain off and strain the juices and thicken with some cornstarch. I like to add in a little more maple syrup to the gravy to sweeten it a little more. Then just pour the gravy over the shredded pork. My favorite way to serve it is over rice but it would be great on some kind of bun too. I think it would be amazing in a taco or a quesadilla too!
My favorite kitchen items I used to make SLOW COOKER MAPLE PULLED PORK:
SLOW COOKER – My favorite one is the classic, the Rival CrockPot. In fact, I love it so much I own three of them. Two 6 qt and one 4 qt.
CROCK POT LINER BAGS – These liner bags are a life saver and make clean up so much easier and faster! Stock up on them!
SHREDDER CLAWS – These make shredded pork or chicken a breeze!
HOLIDAY SLOW COOKER COOKBOOK – For more delicious slow cooker recipes check out my new cookbook – 100 recipes!
Slow Cooker Maple Pulled Pork
Slow Cooker Maple Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb pork shoulder roast
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion onion sliced thinly
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup maple syrup optional
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Combine chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin and salt. Rub into pork on both sides
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet and brown pork on all sides. Place into slow cooker
- Top pork with onion and garlic.
- Mix together 1/2 cup maple syrup and apple cider vinegar. Pour over roast
- Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 4-5 hours or until fall apart tender.
- Remove meat and shred. Strain cooking liquid and put into a sauce pan.
- Add in cornstarch and stir to combine. Heat over medium heat and stir until it bubbles and thickens. Add in additional 1/4 cup maple syrup if desired for added sweetness. Pour over shredded meat.
Nutrition
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have you tried this in the instapot??
I haven’t but it should work fine