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Prepare to have your mouth water with this easy Carolina BBQ Pulled Pork recipe that delivers smoky, tangy, finger-licking perfection. Featuring dry rubbed pork butt slowly braised to perfection in the slow cooker, and doused in tangy NC barbecue sauce. Learn all the real deal secrets to juicy, unbelievably flavorful BBQ and get ready to sink your teeth into the juiciest, most succulently flavorful meat – all with minimal effort required.

“This is the BEST pulled pork ever and the tangy Carolina sauce makes it even better!! I’ve made this many times and always get compliments on it!!”

– KAREN
Overhead photo of a person holding a tray of Carolina bbq pulled pork made in the slow cooker.

Update: This recipe was originally published in June 2014. I made updates to the article below to include more information about making nc bbq pulled pork at home.

Hi friends! Picture jazz hands over here. Because, today’s recipe just so happens to be one of my all time favorite barbecue recipes in all the land.

So, if you are looking for some epic Carolina BBQ goodness, you have come to the right place. Because sweet, savory, tangy, and subtly spicy NC bbq pulled pork is what I’m delivering today. Oh, and this recipe just so happens to be outrageously easy to make thanks to the trust crockpot or slow cooker.

Action photo two forks pulling apart a pork butt that was cooked in the crockpot.

About this Carolina pulled pork recipe

This Carolina pulled pork recipe features pork butt generously rubbed with a sweet and spicy dry mix and effortlessly slow cooked in the crock pot until it’s ludicrously tender and perfectly succulent. Smothered in the most delicious, silky smooth, sweet and tangy Carolina-style BBQ sauce, this pork legitimately checks ALL the boxes.

It’s lick your fingers clean, bodacious NC BBQ at it’s finest, my friends! And, it’s all yours for the taking WITHOUT even breaking a sweat. Hooray! I hope you’re ready to crush all those summer barbecue goals, because that’s exactly what you’ll do with this NC style barbecue pork!

If you’re looking for more delicious pork recipes, be sure to try these fan-favorites next: Jerk Pork, Pork in Apricot Sauce, Hoisin Pork Chops, and Udon Pork

Why you’ll love this recipe!

  • This Carolina style pulled pork is ultra flavorful thanks to the sweet and spicy dry rub as well as the quick browning on the stovetop.
  • It’s terrifically tender AND ridiculously easy to prepare thanks to braising in the trusty slow cooker.
  • And, this carolina pulled pork in the crockpot is dripping in the most magnificent carolina BBQ sauce that is OH-SO simple to prepare. I’m talking 5 ingredients and 15 minutes type of easy to prepare!

What is Carolina style pulled pork?

Carolina style pulled pork is a southern American BBQ classic! Pork (either the whole hog, the pork shoulder or Boston butt) is barbecued or slow-smoked over a pit until fall-apart tender. After it’s pulled apart the pork is then tossed with a tangy vinegar or mustard based barbecue sauce, depending on the region. Carolina style bbq pulled pork has a smoky, tangy flavor and the meat is so succulent it melts in your mouth!

This crockpot pulled pork recipe gives you all the flavor of classic Carolina pork – with a fraction of the time and energy!

If you’re looking for more summer bbq dinners, be sure to try these reader favorites next: Slow Cooker Brisket, Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs, Barbecued Ribs in the Oven, Veggie Black Bean Burgers, and Make the Best Burgers by Grinding Meat Yourself.

Action photo of Carolina barbecue sauce being poured over pulled pork.

Ingredients for NC BBQ Pulled Pork

Before you start shopping for this North Carolina BBQ pork crockpot recipe, below is a summary of all the ingredients, along with some grocery shopping tips:

  • Pork Butt or Pork Shoulder: Select a pork butt or pork shoulder roast that’s around 3 to 4 pounds. And, look for one that is well marbled throughout. For the best juicy southern pulled pork flavor, choose a bone-in pork shoulder or pork butt.
  • BBQ Dry Rub: A combination of sweet brown sugar, smoky paprika, aromatic garlic powder, mild onion powder, kosher salt, and ground black pepper all provide robust flavors.
  • Oil: You’ll need a high-heat, neutral oil to sear and brown the pork butt on the stove before adding it to the slow cooker. This step is entirely optional, but recommended for the best flavor.
  • Beer or Broth: A bottle of good beer keeps the nc bbq pulled pork nice and tender by creating a moist heat cooking environment in the crock pot. But, feel free to swap in chicken broth.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: Adding a touch of ACV to the braising liquid in the slow cooker provides that signature tangy flavor. Be sure to use an unfiltered brand for the most robust apple flavor.
  • Liquid Smoke: Just one tablespoon of liquid smoke is all you need to recreate that concentrated smoky barbecue flavor. All without the hassle of smoking on a smoker or cooking on an outdoor charcoal grill.
  • Carolina Barbecue Sauce: You’re obviously free to use any barbecue sauce you and your family love. However, if you’re looking for NC Carolina style pulled pork, you’ll want to use the best Carolina barbecue sauce in all the land.

Recipe variations

  • Eastern North Carolina Style – Switch out my carolina BBQ sauce for a vinegar-based bbq sauce made with no tomatoes. And, instead of tossing the shredded pork with the sauce, serve the bbq sauce on the side.
  • Lexington Style – Add some chili pepper flakes to the barbecue sauce to approximate a Lexington bbq sauce.
  • South Carolina Mustard Style – Swap the NC bbq sauce for distinctive, mustard-based South Carolina bbq sauce.
  • BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches – Pile this slow cooker pulled NC pork on a toasted fluffy brioche bun and top it with this spiced coleslaw to create the most epic barbecue sandwich.
  • Fruity BBQ Pulled Pork: Give this recipe a majorly delicious fruity twist by tossing your shredded pork with peach barbecue sauce or strawberry barbecue seasoning sauce.
  • Alabama Barbecue Pork: Keep it southern, but give your pork some Alabama love by using white Alabama barbecue sauce instead.
  • Dr Pepper Pork – Swap out the Carolina style sauce and toss your shredded pork with bbq sauce dr pepper for a delicious tangy and sweet soda twist.
Close-up photo of NC pulled pork made in the slow cooker.

How to make NC Pulled Pork in Slow Cooker

  1. Rub Pork. First, pat the pork butt thoroughly dry with paper towels. Then, sprinkle half of the dry rub on top of the pork and massage the seasonings into the pork. Next, flip the pork butt over and rub the other side with the barbecue seasonings.
  2. Optional, but Recommended – Marinate. For the most flavor, tightly wrap the pork butt in plastic wrap before placing it into a baking pan. Then, transfer the pork butt to the fridge and let it marinate for at least an hour, but preferably overnight. Then, remove and discard plastic wrap.
  3. Brown Pork Butt. Heat a little oil in a dutch oven or large cast iron skillet and brown the pork on all sides. Once it’s seared all over, transfer the browned pork butt to the crockpot or slow cooker, with the fat cap facing you.
  4. Slow Cook Pork. Pour the beer, vinegar, and liquid smoke into the crock pot with the pork. Next, cover the slow cooker. Set it to low and cook, until the pork is very fork tender and reaches an internal temperature of 195-degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to flip the pork over once or twice during cooking. (Note: You want to go over the traditional 165-degree mark when you are making pulled pork, but don’t go over 200-degrees.)
  5. Rest Pork. Remove the slow cooked pork butt from the crock pot and place it onto a clean work surface. Next, tent it lightly with aluminum and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
  6. Optional – Strain Cooking Liquid. If you’re looking for truly juicy pulled pork, dump the cooking liquid from the crock pot into a fine mesh strainer placed over a bowl. Set the liquid aside.
  7. Pull Pork. Once the meat is cool, use two forks to shred or “pull” the pork apart into long shreds.

Expert tips for success!

  1. Let the pork butt marinate in the dry rub. Wrapping the rubbed pork butt in plastic wrap and allowing it to rest in the refrigerator overnight is NOT required. But, it is recommended for the most flavorful carolina pulled pork in the crockpot. As well, step 2, browning the pork before adding it to the slow cooker is NOT required. However, it is recommended as it adds a great deal of flavor!
  2. Make it to taste. If you don’t like a lot of tang in your BBQ sauce, reduce the apple cider vinegar in the BBQ sauce to 2/3 of a cup.
  3. For the most flavor and to ensure moist, juicy Easy Carolina BBQ Pulled Pork, I highly recommend straining the cooking liquid and using it AS WELL AS the BBQ sauce in the final step of the recipe. Meaning, you’ll toss the pulled pork with some dry rub, toss it again with a couple tablespoons of the strained cooking liquid, and then toss it one last time with the BBQ sauce! It’s a smokehouse trick you soon won’t forget!

FAQs: frequently asked questions

You’ve got questions? I’ve got answers! If you have a question about this NC pulled pork slow cooker recipe you don’t see listed below, please drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can! 

Which cut of meat is best for pulled pork?

Pulled pork is very easy and forgiving to make, but you want to make sure you start with the correct cut of meat!

Most barbecue restaurants make pulled pork using a whole pork shoulder. However, that cut can be hard to find in the grocery store and weighs between 12 and 16 pounds. For the home cook, I highly recommend using a smaller cut of pork, such as the Boston Butt (also known as Boston roast) or the picnic roast.

My personal favorite cut for pulled pork is the The Boston butt, which comes from the upper part of the front shoulder of the pig. Boston butt has less bone than the picnic roast, however both are available without the bone. As well, the Boston butt has plenty of marbled fat and a consistently rectangular shape that makes it easy to handle.

When to apply the bbq rub?

Applying a rub to your pork is essential for flavorful pulled pork! Remember that since the rub adds tons of flavor, you want to apply the seasonings liberally to the pork before cooking.

To apply a rub to pork, make sure you first pat the raw pork butt (or shoulder) completely dry and then sprinkle the rub evenly all over the surface of the meat, massaging the rub in. For the best flavor, wrap the seasoned pork in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator overnight. Just make sure you remove the pork from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking so it can come to room temperature.

What temperature and how long to cook pulled barbecue pork?

The secret to pulled pork is using a flavorful rub and cooking it low and slow.

The recipe for carolina pulled pork in the crockpot uses the convenient set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker. This hands-off method of cooking allows you to go about your business for the day (run your errands, take a nap, lay out at the pool, whatever!) while ensuring the pork butt, or pork shoulder, is cooked at a consistently low temperature for a lengthy amount of time (ie: low and slow).

For incredibly tender Carolina bbq pulled pork, cook at on the low setting for 8-10 hours, or until pork is fork tender and an instant read thermometer registers a temperature of 195 degrees.

What bbq sauce for pulled pork?

Classic barbecue sauce is traditionally served with pulled pork. However, you can use any bbq sauce you love here. But, if you’re looking for authentic carolina style pulled pork, you’ll need to use Carolina bbq sauce.

Carolina barbeque sauce is a southern-style sauce that is tangy and slightly sweet with a very subtle spiciness. Thick, rich and full of flavor, Carolina BBQ sauce pair perfectly with sweet and smoky pulled pork.

While both Eastern North Carolina vinegar sauce and South Carolina mustard sauce both compliment pulled pork, I prefer a combination of the two for the ultimate tangy, zingy flavor!

All that said, you can use any bbq sauce with this NC pulled pork slow cooker recipe. If you’re looking for a fun new homemade bbq sauce recipe to try, I highly recommend these: White BBQ Sauce, Fruit BBQ Sauce, and Roasted Strawberry Barbecue Sauce.

How much pulled pork per person when feeding a crowd?

Are you hosting a party and want to feed a crowd? This simple Carolina pulled pork in the crockpot is the perfect addition to all your outdoor parties and summer barbecues! While there are a number of factors to consider when feeding a crowd, such as – the gender and age of your guests, how filling are your appetizers, and the number of sides at your party – below is a simple, basic rule to follow when estimating how much pulled pork per person.

1 pound of cooked pulled pork is enough to feed 3 people, however pork butt will lose around 40-50% of its weight once cooked and shredded (see tip below). For example a raw 4-pound pork butt will yield about 2.4 pounds of cooked pulled pork and serve approximately 7 people.

Pro-tip: If using a boneless Boston butt, you can estimate losing 40%, while a bone-in butt will lose about 50%.

Can I make this in advance?

Absolutely. This recipe for NC pulled pork in the slow cooker tastes terrific the next day, which makes this recipe perfect for feeding a crowd and stress-free entertaining!

Can BBQ pork be served cold?

Sure! Shredded pork is a lot like pizza or fried chicken in the respect that you can eat it cold. However if you are entertaining a crowd, I highly suggest reheating the Carolina style pork before serving!

Close-up photo showcasing the juicy, tender texture of a piece of carolina pulled pork made in the crockpot.

Serving Southern pulled pork?

If you’re looking to turn this carolina bbq pulled pork slow cooker recipe into a BBQ experience, below are some traditional and fun, unique serving suggestions for this NC pork:

Traditional Serving Ideas

Fun Serving Suggestions

  • Pork and Waffles: Step aside chicken and waffles, there’s a new dish in town. Make your favorite savory waffles and top with this carolina pulled pork made in the crockpot for a deliciously sweet and savory breakfast, brunch, or dinner.
  • Pulled Pork Pizza: Give pizza night a fun twist by using NC pork as a topping on pizzas with roasted caramelized onions.
  • Poutine with Pulled Pork: Add some NC pulled pork to the poutine dish of fries layered with cheese curds and gravy.
  • BBQ Pork Enchiladas: Give this North Carolina pork a Mexican twist by stuffing it into corn tortillas with cheese and enchilada sauce.

Bonus: Don’t forget to serve some icy-cold treats for dessert! When it comes to backyard barbecues, I’m a fan of this cream cheese dessert dipsimple banana puddingshortcake sundae, and key lime cheesecake pie. Or try a lime milkshake or strawberry and cream milkshake if you’re looking to drink your dessert.

Storing leftovers

Allow leftover carolina style pulled pork to cool completely to room temperature before placing into an airtight container or resealable storage bag. Transfer to the fridge and store for up to 4 days. To further extend the shelf life, you can freeze it.

Can you freeze barbecue pork?

ABSOLUTELY! In fact, I always purchase a larger pork butt than I need just so I can have leftovers to freeze. Here’s what you’ll do:

To freeze pulled pork, cook and shred the pork shoulder or butt according to recipe instructions. Make sure you strain and keep the cooking liquid from the crockpot. Then, allow both the shredded pork and the cooking liquid to cool completely to room temperature. Once cooled, toss the shredded pork with enough of the cooking liquid to moisten the pork. Then, transfer the pork to a heavy-duty freezer bag and place the pork in the freezer. Properly stored, this NC pulled pork slow cooker recipe will keep in the freezer for up to three months.

Reheating

To reheat frozen pulled pork, transfer the pork to the fridge and allow it to defrost overnight.

When ready to eat, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Transfer the pork a sheet pan or roasting pan and toss with a little BBQ sauce. Cover the pan with foil and reheat in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the pork is heated throughout and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Straight on photo of a Carolina pulled pork sandwich with barbecue sauce, coleslaw, and sliced jalapeños.

Now that we have covered all the basics, let’s get in the kitchen and make the easiest, BEST Carolina BBQ Pulled Pork you have ever imagined!!

Until next week, friends, cheers – to palatial pulled pork!

Cheyanne

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More American pork dinners!

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Landscape photo of Carolina BBQ pulled pork on a small sheet pan with a ramekin of BBQ sauce next to the pork.

Carolina BBQ Pulled Pork

5 from 12 votes
Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours 5 minutes
Optional Inactive time: 8 hours
Servings: 6 serving
Prepare to have your mouth water with this easy Carolina BBQ Pulled Pork recipe that delivers smoky, tangy, finger-licking perfection. Featuring dry rubbed pork butt slowly braised to perfection in the slow cooker, and doused in tangy NC barbecue sauce. Learn all the real deal secrets to juicy, unbelievably flavorful BBQ and get ready to sink your teeth into the juiciest, most succulently flavorful meat – all with minimal effort required.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch Oven OR Large Cast Iron Skillet (OPTIONAL) (for browning the pork butt)
  • 1 Slow Cooker or Crock Pot (for slow cooking the pork)

Ingredients 

  • 1 Prepared Recipe BBQ Dry Rub (Click for Recipe) (See Notes)
  • 1 whole Pork Butt (3 – 3 1/2 pounds if boneless) (3 1/2 – 4 pounds if bone-in)
  • 1 TBS Vegetable or Canola Oil
  • 1 (12 Oz.) Bottle Beer – or you can substitute unsalted chicken or beef stock if desired (I used a lager)
  • 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 TBS Liquid Smoke
  • 1 Prepared Recipe Carolina BBQ Sauce (Click for Recipe)

Instructions

  • Rub the Pork Butt: Place the pork butt on a clean surface and use paper towels to pat the pork thoroughly dry.
    Remove 2 tablespoons of the dry rub and set it aside to use later. Then, sprinkle HALF of the dry rub all over the top of the pork butt. Use your hands to massage the seasoning thoroughly into pork. Flip the pork butt over and repeat with remaining half of dry rub.
    OPTIONAL for most flavor: Wrap the pork butt tightly in plastic wrap and place on a roasting pan, baking dish, or a half sheet pan. Transfer the wrapped and rubbed pork to the fridge and allow to marinate in the dry rub for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight. (Note: If you refrigerate the pork as suggested, please remove the pork from the fridge and let sit on the counter at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes to remove the chill.)
  • Sear the Pork Butt:  Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 5-10 minutes total.  (The pork will brown fast because of the sugar in the dry rub.  Watch it carefully and do not let it burn.) Remove the pork and transfer it to the slow cooker, fat cap facing UP.
  • Slow Cook:  Add the beer, vinegar and liquid smoke to the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on LOW, flipping the pork over once or twice during cooking, for 8-10 hours or until the pork is fork tender and an internal temperature of 195 degrees.
    Rest Pork: When pork is done cooking, remove it from the slow cooker and transfer it to a clean work surface.  Loosely tent with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 30 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
  • Pull Pork: Once the pork is cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred and “pull” the pork. Then, sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of dry rub all over the pulled carolina pork and toss to coat.
  • Serve: There are three ways you can "dress" this pulled pork – tossed with cooking liquid, barbecue sauce, or both. Both always gets my vote if you're looking for smokehouse pulled pork experience.
    If using BBQ Sauce:  Add half of the BBQ sauce (or sauce to taste) to the pork and toss to coat.  Serve with the remaining BBQ sauce on the side.  Enjoy!
    Or, If NOT using BBQ Sauce:  Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer.  Skim off as much fat as possible from the surface and discard.  Add enough cooking liquid to the pork so that it is moistened.  Toss to coat.  Enjoy!
    For Epic Pulled Pork: Strain the cooking liquid in the crock pot through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or liquid measure. Then, skim as much fat as possible from the surface and discard the fat. Drizzle a few tablespoons of cooking liquid over the pulled pork and toss. Then, add the desired amount of carolilna barbecue sauce and toss to coat. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  1. Dry Rub: If you’re making my dry bbq rub, use dark brown sugar instead of light.
  2. Pork Butt: I recommend cutting the pork butt or shoulder in half or into thirds to make it easier to to fit into the skillet when browning. 
  3. Chilling and Browning Pork: Wrapping the rubbed pork butt in plastic wrap and allowing it to rest in the refrigerator overnight isn’t strictly required, but it is recommended for the most flavorful pulled pork.  As well, step 2, browning the pork before adding it to the slow cooker is not required, but it is recommended as it adds a great amount of flavor!
  4. BBQ Sauce: If you don’t like a lot of tang in your BBQ sauce, reduce the apple cider vinegar in my BBQ sauce recipe to 2/3 of a cup.
  5. Cooking Liquid: For the most flavor and to ensure moist, juicy pulled pork, I highly recommend straining the cooking liquid and using it AS WELL AS the BBQ sauce in the final step of the recipe.  I.E. Toss the pork with dry rub, toss again with a couple tablespoons of the strained cooking liquid, and then toss one last time with the BBQ sauce. 
  6. Need to Scale the Recipe? Hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card. You’ll see a sliding scale pop up, you can use that to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
  7. Got questions? I’ve got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification – please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can! 
  8.  Recipe Serves 6-8
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and the nutrition facts are an estimate based upon 6 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.

Nutrition

Calories: 156kcal    Carbohydrates: 7g    Protein: 15g    Fat: 7g    Saturated Fat: 3g    Cholesterol: 45mg    Sodium: 2401mg    Potassium: 366mg    Fiber: 1g    Sugar: 4g    Vitamin A: 975IU    Vitamin C: 1mg    Calcium: 42mg    Iron: 3mg

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