Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork

When dinner needs to be hands-off but still hit the mark, this Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork delivers every time. It’s made with a simple spice rub and slow cooked in the crockpot all day until it’s juicy, tender and easy to shred. Just mix in your favorite BBQ sauce, let it simmer a little longer, and it’s ready to pile onto buns for an easy dinner that works just as well at home as it does on the sidelines.

This great recipe is perfect for loading onto buns with coleslaw for an easy dinner after a long day of practice or a game. You can make it ahead, freeze the extras, or repurpose it into sliders, nachos, or even quesadillas. It’s one of those set-it-and-forget-it meals that’s always a win.

This is the kind of recipe I lean on during busy sports seasons—minimal prep, tons of flavor, and plenty of leftovers to get us through the week.

If you are looking for more dinner recipes, try one of these: Sheet Pan Chicken Tacos, Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl with Sweet Pineapple Chutney or Easy Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza.

Ingredients

Here are notes about some of the simple ingredients needed to make these pulled pork sandwiches. All of the ingredients can be found at your local grocery store or an online retailer, like Amazon.

• Pork butt: Use a 3- 3 ½ pound boneless pork butt aka Boston butt.  You could use boneless pork shoulder as a swap.  
• Garlic: Fresh minced garlic will provide the best flavor.  You can use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder in place of fresh garlic if you’re short on time or out of cloves.
• Smoked paprika: Regular paprika or chili powder can work in a pinch, though you’ll lose a bit of that smoky flavor.
• Salt
• Cumin 
• Cayenne pepper
• Dr. Pepper: You will just need one can of Dr. Pepper. Other sodas like root beer, Coca-Cola or even Cherry Coke will give a similar sweetness and help tenderize the meat.
• BBQ sauce: Use your favorite barbecue sauce.  We usually use Sweet Baby Rays Original for this.

Recipe Variations

• Set up like a sandwich bar with slider buns, pickles, sliced jalapeños, coleslaw, and cheese.  Great for game days or feeding a crowd.
• Skip the buns and use the pulled pork for tacos, quesadillas, nachos, or even on top of a salad. It’s an easy way to change up leftovers.
• Serve it over rice or mashed potatoes with roasted veggies or black beans for a build-your-own bowl situation.
• Place the seasoned pork in a Dutch oven or roasting pan, pour in the Dr. Pepper, and bake covered at 300°F for about 3–4 hours, until it’s fork-tender. Then drain, shred, add BBQ sauce, and bake uncovered for another 30 minutes.

This slow cooker Dr. Pepper pulled pork recipe has not been tested with these variations. If you give any of these a try, please let me know how it worked out in the comments below!

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1:

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, paprika, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper.

Rub the seasoning mixture on the outside of the roast.

Step 2:

Place the roast and any leftover seasoning in the bottom of a crockpot.

Step 3:

Pour the Dr. Pepper over the roast.

Cook on low for 8 hours.

Step 4:

Drain off all but about ¼ cup of the cooking liquid.

Shred the meat in the crockpot using two forks, discarding any large chunks of fat.

Step 5:

Add BBQ sauce and mix well.

Continue to cook for about 45 minutes or until the sauce is cooked down to your preference.

Step 6:

Serve shredded pork on hearty buns with coleslaw.

FAQ

More Recipes To Try

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Recipe

Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork

When dinner needs to be hands-off but still hit the mark, this Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork delivers every time. It’s made with a simple spice rub and slow cooked in the crockpot all day until it’s juicy, tender and easy to shred. Just mix in your favorite BBQ sauce, let it simmer a little longer, and it’s ready to pile onto buns for an easy dinner that works just as well at home as it does on the sidelines.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Total Time 9 hours hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 314 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3-3.5 pound boneless pork butt
• 1 can Dr. Pepper
• 1 cup BBQ sauce

Instructions

 

• In a small bowl, combine the garlic, paprika, salt, cumin and cayenne pepper. Rub on the outside of the roast.
  3 cloves garlic, minced, 2 tablespoons smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 3-3.5 pound boneless pork butt
• Place the roast and any of the seasoning that did not stick in the bottom of a crock pot.
• Pour the Dr. Pepper over the top and cook on low for 8 hours.
  1 can Dr. Pepper
• Ladle or scoop out all but about ¼ cup of the cooking liquid. Shred the meat in the crockpot using two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat.
• Add BBQ sauce. Mix well and continue to cook for about 45 minutes or until the sauce is cooked down to your preference.
  1 cup BBQ sauce
• Serve on hearty buns with coleslaw.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 1361mg | Potassium: 714mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 961IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 3mg

Please note that these nutrition facts are approximations and may not be entirely precise.

Keyword BBQ, crock pot, Dr. Pepper, pork

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