Tex-Mex pulled pork with smoky slaw

Pulled pork recipe

Named for the technique of ‘pulling’ tender, slow-cooked meat apart with a fork, this quintessential Southern American barbecue dish is simple to make and worth the extra cooking time. There’s no such thing as a quick and easy pulled pork recipe – the meat needs time to break down and become tender enough to shred.

Barbecuing in the southern states of America likely dates back to Civil War times, when pork became a staple meat of the South. Whole pigs were slow-cooked over fire at low temperatures, often overnight. By morning, the meat was tender, succulent and slightly smoky – making it easy to pull apart.

That original slow-roasted pork has evolved into the pulled pork we now see on menus around the world, from Tex-Mex restaurants to burger shops and cafes. Rich, sweet and full of flavour, slow cooker pulled pork recipes like this one are just the latest way to embrace the trend.

Don’t be fooled into thinking pulled pork is only for Tex-Mex dishes. This tender meat works with all kinds of flavours and formats – think pulled pork nachos or tacos, Asian-style pulled pork, a hearty pulled pork pie or simple sliders. For a more traditional American-style version, serve it with a tangy slaw to balance the richness of the barbecue sauce.

Ingredients you need to make pulled pork

Pulled pork is actually beautiful in its simplicity. Take a good quality pork shoulder with the fat removed; it’s a tough but flavoursome cut of meat that favours roasting and slow-cooking. Once cooked low and slow for hours, it will become tender and fall apart.

This pulled pork slow cooker recipe gets its zing from the sauce of course so you want to make sure to get that right with plenty of smoky flavour, a touch of sweetness and some acidity. A base of tinned tomatoes is sweetened up with brown sugar and apple cider vinegar for acidity. Look to a Texan spice mix for the smoky flavour that the dish is so well known for - a good Texas or BBQ spice mix will usually have a base of paprika, cumin, chilli, garlic powder. Some may have smoke flavours added.

How to make this slow cooker pulled pork recipe

Traditionally, barbecue was done over hot coals in the great outdoors, modern conveniences make it a whole lot easier. Using your slow cooker is a great way to get tender pork with minimal effort. After browning the meat briefly, add the ingredients into your favourite winter appliance and let it cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low  – while you go about your day!

To make life easier, do the prep the night before and pop it on in the morning before you head to work. Come home to a house smelling delightful and dinner half done. The slow cooked pulled pork recipe is ready - all that’s left to do is shred it, mix up the slaw and warm up the tortillas. Dinner is served!

When serving in tortillas, you may wish to drain a little of the liquid off to ensure your tortillas don’t end up soggy and fall apart. Reserve that extra liquid to ensure leftovers don’t dry out when storing and reheating.

Step-by-step tips for success

Number one tip for success with any slow cooking dish is to properly brown your meat. Ensuring your pork is cut in close to uniform 5cm pieces will make it easier to brown them evenly and get a good caramelisation on the meat. Browning meat before cooking is essential to develop the flavour fully.

Add all ingredients to the slow cooker for the sauce and allow it to cook. Once pork is tender you need to pull it apart to create the ‘pulled pork’. If your meat is tender enough, it will be fairly simple to pull apart the pork inside the slow cooker itself. Grab two forks and pull the meat in opposite directions to create the famous pulled pork texture.

If you’re having trouble pulling off all the meat, remove it from the appliance and complete this process in a bowl or on a chopping board, returning to the cooker to mix through the sauce. If you find your sauce needs some thickening, remove the lid and cook on High to evaporate some of the liquid.

Mixing up your slaw is simple. Chargrill your corn to get a nice smoky flavour, and cut off the kernels. There are two tidy methods to cut corn kernels, to prevent them ending up all over the floor. Take a ramekin and face it down in a bowl. Stand the corn on its end and slice down the side. The ramekin helps raise the corn off the bottom to slice and the bowl catches falling kernels. You can also use a bundt tin for this. The other method is to lay corn on its side and cut down with a large chef's knife, ensuring you slice below the kernels so you don’t hit the core. Kernels should drop neatly onto the chopping board.

Now get cooking

Try this dish once and you’ll see how simple and versatile it really is. Try it twice and it’s almost guaranteed to end up on heavy rotation. If you want to change it up (but not too much) try this Texan-style pulled beef or pulled beef tacos. If it’s pork you’re after, look to our collection of pork recipes for delicious ways with this versatile meat. Try our collection of slow cooker recipes to get the most out of this handy appliance.