This Slow Cooker Cranberry Honey Pulled Pork is slightly sweet, tangy and delicious. The BEST slow cooker pulled pork that you’ll ever try.
Slow Cooker Cranberry Honey Pulled Pork Recipe
This experiment turned out to be delicious.
A couple of months ago I was trying to make BBQ chicken and my husband jumped in – literally – and added beer, according to him the chicken would be very dry without it. In the end, the chicken was delicious and since then we have cooked this version more regularly.
I really wanted to prepare pork, but had no idea how. So I decided to replicate the same barbecue-beer combination, plus cranberry juice.
Bingo …
Really, I could not ask for a better result. This Slow Cooker Cranberry Honey Pulled Pork has a perfect combination of flavor and texture.
I’m no slow cooker master. To be honest, I can do a list of a few failures that I had in the past. Generally, I’ve used it to make grains, such as black beans, since I leave them cooking all night and in the morning are soft and ready.
Anyway … I decided to use the crock-pot.
So I seasoned the pork and then I put all the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it cook all night.
The next morning the aroma in the house was incredibly delicious. Mmmm!
It was juicy and tender. Ready to eat if I’d wanted. But I wanted it to be a sweet and crisp combo. So I browned in the oven for a few minutes.
All the juices caramelized the pork and edges were golden and a little crunchy.
HOW DO I CRISP UP PULLED PORK?
You can crisp up pulled pork in the oven or on the stove:
- Oven: Preheat oven to 450º F and position one of the oven racks into the center of the oven. Line a baking pan with foil for easy cleanup later, if desired. Spread pork into an even layer. Add ¼ – ½ cup of the cooking liquid to the shredded pork to moisten. Bake pork for 5 – 10 minutes, or until it reaches the desired crispiness level.
- Stove: Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a nonstick pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, add pork in batches and sear until just crisp. Add about 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and continue cooking until the liquid reduces down and the meat is nice and crispy.
HOW TO STORE Cranberry Honey Pulled Pork
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. If refrigerated, warm the pork gently in a covered casserole dish in a 300°F oven before serving.
HOW TO FREEZE PULLED PORK
Pulled pork also freezes really well, just let it cool completely, place in an airtight container or a freezer plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw it and reheat the pork gently in a covered casserole dish in a 300°F oven before serving.
HOW TO REHEAT PULLED PORK
Reheat pulled pork gently in a covered casserole dish in a 300° F oven until warmed through.
This is one of those recipes that you can show off as a cook, but basically the whole thing cooks by itself. Honestly, it does not get better than that! Enjoy.
Looking for more Slow Cooker recipes?
- Slow Cooker Beef Bone Broth
- Slow Cooker Chipotle Carnitas
- Slow Cooker Oxtail Stew
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Bacon and Ham Breakfast Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Creamy Corn Soup
- Slow Cooker Spicy Pork Carnitas
- more recipes
Slow Cooker Cranberry Honey Pulled Pork
Ingredients
Cranberry Barbecue Sauce:
- 1 can (14 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Pulled Pork:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 1 (2 -3 lb approx) pork shoulder
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- 6 ounces dark beer (I used Dos Equis amber)
Instructions
- To make the cranberry sauce put all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Mix well. At first boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
- Season the pork with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste. Be generous.
- Place the pork in the slow cooker. Add onion and garlic. Cover the pork with cranberry sauce and then add the beer. Cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. The pork should be so tender that meat falls apart easily. Using two forks pull apart the pork, removing excess fat.
- Heat oven to 450 ° F. Line one baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking oil.
- Place pork in sheet, with juices, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has caramelized and the pork looks golden. Remove from the oven.
- Add a generous portion of pork on a bun with some coleslaw, if desired.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Slow Cooker Beef Bone Broth
- Slow Cooker Chipotle Carnitas
- Slow Cooker Oxtail Stew
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Bacon and Ham Breakfast Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Creamy Corn Soup
- Slow Cooker Spicy Pork Carnitas
- more recipes
Nutrition
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- Slow Cooker
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- Measuring Cups and Spoons Set
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- Measuring Cup Set
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- Sheet Pan
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