Description
An easy, foolproof 3-ingredient dinner featuring pork shoulder, brown sugar, and cola. This slow cooker recipe yields tender, shreddable pork with a sticky, caramelized glaze, perfect for weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 pounds pork shoulder (Boston Butt)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (dark brown sugar preferred)
- 1 can (12 oz) regular cola (Coke or Pepsi)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Trim large chunks of hard white fat from the pork shoulder. Pat the meat dry with paper towels.
- If using onion, place sliced onions on the bottom of the slow cooker pot.
- Place the pork shoulder on top of the onions (or directly in the pot if not using onions).
- Pour the brown sugar all over the top of the pork, getting it into crevices.
- Sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper over the sugar.
- Pour the can of cola and apple cider vinegar over the pork.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours until the pork is fork-tender and shreds easily.
- Remove pork from the pot and place in a large bowl.
- Shred the pork using two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat or gristle.
- Ladle some of the cooking liquid over the shredded pork and stir to combine. Adjust sauce consistency to preference.
- Serve immediately on buns, in tacos, or over rice.
Notes
Do not cook on HIGH as it may result in dry or tough meat. The cola helps tenderize the meat and caramelize the sauce. If using diet cola, the sauce will be thinner. Let the shredded pork rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute. Leftovers freeze well for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1/6 of
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 420
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 35
Keywords: slow cooker, pulled pork, brown sugar, easy dinner, weeknight meals, pork shoulder, crockpot recipes, family friendly