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The Magical Slow Cooker » Recipes » Dinner » Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork

by Sarah Olson on December 12, 2019 | Updated July 14, 2022 34 Comments

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root beer pulled pork on bun with water melon on side

Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork is a recipe a classic recipe everyone must try! Tender pork with root beer and barbecue sauce, great on buns or even rice.

pork, root beer and barbecue sauce in front of slow cooker

I received this recipe from a dear friend. When I asked her for the recipe she said just plop the pork in, dump a can of root beer and add a couple of squirts of barbecue. My friend cooks her recipe for 15+ hours though I think 10 hours is a good amount of time for tender fall off the bone pork.

How to make Root Beer Pulled Pork:

You will need:

  • A pork shoulder (any size works!)
  • 12 oz. can root beer
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce (I use Sweet Baby Rays

Directions:

  • I like to rinse and pat dry my pork before adding to the slow cooker for it can be slimy. Add the pork shoulder to the slow cooker.
  • Pour over the barbecue sauce and root beer.
  • Cover and cook on low for 10 hours.
  • Remove the pork from the slow cooker onto a sheet tray or large plate. shred the meat with two forks and discard any fat.
  • Add the pork back into the slow cooker into the juices.

How to serve Root Beer Pulled Pork:

  • Pile high on hamburger buns
  • Serve on top of steamed white rice
  • With mashed potatoes.

Should I brown the pork?

  • Browning meat before adding to the slow cooker is not necessary. The slow cooker will fully cook the meat in the allotted time.
  • If you feel you’d like to brown the pork you can. The cook time remains the same. Some say browning the meat can add more flavor to a dish.
shredded root beer pulled pork in slow cooker with tongs in it.

Can I use a different kind of soda?

Yes! Though a different soda will make this taste different it is okay to use a different kind of soda. Try one of these instead:

  • Dr. Pepper
  • Coke or Pepsi
  • Ginger Ale
  • Diet sodas can be used but only if you are used to the flavoring of it.
  • Hard cider or beer can even be used!
rootbeer pulled pork sandwich on red plate with watermelon on side

I’m short on time, can I put this in my instant pot?

Yes! Pork does great in the instant pot, use this recipe if you want to use an instant pot.

Can I use this recipe with chicken?

I do make a recipe similar to this with chicken, though I add a few more ingredients for chicken can have less flavor than pork. Here is my recipe for Slow Cooker Root Beer Chicken.

Other slow cooker pulled pork recipes:

  • Slow Cooker Cuban Pork
  • Slow Cooker Pineapple Jalapeno Pork Tacos
  • Slow Cooker Beer Pulled Pork
  • Slow Cooker Cheesy Cajun Pork Sandwiches
  • Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
  • Slow Cooker Kaula Pig
  • Slow Cooker Chile Verde

Want to make more magic in your crockpot? Stay up to date and subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.

pulled pork sandwich on red plate with watermelon on the side.

Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork

5 from 21 votes
Perfectly tender and subtly sweet, this Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork is a big hit.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 478kcal
Author: Sarah Olson

Equipment Needed:

  • Slow Cooker- 6 quart or larger

Ingredients:

  • 4 lb. boneless pork shoulder often called pork butt (3-4 lb roast)
  • 12 oz. root beer
  • 1 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce

For Serving:

  • Hamburger Buns
US Customary – Metric

Instructions:

  • Add the roast, root beer, and barbecue sauce to the slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 10 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time.
  • Once cooked, remove the roast and shred; discarding any fatty pieces.
  • Replace the shredded meat back into the sauce remaining in the slow cooker; stir.
  • Serve on your favorite buns.
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Nutrition Information:

Calories: 478kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 69g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 657mg | Potassium: 1254mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 107IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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    4700 shares
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    Filed Under: Camping, Dinner, Pork

    Comments

    1. Janice K says

      September 7, 2022 at 7:32 am

      I have a 12 lb pork roast. How long must I cook it on a low lamp in the crock pot.

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        September 7, 2022 at 1:26 pm

        If you can actually get it to fit, I would say 12 hours. Or start on high for a few hours, then switch to low.

        Reply
    2. Mel says

      July 31, 2022 at 4:50 pm

      Would pork loin work for this?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        July 31, 2022 at 7:43 pm

        Yes, though it will taste like diet pulled pork, just an FYI. Pork loin is very lean and doesn’t have the flavor a pork shoulder does.

        Reply
    3. Ellen says

      July 1, 2022 at 4:34 pm

      If you are doing an 8 lb pork roast instead of 4, do you use 2 cans of rootbeer and 2 cups of bbq sauce?

      And how many servings would you get from s 4 lb roast?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        July 1, 2022 at 6:03 pm

        Depends on the size of you’re slowcooker. I wouldn’t add two cans of root beer, one should be plenty. You can add more bbq sauce if you want. Pork shoulder is very hard to tell how much it will serve since most of it can be fat (or not). I would say a 4 pound roast would feed 10 people, sandwiches, with sides though.

        Reply
    4. Carlton says

      November 1, 2021 at 2:13 pm

      If your not a cook but your having people over and want to have pulled pork sandwiches without having to buy at a restaurant or catering company, follow the instructions : rump roast or pork butt. 1 can of regular A & W root beer and Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce. No browning is needed as the slow cooker will do it. I used an electric crock pot. Place meat in pot. Add root beer. Pour BBQ sauce over meat. Cover. Let it cook all day. I started on High for the first 6 hours or so, then turned it on low. At about the 7 hour period the meat was falling off the bone. Pull meat out and pull apart with two forks. Discard the fat. Oh, I added a pork bone to the cooking as well, got it from the butcher. It added flavor. At the end of cooking, I skimmed off the fat that floated to the surface. The flavor is subtle and not over-powering. Its very good. You won’t be disappointed.

      Reply
    5. Barbara Young says

      September 7, 2020 at 9:15 am

      Can I pressure cook the pork roast then put it in the crock?

      Reply
    6. GiGi says

      September 3, 2020 at 8:24 am

      Do you put the fat side down in the crock pot ou fat side up?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        September 3, 2020 at 10:41 am

        I usually do down, but it really doesn’t matter, some roasts don’t have a fat side.

        Reply
        • Erron says

          September 5, 2020 at 2:22 pm

          Leave fat on top it flavors the meat while cooking

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