Dr Pepper Pulled Pork
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Slow cooker pulled pork with a Dr Pepper base, layered onions, smoky sweetness, and a spice rub with a touch of cumin. Cook low and slow for tender shredding; toss with BBQ sauce for serving on buns with coleslaw. Balanced protein, carbs, fat, and a sweet tang from soda and honey combine to create satisfying pulled pork that’s easy and forgiving.
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
9 servings
#slow cooker
#pork
#BBQ
#pulled pork
#American cuisine
#comfort food
Forget overcomplicating pulled pork. Think slow cooker, Dr Pepper, and simplicity mixed with a slam of flavor. I’ve done this with cola before but the peppery notes in Dr Pepper added a twist you don’t get with plain soda. The sweetness trickles in, cuts the pork’s fatty heft. Thin onions at the bottom keep the pork from sticking and soak up juices you’ll want to lick your fingers over. There’s a smoky, garlicky glaze brushed on first—don’t skip the step; it’s where layers start building. I swap in soy sauce for liquid smoke sometimes when I’m out, adds umami that shadows smoke’s depth. Cook times aren’t gospel—watch the pork; when it pulls apart with little fight, it’s ready. BBQ sauce thrown in at the end makes it messy and right. Slap it on buns with slaw and grit your teeth. That’s the real deal.
Ingredients
- 1 thinly sliced medium yellow onion
- 4 to 5 pounds pork shoulder or pork butt, trimmed
- 1 can Dr Pepper soda (12 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke substitute with 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons raw honey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup tangy tomato-based BBQ sauce
- hamburger buns or deli rolls for serving
- coleslaw as topping or side
About the ingredients
Onions aren’t just filler; they form a moisture bed and flavor base. Thin works best to release flavor quickly. Pork shoulder or butt: don’t use lean cuts, you want fat that melts and enriches. Dr Pepper gives sweetness and slight acidity, but any pepper-flavored cola or even a dark beer works in a pinch. Liquid smoke is optional but boosts smokiness. If you lack it, soy sauce and smoked paprika combo mimics that depth well. Brown sugar adds caramel notes; you can try turbinado sugar if you want less refined. The cumin is key to earthy warmth; feel free to swap part for chili powder for smoky heat. Garlic never hurts here; fresh is best. BBQ sauce at the end—pick one with bite, vinegar helps cut richness. Don’t overload bun toppings—this pork is star. For coleslaw, a vinegar-based slaw cuts through fat better than mayo-heavy. Slow cooker liner or foil lining isn’t mandatory but saves on scrubbing; worth the prep time.
Method
- Prep slow cooker by lining with foil or use a slow cooker liner; saves scrubbing and stuck on bits.
- Scatter sliced onions evenly on bottom. Start there to avoid pork sticking and to flavor the drippings.
- Place pork shoulder right on onions, fat-side up if you can. The fat will baste the meat as it renders.
- Pour can of Dr Pepper evenly over pork, listen for fizz settling down; this adds sweetness and acidity that cuts fat.
- Mix liquid smoke alternative with honey and minced garlic in a small bowl, stirring till combined. Brush this glaze evenly on pork surface–smoky layers added here, don’t skip.
- In another bowl, blend brown sugar, onion powder, kosher salt, smoked paprika, cumin, and black pepper. Adjust cumin down if you dislike earthiness, or swap for chili powder for heat.
- Sprinkle dry rub neat and uniform atop pork. Gently pat to help it adhere but don’t press too hard; rubs can clump or get patchy.
- Cook uncovered on high around 3 hours 45 minutes or low about 6 hours 15 minutes. Timing flexes, so check pork near end; it should pull apart easily when poked with forks.
- Visual signs: pork has shrunk and fat looks rendered and gleaming. Smell richness with faint spice and sweet caramel notes rising.
- Once done, either keep pork in cooker to rest or transfer to a large tray. Use two forks or tongs to shred meat—don’t rush, look for strands pulling cleanly from chunks.
- Pour barbecue sauce over shredded pork. Toss well with tongs or big spoon until coated. Sauce adds moisture and tang; choose a sauce with vinegar base to cut richness.
- Serve piled high on toasted buns or deli rolls. Add coleslaw either on the side or inside for crisp texture contrast and brightness to offset pork's richness.
- Leftover tip: Refrigerate cooked pork submerged in a little BBQ sauce to prevent drying. Reheat low and slow or in a pan with splash of stock or soda.
Cooking tips
Line the slow cooker before anything else; keeps cleanup hassle-free. Scatter onions to protect pork from direct heat and trap flavor—skipping this leads to burnt bits stuck to cooker bottom. Pork always fat-side up—fat renders down through meat, keeps it moist. Pour soda slowly to avoid foam overflow and to gently start flavor infusion. Brushing glaze is a tactile step, you can press the liquid smoke-honey-garlic combo into pork with fingers if you want extra coverage; don’t flood the meat. Dry rub adds crust and flavor; pat but don’t press too hard or you’ll get clumps and uneven flavor spots. Cook times shift; judge pork by tender pull, not clock. Visual and textural cues beat timers. Shredding is easier when meat is hot or warm; overcooling makes pulling strands tougher. Toss with BBQ sauce quick but thoroughly so every bite gets saucy love without drying. Serve immediately for best texture. Leftovers reheat in a bit of sauce or stock; avoid microwave dryness by covering tightly.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Line the slow cooker with foil or a liner; saves cleaning but can affect moisture slightly. Scatter thinly sliced onions at bottom, they catch drippings, prevent burning. They soften, almost melt, adding layers you notice in texture and taste. Pour soda gently, fizz settles quickly; don’t rush it or it foams over. Fat side up on pork shoulder means melt down into meat, keeps it juicy. Watch smoke-honey-garlic glaze; brush evenly but no drowning the pork. Use fingers if needed to press glaze in, helps adherence and flavor layering.
- 💡 Dry rub mix needs gentle patting. Press too hard and it clumps or rubs off unevenly. I mix smoked paprika with cumin but swap half cumin if too earthy or toss some chili powder in for heat. Brown sugar varies; turbinado gives less refined caramel but packs a crunch if not dissolved properly during cooking. Salt amount flexible; kosher salt is forgiving, just don’t leave too salty or bland. Add dry rub after glaze dries a bit or it can slide off. Timing is flexible; check tenderness by poking - it should shred without much resistance.
- 💡 Glaze combo replaces liquid smoke sometimes. Soy sauce + smoked paprika adds complex umami that shadows smoke’s intensity. Garlic fresh, minced fine, blends better into glaze; don’t overdo or it burns during cooking and turns bitter. Honey balances acidity from Dr Pepper soda; raw honey preferred but golden syrup works in a bind. If no Dr Pepper, try pepper-flavored cola or dark beer, but flavor shifts. A darker beer adds deeper savoriness while cola offers sweetness and fizz. Drain minimal juice or keep all for richer sauce
- 💡 Drag time: cook uncovered at high for ~3hr45min or low about 6hr15min. Times shift based on cooker model, pork size and fat content. Visual cues > clock: meat shrinks, fat looks glazed and shiny, aroma changes to rich caramel and faint smoke smell. When shredding, use two forks or tongs, pull gently. Warm pork shreds easily; cold stiffens fibers making shredding frustrating. Toss pork right away with BBQ sauce—acid base cuts fat well. Better sauce choice acidic or vinegar-based. Don’t soak pork too long after shredding or it gets soggy.
- 💡 Leftovers store submerged in BBQ sauce in airtight container; stops drying and flavor loss. Reheat low in pan with splash of soda, stock, or water, covered to keep moisture. Microwave makes texture rubbery or dry. Coleslaw vinegar-based preferred to mayo-heavy; cuts fat bite. Buns toasted add crunch and counter softness of pork. Use deli rolls or hamburger buns fair game, buns too thin or overly soft can disintegrate under saucy pork. Toothpicks can hold buns if slaw added inside for tidy sandwiches.
Common questions
Can I substitute Dr Pepper?
Use pepper-flavored cola or dark beer if out. Beer adds deeper savoriness. Cola sweeter but less spicy. Remember flavor shift; adjust sugar or spice in rub accordingly.
How to tell when pork is done?
Shreds easily with two forks; if not pull apart, cook longer. Look for meat shrinking and fat rendered shiny. Smell shifts to rich caramel and smoke. Don’t trust just timers; sensory cues matter more.
What if pulled pork is dry?
Keep fat side up, fat melts into meat. Toss shredded pork immediately in BBQ sauce, not after cooling. Reheat slowly with splash of liquid, avoid microwave. Store leftover submerged in sauce to retain moisture.
Best way to store leftovers?
Use airtight container, cover pork with sauce so it doesn’t dry. Refrigerate up to 4 days, freeze if longer. Reheat low covered with splash of stock or soda; keeps moist. Microwave tends to dry and chew tough.
