Dr Pepper Pulled Pork

Get your party started this summer with one of my favorite slow cooker summer recipes – Dr Pepper Pulled Pork!

This past weekend was my in-law’s wedding anniversary.  They’ve been married for 56 years.  Amazing, right?!?  To help celebrate this milestone, we had a little backyard get-together at our house.

It was actually a dual celebration.  We just finished having a patio installed in our backyard.  This was the perfect opportunity to show off our new patio to our family!

Since my father-in-law loves pulled pork, I made Dr Pepper Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches with a finger-lickin’ good homemade BBQ sauce, my favorite creamy coleslaw and macaroni salad.  I also had bowls of Cheeze-Its for everyone to munch on while I was putting the finishing touches on dinner.  And, I served up plenty of Dr Pepper to wash everything down!

The pulled pork was easy to make.  I started with my favorite pulled pork recipe — since it’s always a huge hit whenever I make it – and added a can of Dr Pepper to the slow cooker for a fun twist.  You can also try this barbecue dry rub recipe for something a little different.

Then I made the homemade BBQ sauce to go on top.  Again, I started with my favorite recipe and added some Dr Pepper extra flavor.

I loved how the Dr Pepper transformed the flavor and gave it a very subtle cherry flavor.  This stuff is crazy-good and so easy to make yourself!

For dessert, we grilled up s’mores.   My son loves to burn his marshmallows beyond recognition so the metal marshmallow sticks  are perfect since they don’t burn.

My favorite way to eat pulled pork is  to start with a generous helping of pork on a soft sandwich roll.  Then slather it with extra BBQ sauce and place a heaping pile of coleslaw right on top!  It’s the perfect texture and flavor combination — the succulent pork, the sweet and zesty sauce and the crisp and creamy coleslaw.  It’s a little piece of heaven on a bun.  You can easily see why it’s one of my favorite slow cooker summer recipes!

Tools Used to Make This Recipe

Slow Cooker: This is my favorite – it’s a workhorse in my kitchen! 

Slow Cooker Liners: I always use these – clean up is super simple!

Meat Shredding Forks: These make shredding pulled pork a cinch!

More Recipes You Might Like

• Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Apple Cider Sauce
• Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
• Instant Pot BBQ Ribs

Looking for more?  Check out all of the best Slow Cooker recipes on It Is a Keeper.

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Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork

Get your party started this summer with one of my favorite slow cooker summer recipes - Dr Pepper Pulled Pork!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time8 hrs 20 mins

Total Time8 hrs 35 mins

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: crock pot, pork, sandwich, slow cooker

Servings: 8

Calories: 910kcal

Author: Christina Hitchcock

Ingredients

Pork

• 7 pounds bone-in pork butt
• Spice rub - recipe below
• 12 oz Dr Pepper
• 8 sandwich rolls
• Spicy BBQ Sauce - recipe below

Spice Rub

• 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 3/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground chipotle chili pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt

Spicy BBQ Sauce

• 1 large onion - diced
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 12 oz tomato paste
• 12 oz Dr Pepper
• 6 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 4 Tbsp molasses
• 4 tsp prepared mustard
• 2 cups ketchup
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp all spice
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 tsp liquid smoke

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Spice Rub

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Pork

• Rub entire roast with spice rub and place fat side up in slow cooker.
• Pour Dr Pepper into slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on high for 7-8 hours or until meat falls off the bone.
• Remove pork from slow cooker and place on a large rimmed baking sheet.
• Using two forks, shred pork, removing excess fat and bone.
• Place a helping of pork on roll and top with Spicy BBQ Sauce.

BBQ Sauce

• In a large pot, saute onion in vegetable oil over medium heat until softened but not browned.
• Add all other ingredients and cook for 10-20 minutes, or until sauce thickens to desired consistency.

Notes

I have substituted two pork tenderloins in place of the pork butt and it has turned out wonderful! I have also substituted two double chicken breasts in place of the pork and it’s wonderful, too! You can make the sauce ahead of time and reheat it when you’re ready to serve it. You can also add the shredded pork to the sauce and heat it together, if you’d like.

Nutrition

Calories: 910kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 83g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 238mg | Sodium: 2332mg | Potassium: 2300mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 1480IU | Vitamin C: 13.9mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 9.6mg

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Helpful Tips for All Recipes on It Is a Keeper

• Want to scale a recipe up or down? Simply type in a new serving amount and the recipe will automatically adjust! 
• When a recipe call for House Seasoning Blend, you can use this recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.  
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• I always use a meat thermometor to test for doneness when cooking meat.  This one is my favorite.  
• When a recipe is made in the oven, it should be pre-heated to the temperature in the recipe, unless otherwise noted.
• The nutritional information provided in this recipe is an estimate.  Learn more on how I calculate nutritional information for my recipes.