It’s summer and time for barbecues, picnics, and other outdoor parties. My SIL recently shared with me a slow-cooker pulled pork recipe that she’d found on the Web at Chow.com. I cooked it overnight on a Friday and took it to a Saturday lunch with friends. No, slow-cooker pork isn’t as good as pulled pork that’s been hickory smoked for 6 hours, but it still tastes really good. It’s very tender, and it’s simple to make.

For this recipe, you’ll need the following:

• 4.5 or 5 lb. pork butt or shoulder roast
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• a large white onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Step 1:

Chop your garlic and onions. Layer into bottom of slow cooker and pour chicken broth over top.

Step 2:

Combine your seasonings in a separate bowl. Then, rub over all sides of pork.

Step 3:

Place your meat inside the slow cooker and on top the onions and garlic. Cover the cooker, then cook 6-8 hours on low or 8-10 hours on high. You’ll know your pork is ready when it starts flaking at the touch of a fork.

Step 4:

Turn off the cooker. Move your pork to a large cutting board or platter. Strain the onion/garlic mixture through a mesh strainer but save the liquid. Return the onions and garlic to the cooker.

Step 5:

With a fork in each hand, shred the pork carefully. If there’s a bone, remove and discard it, as well as any large pieces of fat. Return the meat to the cooker.

Step 6:

If you’re using barbecue sauce, stir in 2 cups now. I prefer to serve the BBQ sauce on the side. So if you’re doing the same, spoon 1/4 cup of the reserved liquid into the cooker at a time. You want to moisten the pork without soaking it. Then, taste and add more seasonings and salt, if you like.

That’s it! To view the original recipe, click HERE.

What are your favorite summer recipes for the slow cooker?