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    Home » Dinner » Meat and Poultry » Smoked Pork Shoulder | Slow Cooker Method

    Smoked Pork Shoulder | Slow Cooker Method

    Last updated on October 18, 2021. Originally posted on October 18, 2021 By Elaine 64 Comments

    712 shares
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    Smoked Pork Shoulder for Pinterest 1
    Smoked Pork Shoulder for Pinterest 2
    Smoked Pork Shoulder for Pinterest

    This smoked pork shoulder recipe is slow cooked to perfection which makes the meat tender and delicious! Place the meat in the cooker, add some sugar and forget about it until it dings that it’s done.

    Close up of slices of pork on a plate with gravy and potatoes and carrots

    My favorite meat is smoked pork shoulder. The end. That is all. I confessed.

    I feel better.

    Wait…!

    Why do I have to confess that it’s my favorite meat?  There is no one breathing down my neck demanding to know.  And Christopher knows very well that it is my favorite.  Ask him, he will tell you that I say it every time I eat this glorious food.

    I should probably stop doing that.

    Probably.

    I wonder if that will really happen?

    Probably not.

    Sorry Christopher.

    This post has been republished because it’s delicious and I wanted it to appear before Easter. The powers that be, (mainly the big search engine), want posts written a certain way. This is the one post that I refuse to re-write in that cookie cutter way.

    It reflects the part of my personality that I show my family and friends which is funny and silly and I’m okay with that.

    This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you click the link and buy something. You can read my disclosure here.

    Helpful tips

    • If you are in the market for a crock pot or slow cooker. Get at least a 6 quart unit. It’s just hubby and myself in our household but it’s perfect as I freeze half of what I cook in it.
    • You can either get a shoulder with the bone in or boneless. I do prefer the one with the bone because then I can make pea soup.
    • If the meat comes with skin attached, you can either cut it off before you cook it or leave it on as I do.

    How to make a smoked pork shoulder

    Brown sugar in the bottom of the crockpot pan

    I grab my trusty crockpot and put some brown sugar on the bottom of the ceramic insert. I press it down and smile as I am doing it because – anticipation, my dear friends, anticipation! I save a little of the sugar for the top of the meat.

    *I do the smoked shoulder shuffle, which resembles the hustle, but in a very small space.*

    Next, comes the smoked pork shoulder picnic cut. The one I bought (pictured below) is 4 pounds. I’m so glad the store sells smoked shoulder in a smaller size. My sister cooks a HUGE shoulder, usually around 9 – 10 pounds. But, since it’s just hubby and I, 3 – 4 pounds will do nicely for us.

    I take the shoulder out of its packaging and place it right on top of the brown sugar.

    The pork shoulder on the brown sugar in the crockpot pan

    The pork shoulder is screaming, “Give me some sugar, baby!  Some shu-gah!”

    Soooo, I take the rest of the brown sugar and play patty cake with the top of the meat.

    Brown sugar patted on the pork. It is in the crockpot insert

    Now, I cover the crockpot and set the temperature to high and the timer to 4 hours.

    Anticipation

    I grab a chair, drag it over to the crockpot and sit and stare at the timer. It’s mesmerizing. Actually it’s boring, so, I get up and go about my day. That’s not to say that I don’t take sneak peeks at the timer, because I do.

    It takes at least 2 hours for the brown sugar to melt, so don’t get nervous. There isn’t any need to baste the smoked pork shoulder, so leave it covered!

    Two more hours pass and DING! My favorite sound in the whole wide world.

    I gallop to the crockpot and whip the cover off, spraying the condensation that accrued on the cover in a pretty arc.

    With my big forks, I stab the shoulder, lift it out of the crockpot and place it on a platter to rest at least 15 minutes before I cut into it.

    How unfair is that?

    The pork shoulder done and on a blue plate with steam rising above!

    Look at that juice, PEOPLE!! Is anyone else as happy as I am this very minute? I think not, I think not!

    So, 15 minutes drags on and on and on and on but I persevere and can finally cut into the shoulder.

    I cut the skin off and cut some slices.

    Slices of pork on the plate with some vegetables in the background

    I pour the juice from the bottom of the crockpot into a little gravy boat.  Then I plate the meat with some roasted carrots and potatoes and scream for Christopher. He comes thundering down the stairs and skids to a stop right behind his chair. He sits, grinning in anticipation.

    I place his plate in front of him, take off my apron and sit in front of my plate.

    I look happily at Christoper and we both dig in. The rest is history.

    A plate with slices of pork with carrots and potatoes on it along with another plate behind it

    Other popular crock pot recipes

    • Boneless chuck roast
    • Bourbon baby back ribs
    • Pork tenderloin

    I hope you enjoy this smoked pork shoulder recipe as much as I do!  And please leave me a comment if you are so inclined as I’d love to hear from you.  Tell me what your favorite meat is!

    And as always, may all your dishes be delish!

    If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below.  I love hearing from you!  You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!

    Slices of smoked pork shoulder on the platter

    Smoked Pork Shoulder

    Smoked pork shoulder is my very favorite meat and I love it prepared this way!
    4.96 from 25 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: Meat
    Keyword: pork shoulder, slow cooker pork, smoked pork shoulder
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 4 hours
    Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
    Servings: 20 slices
    Calories: 150kcal
    Author: Elaine Benoit

    Ingredients

    • 3.5 pound smoked pork shoulder picnic
    • ¼ cup brown sugar

    Instructions

    • In the bottom of your crockpot, pat down most of the brown sugar
    • Place unwrapped smoked shoulder on top of the brown sugar
    • Pat the rest of the brown sugar on the smoked shoulder
    • Cover crockpot and set the timer for 4 hours on high
    • Once the timer dings, take the shoulder out and place on a platter and let it sit for 15 minutes before cutting into it
    • Cut skin off if it came with it
    • Slice
    • Eat
    • Enjoy

    Equipment

    Slow cooker
    See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2slices | Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 187mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.7mg
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    712 shares

    This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small commission, at no additional cost to you,  if you click the link and buy. You can read my disclosure here.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Betty

      September 02, 2016 at 8:52 pm

      This smoked picnic is wonderful, just as you said. I do have one question. My piece was a half picnic at 3.5 lb. and 4 hours was perfect. If I were to cook a whole one at about 7 lbs, how long would I need to cook it? Would it be 8 hours? (I will make some wonderful pea soup with the bone.)

      Reply
      • Elaine

        September 03, 2016 at 4:18 pm

        Hi Betty,

        I’m glad you like the recipe. If you cook a 7 lb picnic it should take the same amount of time, so check it at 4 hours but it might be 5 at the very most. I find that 4 hours on high is perfect. Good luck. And I love pea soup! Yummers.

        Reply
      • Richard

        November 30, 2020 at 1:14 pm

        I’m going to try your way too! Next one I’m going to add 2-3 cups of hot apple cider to the pot. Frankly, I’ve never cooked anything in my crockpot without liquid! Gotta try it!! Thanks

        Reply
        • Elaine

          November 30, 2020 at 3:12 pm

          You really don’t need the liquid, The fat from the shoulder along with the brown sugar liquifies. But I say go for it. I’d love to know how it goes Richard.

          Reply
    2. Joyce

      March 23, 2018 at 2:34 pm

      I think this is my favorite meat too! Great recipe. I can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 26, 2018 at 12:29 pm

        Thanks Joyce. Yay! A kindred spirit!

        Reply
    3. Abby @ WinsteadWandering

      March 26, 2018 at 11:17 am

      I have my own confession: I’ve never had smoked pork shoulder. You sure make it sound (and look) irresistible, though!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 26, 2018 at 12:27 pm

        Oooo Abby, you don’t know what you’re missing!

        Reply
    4. rebecca

      March 26, 2018 at 12:19 pm

      no convincing here either! this looks absolutely delicious!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 26, 2018 at 12:27 pm

        Thank you Rebecca!!

        Reply
    5. Debbye

      March 26, 2018 at 12:19 pm

      Wow, only two ingredients and it looks this good! Amazing, can’t wait to try!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 26, 2018 at 12:28 pm

        Thanks Debbye!! It’s so easy and basically cooks itself!

        Reply
    6. Traci

      March 26, 2018 at 12:54 pm

      Looks pretty perfect to me. Just in time for the Easter holiday! Not sure I’ve ever had this, but looks like something to try. Thanks for the inspiration!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 26, 2018 at 1:52 pm

        Thank you for your comment Traci!!

        Reply
    7. Ginny

      March 26, 2018 at 12:55 pm

      The slow cooker is my go-to all year long. And … confession is always good for the soul 🙂

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 26, 2018 at 1:51 pm

        Lol Ginny!

        Reply
    8. Edyta at Innocent Delight

      March 26, 2018 at 5:05 pm

      Wow, this looks like a really good piece of pork. I bet all this brown sugar makes it super delicious.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 27, 2018 at 7:49 am

        It does Edyta. It makes a nice sauce or gravy to dribble on the pork as you eat it. Thanks for your comment!

        Reply
    9. Jessica Robinson

      March 26, 2018 at 8:18 pm

      One of my favorites for Easter and Sunday dinners! Such a simple and delicious home cooked meal! I pinned for later!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 27, 2018 at 7:48 am

        Yay Jessica! I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    10. Caroline

      March 26, 2018 at 8:54 pm

      I never used to be a huge fan of hams and shoulder cuts but I have recently been won over by a few and this looks like another I am sure I’d enjoy.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 27, 2018 at 7:47 am

        Thanks Caroline!

        Reply
    11. Jacqueline Debono

      March 27, 2018 at 2:21 am

      OMG that looks amazing! I’m obviously missing out because I have never had smoked pork shoulder. I’m not sure I can find it here in Italy, but I’m definitely going to try!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 27, 2018 at 7:46 am

        Thanks Jacqueline! It tastes like a more delicious ham. Mmm.

        Reply
    12. Melve

      March 27, 2018 at 9:04 am

      We never tried Smoked Pork Shoulder but looking at your recipe I think I need to try.because it sounds great and delicious.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 27, 2018 at 12:12 pm

        Thank you Melve. It really is!

        Reply
    13. Gloria

      March 27, 2018 at 9:04 am

      YES….pork is SOOOO delicious. Hubby loves doing the “smokin” out on the grill. This is a great way to do it…especially in the dead of winter when he doesn’t want to go outside. So many things you can use this meat on too.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 27, 2018 at 12:13 pm

        Thanks Gloria! I don’t have a grill so the pork shoulder I buy is smoked already, which is very convenient for me!!

        Reply
    14. Beth

      March 27, 2018 at 11:36 am

      I have never made smoked pork in the crockpot! It’s fairly genius, actually! I always do pulled pork in the crockpot! I totally have to try this! I can’t to see what you do with the leftovers!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 27, 2018 at 12:14 pm

        Thanks Beth! It’s so easy. And for the leftovers . . . can you say pea soup? 🙂

        Reply
    15. Kate

      March 27, 2018 at 12:28 pm

      Slow cooker meals are just the best! I can’t believe this is really just two ingredients. It’s so great knowing some simple recipes like this! Looks like a real crowd pleaser.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 28, 2018 at 12:34 pm

        Thank you Kate! It really is 🙂

        Reply
    16. Sharon

      March 28, 2018 at 1:11 pm

      This smoked shoulder looks amazing and I’m excited to try it out so that I too can do the smoked pork shoulder shuffle! I have a similar dance when freshly baked cookies are coming out of the oven.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 28, 2018 at 1:17 pm

        Hehe Sharon!! I hope you enjoy it and I’d love to see your cookie shuffle! 😉

        Reply
    17. Jessica Robinson

      March 28, 2018 at 4:06 pm

      My parents raised hogs on a small farm for years and still continue to do so! Love Pork shoulder. I’m going to try this in my Dutch oven. Such wonderful flavors! I pinned for later and stumbled! Such a great recipe!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 31, 2018 at 1:09 pm

        That’s so cool Jessica! It’s so yummy! I appreciate your comment!

        Reply
    18. Analida @ ethnicspoon.com

      March 29, 2018 at 10:25 am

      I am with you Elaine! Pork shoulder is my favorite! I am going to try this smokin good recipe too!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 29, 2018 at 12:02 pm

        Thanks so much Analida!

        Reply
    19. Carrie | Clean Eating Kitchen

      March 30, 2018 at 9:31 am

      I love that you can make this in a slow cooker, it takes all of the effort out of creating a delicious meal!! It looks like it’s cooked to perfection! Such an easy way to impress a hungry crowd!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 30, 2018 at 9:49 am

        Thanks Carrie! It certainly does! Thank you for your comment!

        Reply
    20. Karyl Henry

      April 01, 2018 at 12:59 pm

      Oh I love the flavor of smoked meats! This looks so simple and delicious, and perfect for a weeknight meal.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        April 01, 2018 at 6:40 pm

        Karyl! Me too! Thanks for the comment!

        Reply
    21. Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago

      April 01, 2018 at 3:43 pm

      It’s been a long time since I’ve had a smoked pork shoulder. It’s so tasty and I love that you can make this version in a slow cooker!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        April 02, 2018 at 9:53 am

        Thanks Kathryn. It is so easy and delicious!

        Reply
    22. Veronika's Kitchen

      April 01, 2018 at 4:59 pm

      Wow, this pork looks so juicy! I never cooked smoked pork before, but looking at these pictures, I definitely should!)

      Reply
      • Elaine

        April 01, 2018 at 6:40 pm

        It’s so delicious Veronika! We actually had it again today for Easter. Yum.

        Reply
    23. Jyothi

      April 02, 2018 at 3:19 am

      Smoked pork shoulder!!? Wow that sounds amazing! Meat looks absolutely perfect!My hubby would love this recipe.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        April 02, 2018 at 7:55 am

        Thanks Jyothi!! It’s so tasty! And simple!

        Reply
    24. Christine

      April 02, 2018 at 12:22 pm

      This recipe looks so easy and delicious! Love slow cooker recipes like this one. My husband would love this for dinner!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        April 02, 2018 at 12:57 pm

        Thanks Christine! It’s so good!

        Reply
    25. Christopher

      April 15, 2018 at 4:00 pm

      This is another winner recipe I love eating on a regular basis!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        April 16, 2018 at 12:25 pm

        Me too! I love it so much!

        Reply
    26. Jan

      April 24, 2019 at 6:12 pm

      I cook smoked shoulder all the time. I’m not sure about the brown sugar though. I cook it stove top with carrots potatoes cabbage and turnip. Its our favorite winter meal. I was looking for a slow cooker recipe . But with all the vegetables. Guess Ill try it!.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        April 24, 2019 at 7:17 pm

        Yum, Jan. We would have smoked shoulder in a boiled dinner. That’s what your recipe sounds like to me. I’m not a real “sweet added to meat lover” but for some reason, this really hits the spot. If you’re afraid it’s going to be too sweet, half the brown sugar.

        Reply
    27. Brenda

      September 14, 2019 at 12:57 pm

      This is the funniest recipe I have ever read. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        September 14, 2019 at 1:14 pm

        Hehe. You made my day, Brenda. I used to write most of my recipes like that, but I guess Google wasn’t amused. 😉 It really is my favorite meat.

        Reply
    28. Sue Ringsdorf

      September 19, 2019 at 6:33 pm

      Elaine, I DO love your funny style of writing about this recipe, and it makes me want to make it like right NOW! I’m going to look for this cut of meat during my next InstaCart shopping trip! 🙂

      I enjoyed meeting you today on Skype! 🙂

      Reply
      • Elaine

        September 20, 2019 at 12:56 pm

        Hehe. Thanks Sue! It’s my favorite meat. Yes, I know I say it but it bears repeating! 🙂 It was nice meeting you too.

        Reply
    29. Candice Williamson

      July 26, 2020 at 10:53 am

      sounds wonderful! Simple recipe, straight to the point! making it TODAY!!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        July 26, 2020 at 4:26 pm

        Yum, can I come over Candice? 😉 I hope you enjoy it.

        Reply
    30. Phyllis

      November 23, 2020 at 12:46 pm

      It is hilarious how you described this recipe. I want to cook my shoulder on low for 8 hours. It’s for my thanksgiving dinner, a small one cause it’s only me at the dinner table. Is 8 hours too long?

      Reply
      • Elaine

        November 23, 2020 at 1:37 pm

        Thanks Phyllis! Hehe. You can cook it on low for 8 hours. I’ve done it many times. Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you enjoy it. 🙂

        Reply
    31. Jane S

      February 02, 2022 at 2:22 pm

      You are a riot!! Putting it int the crock pot right now. If my son wont eat it too bad 🙂

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 04, 2022 at 11:07 am

        Hehe, thanks Jane. It was one of the times I let my humor out although Google doesn’t like that. 🙂 I hope you enjoyed it.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Elaine! I'm so glad you stopped by. Here you will find lots of tasty cocktails, comforting food and inspiration for your next meal. I LOVE chocolate, almost all foods, blogging, photography and spending time with my hubby!

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