Smoked Pork Shoulder

This smoked pork shoulder is cooked low and slow until tender, juicy, and full of flavor. With minimal prep and hands-off cooking, it’s an easy way to make a comforting, crowd-pleasing meal.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Meat

Keyword pork shoulder, slow cooker pork, smoked pork shoulder

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 5

Servings slices

Calories 150kcal

Author Elaine Benoit

Equipment

Slow cooker

Ingredients

3.5 pound smoked pork shoulder picnic
1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions

In the bottom of your crockpot, pat down most of the brown sugar.
1/4 cup brown sugar
Place the unwrapped smoked shoulder on top of the brown sugar. Pat the remaining brown sugar on the meat.
3.5 pound smoked pork shoulder picnic
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 the skin off if it came with it and any obvious fat. Slice the meat and arrange it on a platter.
Eat, smile, and enjoy.

Notes

Helpful tips

If you’re buying a slow cooker, a 6-quart size is a great choice. It gives you room to cook larger cuts like pork shoulder and still have leftovers to freeze.
Pork shoulder works with either bone-in or boneless cuts. I prefer bone-in for extra flavor, and the bone is great for making soups later.
If your pork has the skin attached, you can trim it off before cooking or leave it on. Leaving it on can add extra flavor and richness.
Trim any excess fat if needed, but leave some in place since it helps keep the meat moist as it cooks.
For the best texture, cook the pork low and slow until it easily pulls apart with a fork.
Let the meat rest for a few minutes before shredding so it stays juicy.
This pork stores well. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for longer storage.

Nutrition