My signature pulled pork recipe is slow roasted for 12 hours. People from all over the world love this easy pulled pork recipe that you can make in a slow cooker. The pork is rubbed with a secret spice mix, cooked slowly until it falls apart easily, and then tossed in a simple but flavorful homemade BBQ sauce.
Super economical, makes loads, freezes 100% perfectly and insanely moreish. You can make sliders or a big Southern BBQ dinner plate with sides like cornbread, mac and cheese, and coleslaw.
No self respecting BBQ Shack would cook pulled pork in a slow cooker. They smoke the pork overnight, and there is a pork babysitter on duty all night to stoke the coals, keep an eye on the temperature, and spray the pork with their secret-recipe spritzer every so often.
So here’s how I make pulled pork in a slow cooker. Simple. Totally hands off. Makes loads, super economical. Amazing result for minimum effort!.
Pulled pork is a crowd-pleasing staple at backyard barbecues and tailgates. When slow-smoked until fork-tender, the pork shoulder transforms into mouthwatering, fall-apart shredded meat that begs to be piled high on buns and dunked in tangy, sweet barbecue sauce. But how much sauce do you really need when cooking for a crowd? Let’s break it down.
Calculating Your Pulled Pork Needs
A general rule of thumb is to plan for 1⁄3 pound of finished pulled pork per person. Pork shoulder loses about half its weight during the low-and-slow smoking process. So for every 1 pound of raw pork shoulder expect a 1⁄2 pound yield of pulled pork.
For a group of 20, you’ll need about 6-2/3 pounds of finished pulled pork. That means purchasing 13-1/3 pounds of raw pork shoulder. We recommend rounding up to an even 15 pounds for a little extra insurance against hangry guests.
How Much BBQ Sauce Per Pound of Pulled Pork?
When served on the side, barbecue sauce quantities come down to personal preference. A good starting point is 2 tablespoons of sauce per 1⁄3 pound serving.
For our 20 guests with 15 pounds of pulled pork, that’s:
- 15 lbs pork = 45 servings
- 2 Tbsp sauce per serving
- 45 servings x 2 Tbsp = 90 Tbsp sauce
- 16 Tbsp in 1 cup
- 90 Tbsp ÷ 16 Tbsp/cup = 5 2/3 cups of barbecue sauce
So for 20 people plan on having around 6 cups of barbecue sauce available for serving on the side.
BBQ Sauce Styles to Consider
Barbecue sauce recipes vary dramatically across barbecue regions. The sauce you choose will impact how much your guests use.
Tomato-based: Kansas City and Memphis style sauces have a tomato foundation with warm spices. Their thick, sticky texture encourages lavish pouring.
Vinegar-based: East Carolina and South Carolina sauces get their tang from vinegar. They tend to be used more sparingly.
Unique flavors: Alabama white sauce has a mayonnaise base, while Texas mop sauce includes ingredients like Worcestershire and beer. These distinctive flavors may polarize appetites.
Mixing Sauce with Pulled Pork
While some pitmasters mix sauce right into the pulled pork, we recommend keeping it on the side. This allows guests to control how much sauce they use. It also keeps the pork versatile for leftovers later.
That said, a light drizzle of sauce in the serving tray can help moisten the pork and prevent it from drying out. For a 15 pound batch, use around 1⁄2 cup of sauce tossed gently with the hot pulled pork before setting it out for your guests.
Have Plenty of Sauce on Hand
When in doubt, it’s better to have too much barbecue sauce than to run out. Sauce lovers may want extra for dipping fries or slathering on burgers too. Leftover sauce keeps well in the fridge for several weeks.
Provide a variety of sauce options if possible. And don’t forget the napkins! Moist towelettes and wet wipes are handy for cleaning up sauce-slicked faces and sticky fingers.
The Takeaway
When feeding a crowd, plan for approximately 1⁄3 pound of pulled pork and 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce per person. For a 20 pound batch of smoked pork shoulder, have at least 6 cups of sauce ready for serving. And pick sauces that complement your menu and appeal to your guests’ preferences. With the right ratios and variety, you’ll keep your barbecue guests happy from first bite to last call.
How to serve pulled pork
The two classic ways to serve pulled pork are:
1. Sliders – stuffed in soft rolls with Coleslaw*. Terrific way to serve loads of people – this recipe will make around 20 sliders;.
*If you or your hips don’t like mayonnaise, try the RecipeTin No Mayo Coleslaw. It’s delicious!
2. Southern BBQ Dinner Plate with a side of something green (shown here: simple steamed greens drizzled with butter, salt, and pepper), baked mac and cheese, corn bread, steamed corn slathered in butter, cole slaw (or this no mayo version), and steamed corn.
This recipe makes loads of pulled pork. Pork butts are BIG – so there’s no getting around that!
If you use shoulder you can get smaller pieces. However, you shouldn’t use less than 2 kg (4 lb) of pork because it will cook too quickly and not have enough time for the flavors to blend.
Besides, it freezes 100% perfectly. And can you imagine how good you’ll feel knowing you have this in your freezer? Put it in a bread roll for a quick meal at any time! – Nagi x
What you need for pulled pork
For slow cooker pulled pork, you’ll need a spice rub and some kind of liquid for a braising liquid that will add flavor, sweetness, and keep everything nice and moist.
I like to use beer – any beer other than dark brown beers like stout or Guinness. Apple cider – alcoholic or non alcoholic – or similar fruit ciders (like pear) are also terrific. For non alcoholic, apple juice works really well. Emergency fallback: water!.
Pork shoulder or bone-in pork butt, which is also called Boston butt, is the best pork for pulled pork. The meat is juicy because it’s marbled with fat, and because it’s a tough cut of pork, it needs a long cook time to get soft enough to shred. This gives the flavors more time to soak in!
While both are cut from the shoulder of pig, the pork shoulder comes from the lower end (upper leg) whereas pork butt is the upper part near the back which is why the shape is more rectangle block-like. Here’s an excellent diagram from Cooks’ Illustrated!
And here’s what you need for the homemade Barbecue Sauce. It’s the sauce I use for all cooked meats, like pork ribs, chicken, beef ribs, and brisket.
I sometimes change it up a bit depending on the protein and the dish’s purpose, but the main ingredients are always the same!
Pulled Pork with BBQ Sauce
FAQ
How much barbecue sauce do you add to pulled pork?
How much will 20 pounds of BBQ feed?
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Number of people to be served
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Pounds of each food group
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50 People
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12.5 lb.
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80 People
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20 lb.
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100 People
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25 lb.
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150 People
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37.5 lb.
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How much will 20 lbs of pulled pork feed?
How much BBQ sauce should i use?
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MEAT TYPE
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DRY RUB
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BBQ SAUCE
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BEEF STEAK
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2 TBSP
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1/4 CUP
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PORK CHOPS
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1 TBSP
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1/4 CUP
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WHOLE CHICKEN
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4 TBSP
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1/2 CUP
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WHOLE TURKEY
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4 TBSP
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1/2 CUP
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How much barbecue sauce is in a pound of pulled pork?
Since we’ve determined that there are 3 servings in a single pound of pulled pork, that amounts to 6 tablespoons per pound. Let’s go back to our 10-person estimate. According to these calculations, 10 servings calls for 20 tablespoons of barbecue sauce.
How much barbecue sauce should I serve with pulled pork?
When serving barbecue sauce on the side, you should plan on offering about 2 tablespoons per serving. Since we’ve determined that there are 3 servings in a single pound of pulled pork, that amounts to 6 tablespoons per pound. Let’s go back to our 10-person estimate.
How long does BBQ sauce take to cook pulled pork?
THIS homemade BBQ sauce for pulled pork was crafted with pork recipes in mind: be it BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, pulled pork enchiladas, tacos, or pizza, this BBQ sauce makes your pulled pork dishes sing. It’s healthier and tastes so much better than storebought barbecue sauce – and it only takes around 15 minutes!
What is the best BBQ sauce for pulled pork?
Carolina BBQ sauce (apple cider vinegar bbq sauce) is perfect for pulled pork. This low carb recipe has a vinegary-peppery taste tempered with a subtle sweetness. Place all ingredients into a small pot and heat until it comes to a boil. Cool and place into a lidded jar or a squeeze bottle. Refrigerate up to two weeks. Shake before using.