This tender Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork is cooked in the crock pot all day and tossed with a sweet and spicy barbecue sauce. It’s a recipe that combines 3 favorites of mine: pulled pork, Dr. Pepper, and my crock pot.
Make that 4. There’s enough for leftovers. 🙂
Y’all, I’ve been 3 weeks without my beloved Diet Dr. Pepper. It’s something that I’ve consumed daily for the past 20 years. I hate to think about how much of it I have drank over the years. It could probably fill up a large swimming pool. The first day without it, I felt like my head was going to split open. Now the physical desire is good, but I’m truly recognizing what an emotional crutch it was for me.
Anxiety rising? Nerves fringed? Just a little of that sweet bubbly liquid going down my throat does wonders.
But since me and my friend Diet DP can no longer be together, I thought I would make a Dr. Pepper BBQ Sauce, you know, for old times sake.
Originally posted February 12, 2015.
I’ve made once before and used it on Hot Dogs and Oven Barbecued Chicken. But his time I used a different recipe, from Saveur: The New Classics Cookbook: More than 1,000 of the world’s best recipes for today’s kitchen
, and combined it with pulled pork made in the crock pot. The pork is also cooked in Dr. Pepper for double the fun.
Dr. Pepper is an excellent addition to recipes and gives plenty of sweet flavor along with that indescribable kick that Dr. Pepper has. I also love it in chili.
Storage
Leftover pulled pork can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days or they can be frozen in a ziptop freezer bag for 2 months.
More Pulled Pork Recipes
- Slow Cooker Carolina-Style Pulled Pork
- Slow Cooker Smoky Pulled Pork
- Crock Pot Teriyaki Pulled Pork
- Crock Pot Root Beer Pulled Pork
- Pulled Pork Enchiladas
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Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 pound boneless pork shoulder,, ok to use one with bone but should be about 5 pounds
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1 large onion,, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
- 1 (12-ounce) can Dr. Pepper
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 garlic cloves,, minced
- 1 large onion,, finely diced
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 (12-ounce) can Dr. Pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper on all sides. Place in pan and cook to brown all sides.
- Mix together dark brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Place sliced onion in bottom of a crock pot.
- Place pork on top of onions and coat with brown sugar mixture. Pour can of Dr. Pepper around the sides of 6-quart crock pot. Place lid on crock pot and cook on LOW 7 to 8 hours or on high 5 to 6 hours.
- To make sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan . Add garlic and onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened, about 30 minutes.
- When pork is done, remove it from crock pot and shred with 2 forks. Discard liquid in crock pot. Return pork to crock pot and add 1/2 to 1 cup of sauce. Mix in with pork. Cover crock pot and cook on LOW for 1 hour.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Source: adapted from Saveur: The New Classics Cookbook: More than 1,000 of the world’s best recipes for today’s kitchen
Disclosure: This post may contain amazon.com affiliate links.
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Love finding new crock pot recipes. And I’m a huge pork fan. Oink oink. Must try this!
This HAS to be most delicious. I love pulled pork. The pictures are beyond tantalizing.
This pork looks fantastic, Christin! I always make pulled porn in my slow cooker too, but with root beer. I’ll have to try it out with dr. pepper! Pinned!
Since going back to work after maternity leave (and having to be gone 12 hrs), I’ve been on the search for good slow-cooker recipes…esp those that can cook for at least 10 hrs and stay warm for a while. I bet this could stay warm all day without overcooking. I’m totally checking out your pinterest board. If you know of any other good all-day cooker recipes, please let me know!!! Unfortunately my husband dislikes to two meats that are best for all-day cooking, beef and pork, but I think i could get him to at least eat pork.
I’m crazy about the idea of using Dr. Pepper with pulled pork. It’s genius.
This pulled pork looks incredible, Christin! I can just imagine how flavorful it must be with the Dr. Pepper!
This is my perfect pork! Love using soda to help to sweeten things up a bit. Photos turned out gorgeous!
Happy Valentine’s day friend!
Bbq sauce with Dr. Pepper sounds delicious! I can just imagine how flavorful this pulled pork must be!
Pulled pork is my fav!
I love the idea of using Dr. Pepper in a pulled pork recipe! This looks so warm and comforting. I should try it before the snowstorm this weekend. :O 🙂