With the recent rise in beef prices, I have been looking for other meat options to add to our diet. I don’t consider myself an extreme cheapskate, but one of my biggest thrills as a housekeeper is finding a good deal on groceries and household supplies. When I looked into cheaper meat alternatives and discovered that the pork butts from Sam’s club were a fair amount cheaper than buying ground beef, I stocked up the freezer and we have been enjoying these super easy barbequed Coca-Cola pulled pork sandwiches ever since. The Cola and barbequed pork that you prep ahead and toss into the crockpot is a tasty dinner win in itself, but when paired with homemade coleslaw and homemade sourdough hamburger buns, it elevates the meal into something next level yum!
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Crockpot BBQ Coca-Cola Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 8 lbs. Boston Pork Butt Bone-in
Season generously with:
- onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, smoked paprika.
Add:
- 20 oz. Coca-Cola
- 1 cup Sweet Baby Ray's barbeque sauce plus more later if needed. *see note
Instructions
Prep the night before to marinade overnight: (optional)
- Remove packaging and place the pork butt into a 7-quart crockpot with the fat side on top. Season generously (to taste) with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, ground black pepper and smoked paprika.
- Pour Coca-Cola around the sides of the pork, being careful not to wash off the seasonings. Spread one cup of barbeque sauce over the seasoned pork butt, then cover with the lid and refrigerate the pork butt in the ceramic crockpot insert 8 hours or overnight.
- After marinading, place the crockpot insert back into the heating element of the crockpot and cook the pulled pork on low for 8-10 hours or until the internal temperature is around 200 degrees (F). *see note.
- Allow the cooked pork to rest for 10-20 minutes, then remove the fat and bone. Shred the pork butt to preference and add more barbeque sauce if desired. At this point the pork should shred easily, but if it is still tough it needs to cook for an hour or more longer.Serve as a sandwich or side and enjoy!
Notes
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Step 1: Remove packaging and place the pork butt into a 7-quart crockpot with the fat side on top. Season generously (to taste) with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, ground black pepper and smoked paprika.
Does the pork need to be marinated overnight?
Technically no, you can prep the pork butt and toss it straight into the crockpot to be cooked the same day. However, marinating it overnight gives the seasonings a chance to soak into the meat and the carbonation from the Cola a chance to start breaking down the meat. Also, who doesn’t love less work first thing in the morning? 🙂
Step 2: Pour Coca-Cola around the sides of the pork, being careful not to wash off the seasonings. Spread one cup of barbeque sauce over the seasoned pork butt, then cover with the lid and refrigerate the pork butt in the ceramic crockpot insert 8 hours or overnight.
Is it safe to refrigerate the crockpot insert?
If the crockpot insert is hot, it is not recommended to refrigerate it with food contents inside due to the insert holding heat for too long. But, in this case the insert hasn’t been heated yet and I have not had any trouble with marinating meat in a cool crockpot insert in the refrigerator overnight. Do so at your own risk. 🙂
Step 3: After marinading, place the crockpot insert back into the heating element of the crockpot and cook the pulled pork on low for 8-10 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees (F).
Step 4: Allow the cooked pork to rest for 10-20 minutes, then remove the fat and bone. Shred the pork butt to preference and add more barbeque sauce if desired. At this point the pork should shred easily, but if it is still tough it needs to cook for an hour or more longer. The optimal internal temperature for shredding is around 200 degrees (Fahrenheit).
Last but not least, serve the pulled pork in a sandwich or paired with Mac and cheese, potato salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw, baked beans and more!
Storage notes:
An 8-pound pork butt yields a lot of meat, which is great for serving a crowd, but you will probably have leftovers if you are serving it to a family of 5 like mine. Leftover pulled pork can be refrigerated to reheat for up to 5 days. For longer storage, place the pulled pork into airtight containers or Zip-lock bags and freeze for several months.
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