Harlingen-Inspired Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Tangy BBQ Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-22 · Updated 2026-05-22

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Tender pulled pork cooked low and slow, inspired by the hearty flavors of Texas, paired with a tangy homemade barbecue sauce. This American-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 495 minutes, pairs pork shoulder, yellow onion, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 8, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 480 min Serves 8 American cuisine 420 cal/serving

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Ingredients

3 lbs, trimmed and cut into 2 pieces pork shoulder
1 large, sliced yellow onion
4, minced garlic cloves
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup water

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Instructions

Step 1: Place 1 large sliced yellow onion and 4 minced garlic cloves in the bottom of a slow cooker. Lay 3 lbs pork shoulder pieces on top.
Step 2: In a bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp chili powder, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 cup water until smooth.
Step 3: Pour the barbecue sauce mixture evenly over the pork and onions. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until pork is very tender and shreds easily with a fork.
Step 4: Remove pork from slow cooker and shred using two forks. Return shredded pork to the slow cooker and stir to coat with sauce. Serve warm on toasted buns or over rice.