Kansas City Burnt Ends with Smoked Paprika Rub

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-05 · Updated 2026-04-05

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 developed and reviewed.

Savory pulled pork shoulder with a smoky-sweet glaze, inspired by KC's iconic burnt ends tradition. This American-inspired slow-cooker recipe, ready in about 655 minutes, pairs pork shoulder butt, smoked paprika, brown sugar for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 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: 25 min Cook: 630 min Serves 8 American cuisine 380 cal/serving

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Ingredients

3 lbs pork shoulder butt
2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dry rub spice mix
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke

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Instructions

Step 1: Trim excess fat from pork shoulder, then rub 2 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tbsp dry rub spice mix evenly over all sides.
Step 2: Place pork in a 5-quart slow cooker, add 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and cook on low for 10 hours until fork-tender.
Step 3: Shred pork with two forks, discarding fat, then return to slow cooker. Stir in 3 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp liquid smoke, cooking on high for 30 minutes until glaze thickens and coats meat.
Step 4: Serve with extra glaze drizzled over top, garnished with chopped fresh parsley.