Easy Eats: Slow cooker Pulled Pork

With just 20 minutes of prep and 5-8 hours of gentle cooking in the slow cooker, you can create a mouth-watering meal that is so minimum fuss it should be illegal.

I’ve included my recipe for a bulk Mexican spice mix because it’s handy to have in the cupboard, but feel free to sub with one teaspoon of each spice instead. 

While I’ve paired this succulent pulled pork with burritos, the possibilities are endless.

So set your slow cooker and get ready to savour every mouthful of this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork – a true crowd-pleaser that's as easy to make as it is delicious to eat!

Serves 8 (with lots of delicious leftovers)

Prep 20 minutes / Cook 5-8 hours 

Ingredients

1.2kg pork shoulder or leg 

3 Tbsp Mexican spice mix (see below)

2 x 400g canned diced tomatoes 

2 x 400g canned mixed beans (or any beans), rinsed and drained

2 red onions, thinly sliced 

1 bunch coriander, stems finely sliced, leaves finely shredded 

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp brown sugar 

Juice of 1 lemon

Chopped salad, wraps, cheese, guacamole and sour cream to serve. 

For the Mexican spice mix: 

1 Tbsp salt and ground black pepper 

30g box each: onion powder, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, cumin powder, ground coriander 

Method

For the spice mix, combine all ingredients in a large jar. Label and seal with a lid – this will last for up to three months in the pantry. 

To make the slow-cooker pork, coat pork in 3 tablespoons of the Mexican spice mix to coat meat completely. Transfer to slow cooker and add tomatoes, beans, onion, coriander stems and 1 cup (250ml) of water. 

Cook on the low setting for at least 8 hours or on high for at least 5 hours, or until the meat shreds easily with two forks. 

Use tongs to remove and discard the bones and fat from the meat. 

Season with sugar, apple cider vinegar, juice and coriander. 

Serve with warmed wraps, chopped salad, cheese, guacamole and sour cream for burritos.

 

Sam Parish is a Christchurch-based chef, writer and food stylist. Her food philosophy is ‘maximum of flavour, minimum of fuss’ (MOFMOF), which means she’s all about cooking smarter, not harder. She’ll be sharing delicious, fast, family-friendly food ideas every Wednesday (after road-testing them on her own whānau, of course). Sam’s first book, Cook Me is out now.