Pork shoulder is slowly cooked in a sweet and tangy Asian teriyaki sauce until fork-tender. This Slow Cooker Teriyaki Pulled Pork is perfect for serving over rice, in a wrap, on salads, and more.
Meal prepping is one of the best things I do to keep my family eating healthy, balanced meals, even on busy days. Making large batches of shredded meat in a slow cooker is super easy and can be used all week long! Like this delicious Slow Cooker Teriyaki Pulled Pork. We enjoyed the pork over rice the first night then used it throughout the week over salads, in soups, wrapped in tortillas, and more!
Ingredients
- Pork shoulder: While a bit fatty, when cooked low and slow, it gets tender and juicy, shredding easily.
- Pineapple juice: Adds the distinct sweetness that is known in teriyaki sauce.
- Chicken broth: Adds volume to the marinade without watering down the flavor.
- Soy sauce: Great source of umami flavor and adds some tanginess to balance out the sweetness in the sauce.
- Rice wine vinegar: Not nearly as acidic as typical vinegar, it has a mild and slightly sweet taste.
- Tomato paste: Amplifies the umami flavor and thickens the sauce a bit.
- Ginger: Pungent and somewhat spicy flavor.
- Hoisin sauce: Sweet and salty in taste, it balances out the many flavors in the sauce.
- Sesame oil: A bit nutty and earthy in taste, I like to use toasted sesame oil for an even more intense flavor.
- Chinese five-spice: A flavorful blend of cloves, star anise, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel.
How to Make Slow Cooker Teriyaki Pulled Pork
Start your slow cooker teriyaki pulled pork by making the teriyaki marinade. Add the pineapple juice through Chinese five-spice powder to a bowl or the bottom of your slow cooker.
If you like a bit more of a kick, you can also add some chili paste before whisking all together.
Then add the pork shoulder and spoon some of the marinade over the top. While optional, I like to baste the pork shoulder every hour or so while it cooks. Cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
Once finished cooking, let pork rest 10 minutes before shredding. Then serve on a salad, in a sandwich, or with a tortilla, and enjoy your Slow Cooker Teriyaki Pulled Pork!
Easy Substitutions
- No pineapple juice? Try orange juice or brown sugar for sweetness instead.
- Don’t have tomato paste? Try diced tomatoes, a fresh tomato chopped up, or even a little ketchup. Use what you have on hand!
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I mix with pulled pork to keep it moist?
What’s the best way to store pulled pork?
What to eat with teriyaki pulled pork?
More SLow Cooker Recipes
- Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef
- Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
- Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
- Slow Cooker Tacos al Pastor
- Slow Cooker Caldo de Pollo
Eat It, Like It, Share It!
Did you try this slow cooker recipe? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your dish.
I love to toss some onto a quick, green salad for an easy lunch. My kids love to make it into a wrap with some pita bread. However you prepare it, I know you’ll love this Slow Cooker Teriyaki Pulled Pork.
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Slow Cooker Teriyaki Pulled Pork
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder
- kosher salt
- pepper
Asian Teriyaki Sauce
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup soy sauce (or tamari to keep gluten free)
- ¼ cup Nakano Natural Rice Vinegar (or lime juice )
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons minced ginger
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic paste (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
Instructions
- Whisk together all of the Asian Teriyaki Sauce ingredients in the slow cooker insert (pineapple juice through Chinese five-spice powder.)
- Place pork shoulder in the slow cooker and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper then spoon a bit of the sauce on top to coat. Cook on high for 4 hours, with the fat side facing up.
- Remove the cooked pork from the slow cooker and let cool 10 minutes before shredding with two forks.
- Place a fine mesh strainer over a large liquid measuring cup and strain the leftover liquid from the slow cooker, carefully removing any solids. To remove the fat, chill liquid in an ice bath for 30 minutes until the fat solidifies. Toss the fat then pour the remaining liquid back over the shredded pork. Warm the pork before serving.
Last Step:
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