Slow Cooker Honey-Soy Pulled Pork

This slow cooker honey-soy braised pork comes together perfectly with the help of what I refer to as the dynamic quartet of ingredients – honey, soy sauce, garlic, and vinegar.

When tucked into a bun, these pulled pork sandwiches bring a tasty twist, steering clear of the usual barbecue sauce. The sweet vibes from honey and brown sugar mix perfectly with the soy sauce’s depth, all tied together by a tangy kick from vinegar. Toss in some fresh garlic for a savory touch, and voilà, an unforgettable meal.

Why I Love This Recipe

• Effortless Prep: Takes only 10 minutes to assemble in the morning.
• Set-and-Forget: A true slow-cooker gem—minimal attention required.
• Has Complexity: Rich, savory flavors that defy the simple prep. You’ll be surprised!
• Pure Comfort Food: The tastiest answer to your easy and comforting dinner cravings.

Ingredients 

• Honey – Clover honey’s my pick, but any mild one works.
• Soy sauce – Reduced sodium; tamari or aminos if you need gluten-free.
• White vinegar – Sharp and clean. Apple cider vinegar works too.
• Brown sugar – Golden brown keeps it balanced. Brown sugar sweetens and balances the soy. If you’re out, here’s how to make brown sugar in one minute
• Dried basil – Use the leaves, not powder.
• Cornstarch – For thickening; arrowroot works too.
• Garlic – Fresh if you can, jarred if you can’t.
• Pork shoulder – Boston butt, same thing, perfect cut.

I use the same honey, soy and garlic players in my baked sticky honey garlic chicken wings and my grilled spicy honey garlic chicken. You’ll even see this trio show up again in my easy recipe for Mongolian beef noodles. It’s such a good combo of flavors.

How To Make Slow Cooker Honey-Soy Pulled Pork

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (prep the pork)
  Trim off any thick pieces of fat from the pork shoulder and drop it into the slow cooker. No need to be perfect here just get the big stuff.
• Step Two (mix the sauce)
  In a bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, basil, and garlic. Pour it over the pork so it’s coated in that sweet-salty mix.
• Step Three (slow cook and thicken)
  Set the slow cooker to low and let it do its thing. When it’s done, lift out the pork and pour the cooking liquid into a bowl. Let it rest a few minutes so the fat rises, then skim it off. Move the sauce to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir the cornstarch with a little water and whisk it into the sauce. Keep stirring until it thickens, don’t let it boil for more than a minute or it can thin back out.
• Step Four (shred and finish)
  Shred the pork with two forks, pulling out any extra fat. Pour the sauce back over the meat and stir to coat. It’s perfect on its own, or piled high on a sandwich bun.

Recipe Tips

• Let the pork sit out a bit before cooking so it’s not ice cold going in.
• Pork pulls best around 195–205°F (90–96°C). That’s when it shreds easily and stays juicy.
• Trim off the thick fat before slow cooking since it’ll simmer right in the sauce.
• Pile it on buns with slaw, my homemade dill pickles, or pickled red onions for the full sandwich moment.
• Leftovers are gold, try them on nachos, in quesadillas, or tossed into a breakfast hash.

FAQs

• Can I make this recipe in advance?
  Yes. In fact, the flavors often intensify when made ahead, making it a great make-ahead dish.
• Can I cook this on high heat instead of low for a shorter time?
  While low and slow is recommended for optimal tenderness, you can cook on high for a shorter duration. The pork will need to be in the 195-205°F (90-96°C) range for it to be pullable.
• How do I prevent the sauce from becoming too thick?
  Add the cornstarch mixture gradually and stir continuously to avoid clumps. If the sauce becomes too thick, a little water can help reach the desired consistency.
• How do I store leftovers?
  Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• Can I reheat pulled pork in the microwave?
  Yes, reheating in the microwave is convenient. Add a splash of water to maintain moisture while heating it up.
• Can I freeze this?
  Yes, pulled pork and this recipe freezes well. Let it cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container or freezer bags. Remove as much air as possible to help prevent freezer burn.

More Pork Recipes in the Slow Cooker

• Slow Cooker Kalua Pork
• Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Chile Verde
• Slow Cooker Thai Pork
• Slow Cooker Pork with Pineapple
• Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

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Print

Slow Cooker Honey-Soy Pulled Pork

Rescuing your weeknight with a hassle-free slow-cooker masterpiece—truly a "set-it-and-forget-it" meal, with flavors that seem far more labor-intensive. This savory pork only demands about 10 minutes of your morning for effortless preparation. Enjoy this pulled pork on your favorite soft or crusty bun.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Slow Cooker Honey-Soy Pulled Pork

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 hours hours

Total Time 8 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 453kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• Knife
• Cutting board
• measuring cups and spoons
• mixing bowls
• slow cooker

Ingredients

• 1 (6-7 lb) pork shoulder/Boston Butt
• 1-1/4 cups clover honey
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup dried basil leaves
• 3 tbsps minced garlic
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

Instructions

• Trim pork shoulder of all extra fat and place meat in slow-cooker.*
  1 (6-7 lb) pork shoulder/Boston Butt
• In a separate bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, basil and garlic. Pour on top of meat.
  1-1/4 cups clover honey, 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar , 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup dried basil leaves, 3 tbsps minced garlic
• Set slow cooker on low for 8 hours. When done, remove meat and pour sauce into a large pouring vessel bowl. Let sit for about 20 minutes and skim off any visible fat from the top. Pour sauce into sauce pan over medium heat. Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup water and add slowly to the sauce. Continue to stir, making sure there are no clumps. Sauce will thicken once mixture is hot enough, make sure not to boil over 1 minute as the cornstarch will break down.
  1/4 cup cornstarch
• Shred meat with two forks, removing any other visible fat and pour sauce over the meat. Eat as is or make it into a sandwich.

Video

Notes

Pork Prep: *Removing the obviously visible fat on the pork is helpful for this recipe since it cooks in the sauce. The meat is as tender as if you cooked with the fat originally. 

For optimal outcomes when preparing this slow cooker honey-soy pulled pork, it's recommended to refer to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations

The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

Nutrition

Serving: 250g | Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 38.1g | Protein: 43.9g | Fat: 12.2g | Saturated Fat: 4.1g | Sodium: 599mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 1.3IU | Vitamin C: 1.1mg | Calcium: 11.4mg | Iron: 2.1mg

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The post Slow Cooker Honey-Soy Pulled Pork appeared first on Noble Pig.

I semi-ignored the continually mounting paperwork on my desk so that I could work in my garden. My containers on the deck are doing so well. They make me smile every time I see the flowers blooming. Next time I’ll take pictures of the flowers on the bottom deck…all shade varieties and more exotic.

It was either stare at our meadow, or do chores…guess what I chose?

But I did do some cooking and these sliders were one of the best dinner ideas I had. I actually started the meat in the slow-cooker the night before so that it was ready by morning. It made it so easy to get this going. A perfect summertime treat and the slow-cooker doesn’t heat up your house. Not that, that really matters in the Pacific Northwest (only some very select days).

Anyway, the sliders…SO GOOD! And with that sauce…my oldest boy said, “Mom, what’s in that sauce, I love it?” I told him, “A lot of things you dislike, onions, coffee, tomatoes, whiskey (he would hate it if he tried it).” Ha-ha…he was shocked that it just tasted good, it was eye-opening for him…in a good way.

Of course I used my favorite bacon, Carlton Farms, thick-cut and smoked, I swear it makes everything taste good. We love us some bacon in this house!!

You are going to love these! I used plain, crunchy, romaine lettuce instead of coleslaw because the sauce has enough “tang” on it’s own. However, a big crunchy dill pickle on the side and some salty, BBQ chips were a must!

Here is the perfect Pin.

Three Years Ago: Apricot Glazed Grilled Pork Chops
Four Years Ago: Petiquette. Is There Such a Thing?

The post Beef Short-Rib Sliders with Whiskey-Bacon Barbecue Sauce appeared first on Noble Pig.