Chipotle Dr Pepper BBQ Pulled Pork


Pulled pork is one of those dishes that earns its reputation through time. A pork shoulder needs several hours of slow cooking before the collagen softens, the fat renders, and the meat reaches the point where two forks can pull it apart almost without effort. When it gets there, you have tender strands of pork that hold onto every bit of sauce they touch.


This Chipotle Dr Pepper BBQ Pulled Pork begins with a four to four-and-a-half-pound boneless Boston butt, which is actually cut from the upper portion of the pork shoulder. I season the roast generously with kosher salt and cracked black pepper, then brown it in a hot skillet before it ever reaches the slow cooker. Taking a few minutes to sear the outside builds a deeply browned crust and adds another layer of flavor to the finished pork.


Two sliced onions go into the slow cooker with the roast, followed by the ingredients that give this recipe its character: two full cans of chipotle peppers in adobo, regular Dr Pepper, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.


And yes, I mean two cans of chipotle peppers.


This pork has a kick.


The chipotles bring much more than heat. Chipotle peppers are smoked, dried jalapeños, and when they are packed in adobo sauce they bring smoke, chile, acidity, and a deeper savory flavor to the cooking liquid. After several hours in the slow cooker, those flavors work their way through the pork and mingle with the sweetness of the soda and brown sugar.

Pulled pork sandwich on a sesame seed bun topped with creamy coleslaw, served with pickled okra and extra slaw on a white plate.
Pulled pork sandwich on a sesame seed bun topped with creamy coleslaw and tangy barbecue sauce, served with a pickle spear.

Dr Pepper has enough spice and caramel character to work particularly well here. As the pork cooks, the soda becomes part of the braising liquid along with the barbecue sauce. The apple cider vinegar cuts through some of that sweetness, and Worcestershire adds the savory depth I wanted in the finished sauce.


The result lands firmly in barbecue territory. The pork is smoky, sweet, spicy, tangy, and rich enough to stand up to a toasted bun and a generous spoonful of coleslaw.


Once the pork is tender, I lift it from the slow cooker and shred it by hand with two forks, removing any larger pieces of fat as I go. If several whole chipotle peppers are still floating in the cooking liquid, this is also the time to remove them if you prefer. They have already given plenty of flavor to the sauce.


I also take a look at the surface of the cooking liquid before returning the meat. Pork shoulder can release a fair amount of fat during several hours of cooking, so I skim off any excess. Then the shredded pork goes straight back into the slow cooker where it can soak up the sauce and stay warm until everyone is ready to eat.


If the sauce seems a little thin, leave the slow cooker uncovered on high for another fifteen or twenty minutes. It will reduce and cling more closely to the pork.


For serving, I like toasted buns, more barbecue sauce at the table, and homemade coleslaw piled directly on top. The cold, crisp cabbage against the hot, spicy pork is exactly what this sandwich needs.


This is also the kind of recipe worth making when you have people coming over because nearly all of the work happens well before anyone arrives. Brown the pork, load the slow cooker, and give it time. By the time you are ready to eat, the meat is tender, the onions have nearly melted into the sauce, and the kitchen smells like you have been cooking all day.


And technically, you have.


Until next time, thank you for spending a little time with me. I hope you find a recipe to make, a story to enjoy, and something new to take into the kitchen. ♥️

Seared beef roast seasoned with cracked black pepper, resting in a dark roasting pan with browned juices pooling beneath the pink center.
Seasoned raw beef roast coated in cracked black pepper and coarse salt, searing in a dark roasting pan with rendered juices.
Seasoned raw beef roast with cracked pepper resting on peeled onions and garlic in a black slow cooker, ready for a pot roast recipe.
Raw pork shoulder roast seasoned with cracked black pepper, coriander seeds and spices, resting in a dark roasting pan before cooking.
Seasoned raw pork roast topped with red sauce, resting on sliced onions in a black slow cooker, ready for cooking.
Raw pork roast topped with thick red barbecue sauce, surrounded by sliced onions in a black slow cooker ready for cooking.
Shredded barbecue beef simmering in a rich, tangy red sauce with onions inside a black slow cooker.
Seasoned pork roast simmering in a slow cooker with sliced onions and rich savory broth, ready for a tender pot roast dinner.
Creamy coleslaw with shredded cabbage and carrots served in a white ceramic bowl on a plate with a silver spoon beside it.
Pulled pork sandwich on a sesame seed bun topped with creamy coleslaw, served with pickled okra and extra slaw on a white plate.
Creamy coleslaw with shredded green cabbage and carrots on a white plate, served beside a red striped cloth napkin.
Pulled pork sandwich on a sesame seed bun topped with creamy coleslaw and tangy barbecue sauce, served with a pickle spear.

Chipotle Dr Pepper BBQ Pulled Pork

Slow-Cooker

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 7 to 8 hours on LOW or 4 to 5 hours on HIGH
Servings: 8 to 10


Ingredients


1 boneless Boston butt or pork shoulder roast, about 4 to 4 1/2 pounds

1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons kosher salt, or enough to season the pork generously on all sides

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons freshly cracked black pepper, or enough to season the pork generously on all sides

2 large white or yellow onions, sliced

2 (7-ounce) cans chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, peppers and sauce included

2 cans regular Dr Pepper, not diet

1 cup prepared barbecue sauce, plus more for serving

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Toasted buns, for serving

Homemade coleslaw, for serving

Instructions


  1. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Season generously on all sides with the kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, using enough to coat the entire roast well.
  2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and brown well on all sides, turning as needed to develop a deep golden crust. The pork should remain raw inside.
  3. Place the sliced onions in the bottom of a large slow cooker. Set the browned pork on top.
  4. Add both cans of chipotle peppers with all of the adobo sauce, the Dr Pepper, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir the cooking liquid around the pork to combine, then turn the roast once or twice to coat it well.
  5. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the pork is very tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.
  6. Transfer the pork to a large cutting board or platter. If any whole chipotle peppers remain in the cooking liquid, remove and discard them at this point if desired.
  7. Remove and discard any large pieces of fat from the pork, then shred the meat with two forks.
  8. Skim excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid if needed.
  9. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
  10. Serve on toasted buns with additional barbecue sauce and homemade coleslaw.

Cook’s Note

  1. This pulled pork has a definite kick. Two full cans of chipotle peppers in adobo give the sauce plenty of smoky heat, balanced by the Dr Pepper, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, cider vinegar, and Worcestershire.
  2. If the cooking liquid seems thinner than you prefer after shredding the pork, leave the slow cooker uncovered on HIGH for 15 to 20 minutes before serving, stirring once or twice as the sauce reduces.


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about the AUTHOr

Stasia Boschetti is an American culinary writer and the founder of American Country Living. With more than thirty years of experience in the kitchen, a background in catering, extensive travel, and a strong knowledge of regional food traditions, she writes about the recipes, histories, and customs that have shaped the way America cooks. She lives in the United States with her husband, family, and rescue animals.

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