Slow cooker pulled pork buns

1. Place the pork skin side up in a slow cooker. Pour over the apple juice, barbecue sauce and chicken stock.   
2. Next add the onion, garlic, smoked paprika, fennel seed and oregano. 
3. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours until the meat is falling off the bone. 
4. Turn the slow cooker off and remove the meat from the liquid, set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the skin and bone and using two forks, flake the meat into fine pieces. 
5. Pour the liquid into a shallow saucepan, skim excess fat off the top and then simmer until the liquid is reduced to a sauce like consistency. You will want about 1 ½ cups of sauce. 
6. Place the pork in a bowl, pour over the sauce and mix well. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. 
7. Pour the slaw into a serving bowl, spoon over the aioli and mix well. Cover the base of brioche buns with slaw, top with pulled pork and then the bun lid.

Recipe notes

Pork – pork shoulder roast is the best cut of meat for pulled pork. It has the optimum fat content that yields to create tender, melty meat that will fall apart perfectly. If you can't find a whole pork shoulder, you could also use a Boston butt or picnic roast cut. 

Make it ahead – Pulled pork keeps well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, so it's easy to make this the night before if you want to be extra prepared.

Leftovers – Home cooks know that leftovers are the holy grail – and there are few better leftovers than pulled pork. Serve it the next day as pulled pork sandwiches, with some hot mashed potatoes or potato salad (we love this spiced potato salad), or with some tiny slider buns as a tasty appetiser. 

Tip: if you want to make fewer servings, simply freeze portions of the pulled pork in resealable plastic bags to use another time.

Spice – if you're keen to get a bit of extra zing and spice into your pulled pork (not that it needs it – we promise it's delicious as is!) you could try adding some hot sauce, chilli powder or mustard powder. 

Apple juice – if you don't happen to have any apple juice on hand, you could also use orange juice or pineapple juice. It's important to have the right amount of liquid in with the pork, so it stays juicy and moist. 

FAQ

What cut of pork is best for pulled pork? 
See Recipe Notes – Pork above.

Could I use pork leg or pork loin instead?
We'd recommend against it. Both of these cuts lack the fat you need to make juicy and melty meat – you would need to add some fat to the cooking process and cut against the grain, so you don't have big, long stringy pieces. The final product will be less tender. 
If you have these cuts already on hand, you could try creating this Roast pork leg with sage and apricot stuffing balls recipe or our pork loin with roasted pears.

Do I need to sear my pork shoulder first?
No! While searing it in a hot skillet first will give you some delicious burnt bits on the outside, it's not necessary at all. 

Can you overcook pulled pork in a slow cooker? 
It's very difficult to – pulled pork is pretty much impossible to mess up. If you cook it a bit longer than you intend to, it'll only make your pork more tender.