First Day of Summer Bites: Just 5 ingredients. I make it when I want dinner handled hours ahead on those hot afternoons.

This 5-ingredient slow cooker summer kickoff shreds recipe is my go-to when the first really hot day hits and I want dinner handled hours ahead. It uses a simple, succulent, fibrous pulling protein—boneless pork shoulder—that turns melt-in-your-mouth tender in a glossy, umami-rich amber glaze. Everything goes into the slow cooker at lunchtime, and by early evening you’ve got steamy, pull-apart shreds ready for sandwiches, tacos, or piling over rice. It’s not fussy, it doesn’t heat up the kitchen, and it tastes like you fussed way more than you did.

Serve these slow cooker shreds on soft brioche or potato buns with a crunchy coleslaw on top for contrast, or tuck them into warm tortillas with sliced avocado and a squeeze of lime. On really hot evenings, I like to keep the sides cool and simple: a big green salad, sliced watermelon, and maybe some chilled corn salad or store-bought potato salad. If you’re feeding a crowd, set the slow cooker to warm and put out a little topping bar—pickles, sliced red onion, shredded cheese, and extra barbecue sauce—so everyone can build their own plate.

Servings: 6-8

3 to 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder (pork butt), trimmed of excess hard fat

Lightly trim excess hard fat from the pork shoulder, leaving some fat for flavor and moisture. Pat the meat dry with paper towels.

Lay the sliced onion in an even layer on the bottom of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. This creates a flavorful bed that keeps the pork lifted slightly from the bottom.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture looks glossy and smooth.

Place the pork shoulder on top of the onions in the slow cooker. Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the pork, turning the meat once or twice with tongs to coat all sides in the amber glaze.

Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the pork is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork. The sauce will be bubbling and the meat should look glossy and juicy.

Transfer the cooked pork to a large cutting board or shallow dish, leaving the onions and cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Let the meat rest for about 10 minutes so it’s easier to handle and stays juicy.

Using two forks, shred the pork into bite-size, fibrous pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat. The meat should pull apart easily and look moist and succulent.

Skim off any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid in the slow cooker with a spoon. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and toss it gently with the onions and sauce until everything is coated in the glossy, umami-rich glaze.

Turn the slow cooker to WARM and let the shredded pork sit for at least 10 to 15 minutes so it can soak up more of the sauce. Serve straight from the slow cooker, spooning the steamy, glazed shreds onto buns, tortillas, or over rice.

You can easily adapt this simple base to suit your family. For a slightly lighter version, use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of pork shoulder and reduce the cook time to about 4 to 6 hours on LOW (or 3 to 4 hours on HIGH), checking early so the chicken doesn’t dry out. If you prefer a tangier flavor, swap half of the barbecue sauce for an equal amount of apple cider vinegar and add a pinch of red pepper flakes for gentle heat. For kids who don’t like anything too smoky or spicy, choose a mild, sweeter barbecue sauce and reduce the soy sauce to 1/3 cup, adding a splash of water if needed to keep the sauce from getting too salty. To make it a little more backyard-cookout style, stir in a teaspoon of liquid smoke (if your barbecue sauce isn’t already smoky) or finish the shreds under the broiler for a few minutes on a sheet pan to crisp the edges slightly before returning them to some of the sauce. You can also keep this gluten-friendly by using a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari and checking that your barbecue sauce is labeled gluten-free. For food safety, always thaw meat fully in the refrigerator before adding it to the slow cooker—never cook from frozen, as it can stay too long in the temperature “danger zone.” Use a meat thermometer if you’re unsure; pork shoulder should reach at least 190°F internally for easy shredding. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow container within 2 hours of cooking and use within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot before serving. If the sauce thickens too much when reheating, just splash in a little water or extra barbecue sauce to bring back that glossy, spoonable texture.