This is my go-to mid-June slow cooker dinner when I want to toss a few things in the pot at lunchtime and forget about it until the evening. It’s a 5-ingredient, hands-off shredded pork that finishes glossy and sticky with a dark red glaze, perfect for a casual Flag Day or any summer night on the porch. The idea is classic Midwest potluck meets pulled pork joint—simple pantry staples, minimal prep, and a slow cooker doing all the work while you’re at your desk, running kids around, or just enjoying the long daylight.
Pile the succulent, saucy shredded pork onto toasted brioche or hamburger buns with a scoop of coleslaw for crunch. It’s also great over mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or a bed of rice to soak up the extra glaze. For easy summer sides, think corn on the cob, a simple green salad, or baked beans straight from the oven. A crisp lager, iced tea, or lemonade pairs really well with the sweet-tangy, smoky flavors, and any leftovers make amazing next-day quesadillas or baked potato toppings.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Flag Day Finale PorkServings: 6
Ingredients
3 to 3.5 lb boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed of excess hard fat
1 cup thick barbecue sauce (your favorite, preferably smoky)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Directions
Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels and trim off any large, hard pieces of exterior fat, leaving some fat for flavor and moisture. Place the pork in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar until smooth and fully combined. The mixture should be thick, glossy, and deep red.
Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the pork, turning the pork once or twice with tongs to coat all sides. Make sure some of the sauce gets underneath the meat so it cooks in that flavorful bath.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the pork is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking so the heat and moisture stay trapped inside.
Once the pork is fork-tender, use tongs to carefully transfer it to a large cutting board or shallow dish, leaving the sauce in the slow cooker. Let the pork rest for about 10 minutes so it’s easier to handle and the juices redistribute.
While the pork rests, skim off any visible layer of fat from the surface of the sauce in the slow cooker with a spoon and discard. If you prefer a thicker glaze, turn the slow cooker to HIGH, prop the lid slightly ajar, and let the sauce bubble for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce while you shred the meat.
Using two forks, shred the pork into bite-size, fibrous strands, discarding any large pieces of fat as you go. You want it mostly shredded but still with some texture, not mushy.
Return the shredded pork and any juices that collected on the board back into the slow cooker. Toss well to coat all the meat in the glossy, dark red sauce. Let it sit on WARM for at least 10 minutes so the pork can soak up some of the glaze.
Right before serving, give the pork a final stir. Serve it hot straight from the slow cooker, spooning extra sauce over the top so it looks shiny and succulent, with steam rising as you bring it to the table.
Variations & Tips
To keep this truly 5-ingredient, the base recipe skips spices, but you can customize it easily if you don’t mind going beyond five: add 1 to 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika, garlic powder, or onion powder to the sauce for extra depth; stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce if you like a little heat. For a slightly lighter version, you can use pork loin instead of shoulder, but keep an eye on the cook time and check for doneness a bit earlier, since leaner cuts can dry out more quickly. The same sauce mixture also works with boneless, skinless chicken thighs; reduce the cook time to about 4 hours on LOW or 2 to 3 hours on HIGH, until the chicken shreds easily. If you prefer a crisper edge on your meat, spread the finished shredded pork on a sheet pan and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, just until some bits caramelize, then return it to the slow cooker with the sauce. For food safety, always start with fully thawed meat, keep the slow cooker covered while cooking, and use a meat thermometer to confirm the pork has reached at least 190°F for pull-apart tenderness (minimum safe temperature is 145°F, but shoulder needs higher for 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 you’re away from home, use the LOW setting rather than leaving it on WARM all day—WARM is for holding temperature after cooking, not for actually cooking the meat.
