When the weather turns sticky and hot, a three-ingredient slow cooker dinner is the kind of simple comfort that saves the day. This recipe leans on a richly marbled cut of pork that turns tender and shreddable with hours of gentle cooking, giving you a deeply savory main dish with almost no hands-on work. It is a practical, family-friendly way to get dinner going early and keep the kitchen cool while the slow cooker does all the heavy lifting.
Serve this saucy shredded pork over soft sandwich buns, spooned onto rice, or tucked into warm tortillas. It also goes nicely with simple summer sides like coleslaw, corn on the cob, potato salad, watermelon, or sliced tomatoes, so you can round out the meal without turning on the oven.
3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Mid-Summer Laziness
Servings: 6
Ingredients
3 to 4 pounds pork shoulder or pork butt
1 cup dark amber barbecue sauce
1 medium onion, sliced
Directions
1. Scatter the sliced onion in the bottom of the slow cooker to make a bed for the pork.
2. Set the pork shoulder on top of the onions, then pour the barbecue sauce over the top and sides to coat it well.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours, until the pork is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
4. Shred the pork right in the slow cooker, mixing it with the onions and juices so every bite stays moist and flavorful.
5. Serve warm on buns, over rice, or in tortillas with your favorite simple summer sides.
Variations & Tips
For milder flavor: Use a sweeter, less smoky barbecue sauce if you are feeding younger kids or anyone who prefers a gentler flavor. A sweet sauce also pairs especially well with buns and slaw.
For a little extra richness: If your pork shoulder is very lean, choose a well-marbled piece so it stays juicy through the long cooking time. That bit of fat is what helps create the tender, pull-apart texture.
For easy serving: If you want neater sandwiches, lift the pork out to shred on a board, then return it to the slow cooker and toss with some of the sauce and juices. That lets you remove excess fat more easily if needed.
For make-ahead meals: Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat nicely. You can also freeze portions with a little extra sauce for quick future dinners on busy nights.