When I need dinner to basically cook itself while I handle work and everything else, this 4-ingredient slow cooker feast is one of those easy wins I come back to. It has that cozy, end-of-summer comfort-food feel without turning on the oven, and the long, low cooking time gives the protein plenty of time to become tender and easy to shred in a rich, sweet-savory sauce.
This dish is especially good served over soft sandwich rolls, rice, or mashed potatoes so none of that sauce goes to waste. For a beach-day-inspired spread at home, add simple sides like coleslaw, corn on the cob, baked beans, potato salad, or sliced watermelon, and keep the drinks easy with iced tea or lemonade.
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Poor Man's National Beach Day Feast
Servings: 6
Ingredients
3 pounds pork shoulder or pork butt roast
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup cola
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions
1. Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker.
2. Pour the barbecue sauce, cola, and Worcestershire sauce over the roast, covering the top and sides as evenly as possible.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours, until the meat is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
4. Shred the pork directly in the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce. Let it sit for 10 minutes so the meat soaks up more flavor before serving.
5. Serve warm on buns, over rice, or with your favorite comfort-food sides.
Variations & Tips
Make It Sweeter: If you like a sweeter sandwich-style filling, stir in a little extra barbecue sauce at the end. This is especially good if you're serving the meat on buns for a casual dinner.
Meal Prep Tip: Shred the meat and store it in its sauce so it stays moist in the fridge. It reheats well for lunches, easy baked potatoes, rice bowls, or quick sliders during a busy week.
Beach-Day Plate: To lean into the National Beach Day theme, serve the shredded meat with corn, watermelon, pickles, and a scoop of creamy slaw. It gives the whole meal that relaxed late-summer cookout feeling without needing to stand over a grill.
Slow Cooker Tip: If your sauce seems a little thin at the end, leave the lid off for 15 to 20 minutes on high after shredding so it can reduce slightly. If it gets too thick, stir in a small splash of water or cola.