Crock Pot Pulled Pork and Beef Barbecue

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/19/22
Pulled pork

Tracey Kusiewicz / Foodie Photography / Getty Images

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 4 hrs
Total: 4 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 12 sandwiches

This recipe for pulled pork and beef combines lean beef chuck with trimmed pork shoulder in a tasty homemade sauce. The wonderful tender and juicy pork and the flavorful beef go together surprisingly well. You can make the sauce with or without the liquid smoke and hot sauce, or you can skip the homemade sauce all-together and use about 2 cups of your favorite bottled barbecue sauce. 

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck

  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless pork, from the shoulder or butt section

  • 2 cups ketchup

  • 1 cup water

  • 3 tablespoons vinegar

  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional

  • A few dashes hot sauce, optional

  • 12 to 15 split sandwich buns, toasted if desired

Steps to Make It

  1. Trim any excess fat from the beef and pork. Cut into cubes and place in the slow cooker.

  2. In a bowl, combine the ketchup, 1 cup water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and liquid smoke and hot sauce if using. Pour over the meat cubes.

  3. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 8 to 9 hours until the meat is very tender. Check occasionally and add small amounts of water as necessary.

  4. When done, remove the meat from the pot and shred with a fork; place back in the pot on low until hot.

  5. Serve on the split buns.

Tips

Recipe Variations

  • Replace the sauce ingredients with about 2 to 3 cups of commercial barbecue sauce. Check occasionally and add water, as necessary. Or make this recipe with homemade molasses barbecue sauce or a delicious beer barbecue sauce.
  • Add about 1 1/2 cups of sliced onions to the meat.
  • Use part lean pork or beef, if desired. If too lean, it can become tough, so make sure you balance with fattier meat. Or you can substitute country style ribs for the pork shoulder. 
  • The recipe is easily scaled up for a crowd. For a party or tailgating, serve the shredded meat and sauce right from the slow cooker.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
497 Calories
23g Fat
34g Carbs
40g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 497
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 29%
Saturated Fat 8g 41%
Cholesterol 124mg 41%
Sodium 826mg 36%
Total Carbohydrate 34g 12%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 40g
Vitamin C 3mg 13%
Calcium 108mg 8%
Iron 4mg 25%
Potassium 630mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)