Fill a 4-quart slow cooker with just enough water or beer to cover the bottom.
Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker and sprinkle the top evenly with garlic and onion powder. Add just a dash of liquid smoke. Then, rub the seasonings into the pork for an even coating.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches at least 165 degrees.
Once fully cooked, transfer the pork to a cutting board and let it rest for 1 hour.
Pull the pork by hand, picking out and discarding the excess fat.
Serve with your favorite BBQ sauce or on a sandwich, or store away to use later.
Notes
Pork shoulder: We tend to use boneless, but a bone-in pork shoulder works great too! For an equivalent amount of meat, use a 6-lb bone-in pork shoulder. Just make sure whatever pork shoulder you buy will fit in your slow cooker.Cooking the pork: Pork cooks best low and slow, so we like to do this overnight. All it takes is a few minutes before bed to throw everything in the slow cooker and turn it on. When you wake up, the whole house will smell of delicious pork and it'll nearly be done!You want the pork to reach at least 165 degrees F internally so you know it's cooked - but if it's actually between about 195 and 205 degrees F, it'll fall apart and pull very easily.Pulling the pork: Hand-pulling pork can get messy, so we recommend wearing disposable gloves for this step. It's helpful to pull the pork by hand so you can easily pick out the fat, but you can also always use utensils or other tools if you want.Storing pulled pork: Portion out your pork and store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.Reheating pulled pork: You can reheat pulled pork in the microwave or in a frying pan on the stove for a few minutes over medium heat until it's lightly crisped. Toss it with your favorite sauce or spices and enjoy! (From the freezer, you can defrost in the microwave or in the fridge overnight, then follow the reheating instructions here).Serving suggestions: You can use this pulled pork for so many dishes, like BBQ pulled pork mac n cheese, burritos, stir fries, pizza, tacos, and so much more! Check out our blog post above for more suggestions.FAQs and troubleshooting: Not sure what cut of pork to use? Or how to prep ahead for a party? Read the FAQs section of our blog post above for more helpful tips.