This is one of the best and easiest slow cooker dinners ever. The recipe I had (from the Crock-Pot site) calls for using a pork loin. I think that leaner cut is best saved for roasting or grilling. Maybe it's because I was born in Hawaii (where pork aka pig is revered), but I prefer to use pork shoulder or butt. It's fattier and therefore, more tender, and stands up to slow cooking without drying out.
I did nothing more than put the pork shoulder in the Crock-Pot, sprinkle it with salt, garlic powder, and pepper, and let it go for about 8 hours on low. Then I shredded it (after removing all the fat I could see) and added a bottle of Carolina-style barbecue sauce. (Carolina because I am just not a fan of barbecue sauce in general, especially if it's thick tomato-y and smoky.) I like the vinegary twang of Carolina sauce, but use whatever barbecue sauce you like. I then let it heat through, about 15 more minutes in the slow cooker.
I served this on lightly toasted buns topped with a mayo-based cole slaw the first time and, because we had leftovers, I served them with a mustard and vinegar-based cole slaw the second time (Bittman's recipe). My entire family are cabbage freaks, and the girls will eat cole slaw any which way, so it was the perfect accompaniment, along with a Russian sour pickle.
I'm telling you, this dinner is SOLID.
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Eight-year-old Bunny says (she typed every word of this herself and I couldn't be prouder):
I like the sauce thats in cole slaw. Kids would like it because it is crunchy and sweet. I like this dinner because it reminds me of a hamburger and I like sweet shredded pork a lot. (I think it would be good with shredded beef too.)
