Rootbeer Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

• 1 big pork shoulder (or butt), about 4lbs
• 1 large white onion, thickly sliced
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 big bottle rootbeer, I always use A&W

BBQ sauce:

• 2 cups ketchup
• 2 cups cooking liquid left from cooked pork
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tbsp hot sauce (I use Franks Thick)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Slice pork shoulder into large chunks. I usually just split it into four pieces.

In a medium bowl combine brown sugar, salt, paprika, garlic powder, pepper and cinnamon. Rub that into the pork shoulder. If you have the time, let it rest overnight to absorb the delicious flavours. Put onions in bottom of crock pot, and put your pork shoulder on top. Pour in about 2-3 cups of rootbeer, or enough to cover just over half of the pork. Pour yourself a glass as well.

Start out on high for about an hour to get everything nice and toasty warm, then lower to low heat and let cook away for about 8 hours. Check it every so often to make sure all the rootbeer hasn’t cooked away, or you’ll get a burnt sticky sweet mess in the bottom of your slow cooker that will not be fun to clean after. If it is running low on liquid, add some more of the cook stuff  it. Also check your pork to see if it’s pullable around the 6 hour mark. When your pork is done, remove from the slow cooked and cover with foil to rest for about 15 – 20 minutes. When it has rested and has cooled slightly, pull the pork apart. You can use your fingers, but if it’s still too hot and your don’t feel like burning yourself then grab a pair of forks.

For the sauce, in a large sauce pan add two cups of the cooking liquid. If you literally have none left, or not enough, substitute with more rootbeer and 2 tsp onion powder. Let this liquid simmer on medium heat until reduced to about 3/4 cup. Add ketchup, molasses, hit sauce, soy sauce and garlic powder, and let simmer uncovered for about 15-20 minutes until the consistency is thicker. Don’t simmer it on too high of a heat, or you’re going to get barbacuey goodness all over your stove.

When it’s all done and thickened and delicious, toss with with pork you shredded. Pile onto a fresh kaiser roll, top with homemade coleslaw, and devour. I usually top it with some of those really soft rootbeer braised onions that are in the bottom of the crock pot after.