Vintage Church Supper Pork Butt
I never starve at a church potluck. Someone brings a dessert with enough sugar to keep the entire room awake for a week, someone else brings a casserole that has been passed down in their family for three generations, and somewhere near the end of the table is a slow cooker full of pulled pork.
That’s usually where the queue starts. This recipe reminds me of those dishes. Not because it is fancy or showy but because it feeds people well, and does so without making life complicated. The kind of recipe you begin in the wee hours and forget about most of the day, then return to when the house smells wonderful.
“The first time I made it, family coming over on Sunday afternoon. No formalities. Just one of those gatherings where people walk into the kitchen, open the refrigerator without asking, and settle in. I wanted something simple. I grabbed a pork butt, threw some pantry ingredients together, poured everything into the slow cooker and crossed my fingers.
In a few hours the smell had begun to seep through the house. The aroma of sweet barbecue sauce, garlic, vinegar, and slow-cooked pork filled every room. People began to drift into the kitchen long before dinner. The lid was raised by someone. Someone else asked if it was ready.
I took that as a good omen. The pork was falling apart all by itself by the time dinner was served. The sauce thickened and grew rich, coating every shred of meat. We piled it on soft hamburger buns, added a scoop of coleslaw, and stood around the kitchen island eating and talking over each other.
Those are usually, honestly, the best meals. Not ones that cost money. Not the tricky ones. Just good food with people you enjoy spending time with. I make this recipe now whenever I want something I can rely on. Family dinners, game days, backyard get-togethers, random weekends when I don’t feel like cooking much. It always goes well, and for some reason there are never quite as many leftovers as I think there will be.
Ingredients
- 1 3-4 pound pork butt (pork shoulder)
- 1 cup barbeque sauce
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
How to use
Step 1: Add the pork.
- Add the pork butt to your slow cooker.
- Nothing special to prepare.
Step 2: Combine the sauce
Combine in a bowl:
- Barbecue sauce
- Apple cider vinegar
- Brown sugar (dark)
- Garlic powder
- Whisk until blended.
Step 3: Pour & Cover
- Transfer pork to a platter. Spoon sauce over pork.
- Turn the pork once or twice so some of the sauce rises up the sides.
Step 4: Cook It
Cook: Cover and cook:
- LOW 8 to 10 hours HIGH 5 to 6 hours
- When done, the pork should fall apart easily with fork.
Step 5: Tear up
- Put the pork on a large plate or cutting board.
- Shred with two forks.
- Return meat to slow cooker and stir to mix with sauce.
Notes in the kitchen
- This pork loves to live in soft sandwich buns.
- The coleslaw provides a good crunch and cuts the richness.
- Leftovers are perfect in tacos, wraps or baked potatoes.
- If you prefer it saucier, stir in a little extra barbecue sauce before serving.
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy with simple ingredients.
- The slow cooker does most of the work for you.
- The pork falls off the bone and is always juicy and tender.
- It helps a lot of people and it doesn’t cost a mint.
- Leftovers make great meals for the next day.
Conclusions
Some recipes are here to stay because they remind us that good food doesn’t have to be complicated.A pork shoulder, a few pantry staples and a bit of patience make the kind of meal people naturally gather around. The kitchen smells amazing, the slow cooker does all the work, and dinner feels special, without adding any stress. Honestly that’s the kind of recipe to hold on to.
