Sweet Pulled Pork Barbacoa is a tender, juicy, and flavorful Mexican-inspired dish where slow-cooked pork is shredded and simmered in a rich, slightly sweet sauce. The sweetness usually comes from ingredients like brown sugar, honey, or soda (such as cola or Dr. Pepper), which balance perfectly with smoky spices, garlic, onions, and tangy chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork shoulder roast
- 1 ¼ cups caffeinated pepper-type soda (such as Dr Pepper®)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
- ⅔ cup salsa verde
- 1 habanero pepper, diced (Optional)
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
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Place pork shoulder fat-side-up in a slow cooker. Cover with soda, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
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Cover and cook on Low until pork is tender and can be easily pulled apart with a fork, 8 to 10 hours.
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Remove any bones and solid hunks of fat from pork and discard. Shred with 2 forks; stir pork into its juices. Add brown sugar, green chiles, salsa verde, and habanero pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
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Cover and cook on Low until flavors are absorbed, about 1 hour.
