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If you want a dish which requires minimal effort, is big on taste and a great budget-friendly staple, you have to make my gluten free pulled pork.
Or more to the point, my gluten and dairy free, slow cooker chipotle pulled pork!
Mildly spiced and big on flavour, this meat just falls apart and is perfect served in gluten free bread rolls or over crunchy oven chips.
Plus my gluten free pulled pork is made in the slow cooker which means it uses a lot less energy and is a cheaper way to cook it.
Pulled pork is a great one for batch cooking to save money too.
It’s perfect for entertaining as you can make as much as the slow cooker will fit, and any leftovers can be frozen.
Basically, make this gluten free chipotle slow cooker pulled pork and you honestly can’t go wrong!
Ingredients
This slow cooker pulled pork only needs a few simple ingredients and there is a printable recipe card below with the full method and quantities.
But here are the main ingredients and ideas for any substitutions…
- Pork Shoulder – If you’re making pulled pork then a boneless pork shoulder is definitely my joint of choice. The fatty layers sort of dissolve with the slow cooking which means it falls apart so easily. This would work with a pork leg as well but I find shoulder is much better.
- Chipotle Paste – This is the key ingredient in my pulled pork recipe as it adds a smoky, delicious flavour which is mildly spicy. Despite using a lot of paste it’s only a mild spice. I use the Sainsbury’s own paste or the Lazy Chipotle Paste, both of which are gluten free. Always double check the ingredients though.
- Honey – This adds a lovely stickiness to the pulled pork. You can use maple syrup if you prefer but I find honey is cheaper and I like the subtle flavour it gives it.
- Dark Brown Sugar – Adding sugar to the pulled pork may seem excessive but it honestly brings out the best in it! Dark brown sugar help accentuate the smokiness and make this feel like a real treat.
- Tomato Ketchup – A lot of ketchups are gluten free but always double check. It helps to bring the marinade together and create a sauce that the pork will bathe in once you’ve ‘pulled’ it.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – This gives a final tang to the recipe and is just delicious. You don’t have to buy some top-end bottle, an 85p bottle from Tesco is perfect! I use apple cider vinegar in lots of other recipes too. Try my banana bread, bread rolls and sweet and sour chicken and you’ll definitely get your money’s worth!
What are the benefits of using a slow cooker?
My slow cooker has definitely become my best friend lately and there are a number of reasons why.
I use a Crock Pot similar to this model which I was gifted as a hand-me-down and honestly it’s been a game-changer in our house.
The benefits of using a slow cooker include:
- Slow cookers are great for tenderising meat which makes them perfect for making pulled pork or cooking tougher or fattier joints of meat.
- A slow cooker is also great for cooking more affordable meat cuts, which will save you money on food bills.
- Using a slow cooker is much cheaper and energy efficient than running your gas or electric oven for 4-6 hours.
- Slow cookers are perfect for hands-off cooks. If you’re not confident in the kitchen you don’t need to worry about techniques. Simply add everything and put the lid on!
- If you’re pushed for time slow cookers are great. Chuck everything into it before you go to work and dinner will be ready when you get home.
- Most slow cookers are easy to clean. Simply remove the dish and wash. A lot of them are dishwasher safe too.
What if I don’t have a slow cooker?
Firstly, I’d definitely recommend looking into one as all-round they are more efficient when it comes to both time, energy and bills!
If you don’t have a slow cooker though, you can make my gluten free pulled pork in the oven too.
Mix the marinade as per the instructions below and grab yourself a heavy-duty pot with a tight-fitting lid.
Place the marinaded pork in the pot, secure the lid and cook in the oven at 150C / 130C Fan / Gas Mark 2.
Cook for around 4-6 hours until the meat is falling apart and can be ‘pulled’ easily.
My gluten free pulled pork recipe
Now I’ve convinced you to get a slow cooker in your life, let’s get to it and make my gluten free chipotle pulled pork!
I use a 1.3kg pork shoulder which would be enough for 4-6 people depending on how hungry they are!
We find this stretches us as a couple over 2 meals. Gluten free pulled pork sandwiches for lunch the next day are the best!
If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. I love seeing your creations!
And please do leave a review to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me.
Slow Cooker Chipotle Pulled Pork (Gluten Free)
This gluten free pulled pork is perfect served in baps or wraps! A slow cooker pulled pork recipe with spicy, smoky chipotle flavours. Dairy free too.
Ingredients
- 1.3kg pork shoulder
- 75g chipotle paste
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Remove the skin from the pork shoulder and any large lumps of fat. Place the pork in the slow cooker pot.
- Mix together the chipotle paste, honey, dark brown sugar, tomato ketchup and apple cider vinegar in a bowl until you have a smooth paste.
- Pour the marinade over the pork shoulder and use your fingers to rub the marinade all over the meat. Ideally, leave this to marinade overnight - but you can cook the pork straight away if needed.
- Turn the slow cooker onto low and cook the pork for 5-6 hours. After this time, turn off the slow cooker and remove the pork from the slow cooker and onto a chopping board. Use two forks to 'pul' the pork then place back in the slow cooker.
- Mix the pork well with the juices in the pot and then serve straight away in gluten free baps with coleslaw and cheese - it also goes really well in gluten free wraps or with jacket potatoes.
Notes
- Any leftovers of this gluten free pulled pork can be kept in the fridge - reheat thoroughly before eating. You can also portion it up and freeze it - this is a great recipe for making in bulk!
- For a smaller or larger amount of pork, scale the marinade ingredients down or up accordingly.
- No slow cooker? No problem! Place the pork in a lidded pot and cook in the oven at 150C / 130C Fan / Gas Mark 2 for around 4-6 hours until the meat is falling apart and can be 'pulled' easily.
Need more slow cooker recipe inspiration?
Here are some more gluten free slow cooker recipes you can try out once you’ve made this Gluten Free Pulled Pork recipe.
If you do make this recipe please let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger, share them in my Facebook group or tag me on Instagram.
If you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!
Like this Gluten Free Pulled Pork recipe?
Make sure you follow me on Pinterest and pin this recipe card below for later!
How important is the tomato ketchup in this recipe? Could you sub it with something else?