Slow-Cooker BBQ Pork and Beans

By Ali Slagle

Updated August 24, 2026

  • Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
8½ to 10 ½ hours
Rating
4(1,498)
Comments
Read comments

Pork and beans are cooked together in a slow-cooker for mutually beneficial results (If you don't have a slow-cooker, you can do it in a pot in the oven.) As the pork shoulder and barbecue sauce braise in the oven, the sauce soaks up the pork juices while the pork tenderizes. Then, beans are added to soak up the deeply concentrated sauce. The recipe uses store-bought barbecue sauce enhanced with the smoky heat of canned chipotles in adobo and brown sugar, which helps glaze the pork. Because every barbecue sauce is different, taste and adjust yours as needed. (For a more acidic sauce, add apple cider vinegar with the beans, or you can increase the sweetness with added sugar.) To serve, slice the pork or shred it into pulled pork.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 3 to 3 ½ pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of more than ¼-inch fat

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 cup store-bought or homemade barbecue sauce

  • 1 chipotle in adobo, finely chopped, plus more to taste

  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, plus more to taste

  • 2 (14-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed

  • 6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

53 grams carbs; 174 milligrams cholesterol; 858 calories; 22 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 48 grams fat; 8 grams fiber; 1099 milligrams sodium; 52 grams protein; 21 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Season the pork all over with 1 tablespoon salt and and ¾ teaspoon pepper. In a large Dutch oven or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the pork shoulder and sear until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, in your slow-cooker, stir together the barbecue sauce, chipotle and brown sugar. Taste the mixture and adjust sweetness with brown sugar and spice with chipotle.

  3. Step 3

    Add browned pork to the barbecue sauce and turn to coat in the sauce. Add the beans and garlic to the sauce around the pork. Cover and cook on low until the meat falls apart when prodded with a fork, 8 to 10 hours.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Skim excess fat from the top if desired, then season the beans to taste with salt and pepper. Slice the pork against the grain into ½-inch thick slices, or shred the pork with two forks. Serve the pork with the beans.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,498 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Jennifer

In the Instant Pot, brown the pork on sauté, then remove to a platter. Sauté the onions and garlic, then add one cup of broth and deglaze the vessel to prevent burning. Add the meat back in, pour the bbq sauce over, and pressure cook on high for 55 minutes. Ours came out falling apart tender. We cooked the beans in our other Instant Pot, drained them and added them to the meat after it had been chopped. We will refrigerate all night, then skim fat in the morning and reheat.

DanY

I remember watching Cook's Illustrated on PBS and they did a tasting test on store bought barbecue sauces. The one that came out on top, and we think is a very good alternative to homemade, is Bull’s-Eye Original BBQ Sauce.

Mary P

I like Stubbs!

Dtlajim

Great recipe! Not enough beans, use 3 cans. I used bone in pork shoulder. No problem I just lifted the bone out with my hand, the meat fell right off.

Chef Diane

This was ridiculously easy and delicious! I used soaked dried beans, even misread the recipe and didn’t brown the pork, just tossed it in the crockpot. Had country style ribs on hand so that’s what I used. Super easy and super inexpensive!

Johnny V

I would think in 8-10 hours the beans would be mush IMHO better to ad the at the end ?

Sharon

@Johnny V, I cooked three cans of drained and rinsed pinto beans for just over 8 hours. They held up perfectly.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.