Slow Cooker Spicy Pulled Pork Chili Recipe
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Looking for a hearty and spicy meal that’s easy to make? This Slow Cooker Spicy Pulled Pork Chili Recipe is just what you need!
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Slow Cooker Spicy Pulled Pork Chili
It’s time to mix up your dinner menu with this flavorful and comforting slow cooker spicy pulled pork chili recipe.
Slow cooker recipes are always a winning choice for me – they’re quick to prepare (just 15 minutes for this pulled pork chili recipe) and the slow cooker does the rest of the work!
If you don’t fancy chili, why not make Mexican Shredded Beef in the Slow Cooker, Slow Cooker Chicken Saag Curry, Italian Style Lamb Shanks in the Slow Cooker or our very popular Easy Authentic Slow Cooker Charro Beans Recipe!
The pulled pork recipe is made with tender and juicy pork shoulder, which is slow-cooked to perfection with a blend of aromatic herbs and spices including oregano, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne.
The addition of chilies, tomatoes, black beans, and kidney beans gives the chili a hearty texture and a rich, savory flavor that is hard to resist.
Whether you are cooking for a crowd or just want to enjoy a cozy Tex-Mex dinner at home, this spicy pulled pork chili is a great option that is sure to please everyone’s taste buds.
And if you have a craving for pulled pork chili in a hurry, check out our Instant Pot version of this recipe!
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon, Amazon Fresh, or other stores if available online.
Ingredients Needed For Spicy Pulled Pork Chili
- Fresh Produce – Garlic, Red Onion, Green Chilies, Cilantro (Fresh Coriander)
- Protein – Pork Shoulder. Also known as pork butt, or Boston butt in the US, this is the best cut of pork for pulled pork. This is because it has a good amount of fat that melts away to yield delicious pulled pork. You may buy a piece of meat that has a thick layer of fat. I always remove this layer as I don’t want all of that floating around my pulled pork – but some of the fat is a GOOD thing (this is why a lean cut like pork loin is not good for pulling).
- Dairy – Mexican Cheese Blend
- Pantry – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Black Pepper
- Unsweetened Dark Cocoa Powder
- Chili Powder – use mild or hot depending on your personal tastes and spicy heat preference.
- Ground Cumin
- Cayenne Pepper
- Mexican Oregano – surprisingly isn’t the same as Mediterranean oregano as they are from different plants, and the Mexican variety adds slightly different flavor notes to dishes, notably floral, citrus, and anise. If you can’t source Mexican oregano, you could use Marjoram instead. You can read more about the difference here.
- Tomato Paste – also known as Tomato Purée.
- Canned Mild Green Chilies
- Canned Diced Tomatoes – or canned chopped tomatoes.
- Canned Red Kidney Beans
- Canned Black Beans
- Liquid Smoke – adds a smoky flavor to the dish.
- Chicken Broth/Stock
The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found on the recipe card at the end of this post.
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Equipment Needed For This Recipe
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use cups and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American US customary, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, that you can mix cup measurements with weighted measures, but never mix US customary/imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Pork
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is pork, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- Kalua Pork Recipe – 3-Ingredient Hawaiian-Style Pulled Pork
- Sweet & Sour Pork Chops with Peppers & Pineapple
- Orange-Glazed Pork Loin with Roasted Root Vegetables
- Sheet Pan Pork Chops with Roasted Grapes and Fennel
- Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders with Coleslaw
How Do I Make Slow Cooker Spicy Pulled Pork Chili?
The printable recipe card with the full ingredients list and instructions can be found at the end of this post.
Step 1 – Make Seasoning Mixture: Place the garlic, cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and Mexican oregano in a small bowl. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, and stir to combine.
Step 2 – Season Pork: Rub the seasoning mixture all over the pork and place in a 5 or 6-quart (5 or 6-liter) slow cooker pot.
Step 3 – Add Remaining Ingredients: Place the red onion, green chilies, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, red kidney beans, and black beans around the pork. Pour over the liquid smoke and chicken stock and stir to combine all the ingredients.
Step 4 – Cook Pork: Cover the pot and cook the pork on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours. Do not remove the lid while cooking.
Step 5 – Pull Pork: When the cooking time has finished, remove the slow cooker lid and use two forks to pull the pork apart.
Mix everything together in the pot and leave the pulled pork to rest in the juices for 10-15 minutes to absorb more flavor.
Step 6 – Serve: Place a portion of pulled pork chili into a bowl and top with Mexican cheese, chopped red onion, and/or chopped fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Looking for more dishes to make in your slow cooker? Check these recipes out next:
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe
- Vegan-Friendly Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup Recipe
- Sweet & Smoky Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Bacon
- Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
- Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs Recipe with Rosemary and Lemon
Storing Leftovers & Freezing
- Storing Leftovers:
- Cool (within 1-2 hours), transfer to an airtight container, and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezing Instructions:
- Prepare the pulled pork chili to step 5 in the recipe card.
- Cool completely (within 1-2 hours) and transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container, and place in the freezer. To save space you could also transfer to a freezer-safe food bag, and press flat. Ensure that the bag is sealed well, and placed on an even surface in the freezer.
- Label with the name of the dish, thawing/reheating instructions, and the date to keep track of your food storage.
- Pulled pork chili will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To defrost the chili, place the container in the fridge to thaw overnight (or at least 12 hours).
- Reheat in a pan on the stove or in the microwave until piping hot throughout.
- Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart for Cooking
- With all leftovers, make sure the food looks and smells okay before consuming.
- You can always consult the Food Standards Agency in your country for the most up-to-date advice on storing and freezing foods: Food Standards Agency (UK) | Food Safety (USA).
Printable Spicy Pulled Pork Chili Recipe Card
To save ink, any demonstration photos on the recipe card do not print.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Chili
Fall-apart tender pulled pork meets the rich and comforting flavors of chili in this easy slow cooker recipe that will leave you craving for seconds.
Ingredients
- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 Tbsp Mexican oregano
- Sea salt & black pepper, to taste
- 3-3½ lbs (1.3-1.6kg) pork shoulder roast, trimmed
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 (4-oz/100g) can mild green chilies
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste (tomato puree)
- 1 (28-oz/2x400g) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15-oz/400g) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-oz/400g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 cup chicken broth/stock
To Serve
- Mexican cheese blend, finely shredded
- Red onion, diced
- Fresh cilantro (coriander), chopped
Instructions
- Place the garlic, cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and Mexican oregano in a small bowl. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, and stir to combine.
- Rub the seasoning mixture all over the pork and place in a 5 or 6-quart (5 or 6-liter) slow cooker pot.
- Place the red onion, green chilies, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, red kidney beans, and black beans around the pork. Pour over the liquid smoke and chicken stock and stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Cover the pot and cook the pork on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours. Do not remove the lid while cooking.
- When the cooking time has finished, remove the slow cooker lid and use two forks to pull the pork apart. Mix everything together in the pot and leave the pulled pork to rest in the juices for 10-15 minutes to absorb more flavor.
- Place a portion of pulled pork chili into a bowl and top with Mexican cheese, chopped red onion, and/or chopped fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 169Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 464mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 7gSugar: 6gProtein: 10g
This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Recipes To Make A Special Dinner
You’ve made the main dish, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or special meal:
- Appetizer: Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with Homemade Ranch Dip
- Soup: Easy Vegetable Soup Recipe
- Salad: Watermelon Feta Salad with Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette
- Side Dish: Tangy Carolina Coleslaw Recipe with Apple Cider Vinegar (No Mayo!)
- Beverage: Classic Margaritas on the Rocks
- Dessert: Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies Recipe From Scratch!
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.