For a typical pork shoulder in a slow cooker, you’re looking at about 8–10 hours on LOW or 4–6 hours on HIGH, until it’s fall-apart tender and at a safe internal temp.

Quick Scoop

  • Most home recipes suggest:
    • LOW: 8–10 hours for a 3–8 lb pork shoulder, until very tender and shreddable.
* HIGH: 4–6 hours for the same size range, checking for “fork-tender” texture.
  • A common rule of thumb is about 60–90 minutes per pound on LOW in a slow cooker, with many cooks finding it closer to 60 minutes per pound in practice.
  • For pulled pork texture, many guides and recipes suggest cooking until the internal temperature is around 190–205°F (88–96°C), which is where the connective tissue really breaks down for easy shredding.
  • Some recipes give a simple, no-math approach: put the pork shoulder in the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours for smaller joints (around 3–4 lb), checking that it reaches at least 75°C/167°F and is tender before serving.

Simple timing guide (slow cooker)

  • 3–4 lb pork shoulder:
    • LOW: about 7–8 hours
    • HIGH: about 4–5 hours.
  • 6–8 lb pork shoulder:
    • LOW: about 8–10 hours
    • HIGH: about 5–6 hours.

You’ll know it’s really done when:

  • A fork twists easily in the meat and it “falls apart” with little effort.
  • A thermometer reads at least 190°F if you want pulled-pork style, even though pork is technically safe at a lower temp; the extra time is for tenderness, not safety.

If you’re unsure, let it go a bit longer on LOW—pork shoulder is forgiving, and that extra time usually just makes it more tender.