This is not from personal experience, but if you don't get any better answers -

The recipes I've seen for pulled pork in a slow cooker say anywhere from 8 to 12 hours on low, and warn that it depends on the individual cooker, the amount of meat, the phase of the moon, and how many live sacrifices you have recently offered to the Sun God. Not very reassuring when you have promised a pulled pork lunch at noon sharp.

If it were me, I'd start it this evening, let it cook overnight, get up very early to check it at the 8 hour mark, and allow enough time in case it takes as long as 14.

If you are going to use it for more than pulled pork, look up "Raw kidney beans", "toxin" etc.

Check the low temperature setting on your cooker with an acurate themometer and see if it is OK.

Some slow cooker recommend preheat contains first.

dcarch

I've never ever seen a slow cooker recipe include an instruction to preheat the cooker.

Here's a slow cooker recipe I use for pulled pork:

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2-1/2 to 3 pound pork sirloin roast or boneless pork shoulder roast
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin or chili powder
1/2 cup water

1 recipe homemade BBQ sauce (recipe follows) or 3-1/2 cups bottled BBQ sauce

Hamburger buns (makes 10 generous servings)

Trim fat from roast. Cut roast, if necessary to fit in a 3-1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker. Season meat with salt and pepper. In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and cumin. Pour over meat in cooker. Cover; cook on low-heat setting 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting 4 to 5 hours. Remove meat; discard liquid. (Note: I didn't discard the liquid, but mixed it in with the shredded meat as there was virtually no fat on the meat I used.)

Using two forks shred meat; return it to cooker. Stir in 2 cups homemade BBQ sauce or bottled BBQ sauce. Cover and cook on high setting for 30 to 45 minutes or until heated through.

Serve meat mixture in split hamburger buns. Pass remaining sauce.

Homemade BBQ Sauce

Combine 2-1/2 cups ketchup; 1 cup finely chopped onion; 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, 3 tablespoons bottled Pickapeppa or Worcestershire sauce; 3 tablespoons cider vinegar; 3 cloves garlic, minced; and 1/4 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce in a medium saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use immediately or let cool; cover and chill up to 3 days. Makes 3-1/2 cups.

Source: Country Living Magazine via Linda (How To Cook a Wolf)

Lori

Like Lori, I've never seen instructions to preheat my crockpot, although I do have instructions with my little 6 quart Nesco to preheat for some things.

I don't think 10 hours on low is a problem at all, I put pork in mine when I go to work and come home 9 hours later and by the time I let the dog out, take off my coat, get the mail, etc., it's close to 10 hours. Shreds beautifully when cooked long and slow, BTW.

My favorite use for the crockpot, though, is for beans. Because of that 10 hour time frame I have, I don't think I've ever eaten an undercooked one although I've eaten a few overocooked ones, and I can't even imagine eating a raw one. It never dawned on me that people did. I never soak them either, I dump them in the crockpot with veggies and seasonings of my choice, whatever I deem a suitable amount of water, turn the crockpot on and leave for work. Of course, my crockpot cooks at a temperature that I think is too hot, it boils everything. That's probably one of the reasons why.

I agree with Annie-- 10 hours will be fine. I recommend the low setting. The lucky thing about pulled pork is that you have about a 4 hour error margin between the time the connective tissue melts enough to pull the pork apart and the time all the sauce dries up and it gets crusty on top.

Probably to late for you to use today, but here is a very simple recipe for pulled pork. Very tasty and easy to do. I agree with the others low and slow is the the best way to do it.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

2 lbs Boston Butt
12 oz Root Beer Soda
18 oz BBQ sauce(we use our own homemade)
Favorite dry rub

Rub dry rub over Boston Butt. Place into slow cooker (not preheated). Pour root beer over meat. Cover and cook for at least 7 hours. Depends on the temp of your own cooker. When done remove meat and pull apart. Stir BBQ sauce into root beer liquid. Serve with hamburger buns or in bread bowls. I like mine very moist and juicy so I ladle extra sauce on mine. NancyLouise

Thanks. I made sure to cook it longer than the 10. It went for about 12 hours - just to be sure. I would also hate to ruin my reputation of over cooking meat.

OK, cookie, so how was it?

Annie

The slow cookers of yesteryear were not as hot as todays. I did have some stew ruin while cooking in one of them because it did not get hot enough. I don't think that is a problem today because the cookers get much hotter.

It was so very good. I made carnitas. I also made some corn tortillas but I think I like the (excuse me I have to go pulverize my eldest son as he keeps winding up baby toys and throwing them at while I am trying to have some alone time on the computer) flour ones better as the flavour of the pork comes out more. It was good to have with a crowd as my kids don't like pork except when I say it's chicken - go figure. It doesn't happen often, just when I'm lazy and don't want to hear it and end up making something else. Still not sure how often I will use the slow cooker. My first experience I made a roast and followed a recipe for it and it was absolutely awful. I should try and just do it like I normally do but add some water. Do you have to cook in liquid for a slow cooker?