Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Pork shoulder (also called pork butt, confusingly) runs about $2/lb. A 3-pound shoulder feeds four people generously with leftovers. Rub it with brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Drop it in the slow cooker with a splash of apple cider vinegar. Walk away for 8 hours. Come back to meat that falls apart when you look at it. Pile it on cheap buns, top with coleslaw made from a $1 bag of shredded cabbage. Total cost: about $9 — that's $2.25 per person, which is 55% cheaper than the typical fast-food pulled pork sandwich at $5 per sandwich. Tastes like a $16 BBQ plate, and outperforms #1 in protein yield per dollar at nearly 0.33 lbs of meat per dollar.