MAKE THE SPICE BLEND: Combine the spice blend ingredients, from the rosemary through the cinnamon, in a bowl. Set aside.
MAKE THE MARINADE: In a bowl, combine the pork marinade ingredients from the soy sauce through the tablespoon of spice blend.
Rinse and pat dry the pork, then place it in a large sealable plastic bag. Pour in the marinade, seal, and toss the pork gently a few times to make sure all the meat is well coated with the marinade. Place in the refrigerator to marinate overnight or at least 8 hours.
PREPARE FOR SLOW COOKING (PHASE 1): Have your slow cooker at the ready. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions, and cook on medium for 5 minutes. Take the pork out of the marinade, reserving the marinade. Add the pork to the skillet, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, turning the meat occasionally to brown it on all sides.
Transfer the pork and onions to the slow cooker. Add the remaining Phase 1 ingredients to the slow cooker: tablespoon of spice blend, maple syrup, chicken broth, 2 tablespoons ketchup, paprika and reserved marinade.
Cover the slow cooker. Set the slow cooker to low, and cook for 8 hours.
Cover the slow cooker. Set the slow cooker to low, and cook for 8 hours.
After the 8 hours of slow cooking, the meat will be fall apart tender. Remove the meat to a platter, and give it a few minutes to cool. Then use two forks to shred the pork, breaking it into bite sized pieces.
Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker along with the Phase 2 ingredients: ¼ cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, tablespoon maple syrup, teaspoon cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of spice mix.
Cook on low another 30 to 60 minutes. The longer cooking time will allow for more of the liquid to be absorbed by the pork.
As the shredded pork finishes cooking, spray a large skillet with oil spray and heat on medium. Add the bacon, cooking for about 10 minutes until crispy, turning once during cooking. When cooked to your liking, remove the bacon to a plate with a paper towel on top, to absorb the excess grease. Set aside to cool. Break into bite sized pieces when cool
When ready to eat, plate a serving of the pulled pork, top with a sprinkling of bacon. Enjoy!