BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders

5 from 2 votes

My BBQ pulled pork sliders are made with seasoned, slow-cooked pork shoulder (or pork butt), BBQ sauce, and a simple homemade coleslaw.

Prep Time15

Cook Time8

Total Time8 15

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: sliders

Author: Shawn Williams

Ingredients

Pulled Pork

5 pound boneless pork butt or shoulder
12 ounces Cola or pineapple juice
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Sliders

12 slider buns or Hawaiian dinner rolls
Jar sliced dill pickles
1-2 cups BBQ sauce I like Sweet Baby Ray's

Coleslaw

2 1/2 cups shredded coleslaw mix
3-4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Carolina BBQ Sauce (optional)

2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
pinch cayanne pepper

Instructions

Prep cole slaw: combine shredded cabbage, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix until fully incorporated. It can be made a few hours in advance from serving sliders (keep refrigerated until ready to use).
Remove pork from the packaging. Pat dry with a paper towel. If the meat contains the fat cap (firm white fatty layer on top), remove with a sharp knife.
Combine paprika, cumin, salt, garlic, and chili powder in a small bowl and mix. Rub pork all over with dry rub.
Place in a slow cooker and pour cola or pineapple juice over the pork. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 6-8 hours, or high heat setting for 5-6 hours (until the meat easily pulls apart/shreds with two forks). Shoot for an internal temp of 200°F.
Remove the whole roast from the slow cooker and place in a large dish or foil pan. Remove the bone and shred it using two forks until in manageable tender chunks.
Add BBQ sauce and a few spoonfuls of juices from the slow cooker and mix. Prepare each slider with pulled pork, 1-2 spoonfuls of coleslaw, and 1-2 dill pickles. Serve pierced with a decorative toothpick.

Carolina BBQ Sauce

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer until sugar is dissolved. Let cool, transfer to a jar, and keep in the fridge. I like to serve this on the side as an optional sauce to drizzle on top. can also be used in place of traditional BBQ sauce.

Notes

This recipe can easily make up to 24 small sliders with 5 pounds of pork (depending on how big each one is). I would double the coleslaw if making more than 12 sliders. You can make 12 larger sandwiches with 4-5 pounds.

If your pork tastes bland, add more salt! I often use additional salt after shredding until the shredded pork tastes good without any additional sauces or condiments.

Remove the fat cap: I would recommend using a serrated knife to shave the fat cap off. Pork shoulder contains enough fat to render juicy tender meat without it. You don't have to completely remove all fat, but it allows the spices to penetrate the meat.

Large pork: I've cooked as large as a 9-pound bone-in pork shoulder for this recipe. This will take around 10-12 hours on low heat to cook. I usually let it cook overnight.

Always shoot for an internal temp of at least 200°F. Pork will be very tender and easily shred at 200°F. Anything less, 145°F for example, will be very tough pork. Low and slow is always preferred over high and fast for optimal tenderness.

Nutrition