Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders Recipe

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These simple pulled pork sliders slow cooker style only require 14 simple ingredients and since a crock pot is used to cook the boneless pork shoulder, minimal effort is needed in the cooking process. Cooking in the slow cooker also leaves behind a small mess leaving you with barely any clean up once the sliders are done. The pork can also be made a day or two ahead to save you time.

These easy pulled pork sliders are a great recipe to serve as a game day appetizer on football Sunday or for the big game. This pork recipe is also a great option for a quick and easy weeknight dinner or weekend family dinners.

This pork slider recipe is also a great simple recipe to serve as an appetizer for parties, special occasions or summer barbecues, especially Memorial Day, July 4th or Labor Day weekend barbecues.

This was inspired by my easy chicken bacon ranch sliders recipe on this site, and pairs well with this parmesan truffle fries recipe or this potato nachos recipes.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
What is the best cut of pork for this recipe?
Equipment
How to Store Pulled Pork Sliders
Top Tip
FAQ
Related
Pairing
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💬 Comments

Ingredients

These simple sliders are made with slow cooked boneless pork shoulder. Before slow cooking, a little ketchup, barbecue sauce and mustard is drizzled over the pork to add tanginess while cooking. The pork butt is then pulled and mixed with more barbecue sauce and then added to the slider buns with creamy coleslaw mixed with mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. The sliders are then basted with garlic butter.

boneless pork shoulder
barbecue sauce
ketchup
yellow mustard
garlic powder
cole slaw
mayonnaise
lemon juice
apple cider vinegar
salt
black pepper
slider buns
butter
garlic

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Step 1: Place small pork shoulder in the slow cooker. Drizzle barbecue sauce, ketchup and yellow mustard over the pork. Season pork with kosher salt, pepper and garlic powder. Slow cook for 7-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high. The pork is done when tender and able to easily pull apart.

Step 2: Pull pork apart. Add your favorite bbq sauce and mix until combined. Mix the homemade coleslaw with mayonnaise, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice slider rolls in half.

Step 3: Layer pork in a single layer on bottom half of the rolls. Place tops of the rolls over the coleslaw. Melt butter and grate garlic into melted butter. Baste on top of rolls.

Step 4: Cover sliders with aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove the top half of the rolls. Top pork layer with coleslaw. Cut sliders and serve immediately or save for later.

Hint: after cooking, let the pork rest for 15-20 minutes covered loosely with foil. This pause redistributes the juices throughout the meat, preventing dryness when you pull it apart.

Substitutions

Cole Slaw - instead of cole slaw, you can use ice berg lettuce
Slider Buns - use gluten free buns instead of white bread buns to make this gluten free
Vegetarian - replace the pork with pulled jackfruit for a vegetarian option

Variations

BBQ Chicken - mix pulled chicken with barbecue sauce for a pulled chicken version
Deluxe - add crispy onion rings on top for extra flavor and texture
Hot Honey Chicken - toss crispy chicken in hot honey and place on a slider roll

See this BBQ Pull Chicken sliders recipe on my website!

What is the best cut of pork for this recipe?

To get the most tender pork after pulling, use a boneless pork shoulder. For this easy recipe, use a smaller pork shoulder or pork butt, about 4-6 pounds. This will assure the pork fits in your slow cooker and also assure it slow cooks in an appropriate amount of time while achieving a juicy pork for the best pulled pork quality. Pork loin can also be used.

Equipment

To make this mini pork sandwiches recipe, you will need a slow cooker. An Instant Pot can also be used to cook the pork roast. The sliders can either be baked in a casserole dish or on a baking sheet. A medium mixing bowl is also needed to mix the shredded pork with the barbecue sauce.

A small bowl and basting brush is also needed to melt the butter and baste the melted butter on top of your favorite slider buns.

How to Store Pulled Pork Sliders

Store leftover sliders in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Reheat in the oven, in the air fryer or in the microwave prior to serving leftovers.

These ingredients stand up well to freezing prior to serving for up to 2 months. The coleslaw does not stand up well to freezing.

Top Tip

To add extra flavor, make a homemade barbecue sauce. I enjoy making a southern style homemade bbq sauce with equal parts barbecue sauce and ketchup and a little apple cider vinegar to add tanginess and a little brown sugar for sweetness.

FAQ

Can I make this recipe in an Instant Pot?

Yes, you can use an Instant Pot to speed up the cooking process. Cook the pork under high pressure for about 60-70 minutes for tender results similar to slow cooking.

Can I prepare components ahead of time?

Yes, the pulled pork and slaw can be made a day ahead of time. For best results, sliders should be assembled and baked right before serving.

What type of barbecue sauce works best?

Choose a barbecue sauce with a balanced sweetness and smokiness that complements pork but doesn’t overpower the other flavors in these little sandwiches. Try classic Kansas City-style or a North Carolina vinegar-based sauce depending on preference.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with slow cooker pulled pork sliders:

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