BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches (Print Version)
Melt-in-your-mouth pork shoulder slow-cooked with spices, drenched in tangy BBQ sauce, and served on soft buns.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pulled Pork
01 - 3-4 lbs pork shoulder (also called pork butt)
02 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
03 - 1 tbsp paprika
04 - 2 tsp garlic powder
05 - 1 tsp onion powder
06 - 1 tsp salt
07 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
08 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
09 - 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
10 - 1/2 cup water
→ BBQ Sauce
11 - 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce (store-bought or homemade)
→ Assembly
12 - 8 sandwich buns or brioche rolls
13 - Optional toppings: coleslaw, pickles, extra BBQ sauce
# How to Make It:
01 - Mix brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub the spice mix all over the pork shoulder.
02 - Place pork in a slow cooker with apple cider vinegar and water. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours, until very tender and shreddable. Alternative Oven Method: Wrap seasoned pork tightly in foil and bake at 300°F (150°C) for 3-4 hours.
03 - Remove pork from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Discard any excess fat. Mix the shredded pork with barbecue sauce. Add a splash of cooking liquid if needed to keep it moist.
04 - Toast buns if desired. Pile pulled pork onto each bun. Add coleslaw or pickles if using. Serve hot with extra BBQ sauce on the side.
# Additional Tips::
01 -
- Requires minimal hands-on time while your slow cooker does all the work
- Creates enough food to feed a crowd or enjoy leftovers all week
- Versatile recipe that can be customized with different BBQ sauces and toppings
02 -
- Perfect for meal prep as flavors actually improve overnight in the refrigerator
- Each pound of raw pork shoulder yields approximately 2 cups of pulled pork
- Can be frozen for up to 3 months without losing quality
03 -
- Allow the meat to come to room temperature before applying spice rub for more even cooking and better flavor penetration
- Save some of the cooking liquid to moisten leftover pulled pork when reheating to maintain juiciness
- For a deeper smoke flavor add 1-2 teaspoons of liquid smoke to your cooking liquid before slow cooking