These slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches are ideal for lunches, dinners, tailgate parties, or potlucks!
Pork shoulder is cooked in the crockpot with a sweet and zesty homemade BBQ sauce to make meat so tender, you can shred it with a spoon!
Zesty Pulled Pork sandwiches
- Hot and ready – pulled pork sandwiches are so easy when they’re made in the Crockpot!
- Cooking in the slow cooker makes this a set-it-and-forget-it kind of meal.
- Everyone loves pulled pork; there’s nothing better to serve for a summer BBQ, game day, or Sunday supper.
- Serve it as this as sandwiches, on nachos, spooned over mac and cheese, or with mashed potatoes.
Choosing Pork for Pulled Pork
When choosing pork for pulled pork, look for well-marbled meat with plenty of fat. The best choice of meat for this recipe is pork shoulder which can also be called picnic roast, Boston butt, blade roast, or pork butt. It’s affordable and becomes buttery tender when slow-cooked. Boneless or bone-in can be used.
Avoid leaner cuts like pork loin or center-cut chops. They don’t have enough fat and can result in dry and tough meat when slow-cooked too long.
Other Ingredients for Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Seasonings – I season the pork simply as the sauce adds love of flavor. You can add additional spices to the pork before browning such as garlic powder to taste or for a smoky flavor, a bit of smoked paprika or a dash of liquid smoke.
Homemade Sauce – The secret to this recipe is in this homemade sauce! The pulled pork is cooked in a tangy BBQ sauce with apple cider vinegar, ketchup, molasses, and the secret ingredient is chili sauce. If you don’t have chili sauce, you can use additional ketchup.
Coleslaw – I love a good zesty coleslaw with pulled pork sandwiches for fresh flavor. Use store-bought shredded cabbage and the quick creamy coleslaw dressing below. Leftover slaw or dill pickle slaw are also great additions.
Rolls – Anything goes, brioche, hamburger buns, or ciabatta rolls. I like to toast the rolls with garlic butter.
How to Make Crockpot Pulled Pork
This pulled pork recipe is zesty with a homemade sauce.
- Mix the sauce ingredients together according to the recipe below.
- Brown the pork, place in a 6qt slow cooker and pour the sauce overtop. Cover & cook until tender.
- Remove the pork and cooking liquid from the Crockpot. Shred the pork, discarding any large pieces of fat.
- Return shredded meat to the pot, stir in the sauce & keep on warm.
What to Serve With Pulled Pork
We most often make this recipe into pulled pork sandwiches but great over mac and cheese, or nachos. Some of our favorite side dishes are typical BBQ fare and make ahead salads.
The Best Potato Salad Recipe
How to Store Leftovers
- Keep leftover Crock Pot pulled pork separate from coleslaw in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave for additional bbq pork sandwiches. Keep coleslaw refrigerated for up to 4 days
- Leftovers can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Did you love these Pulled Pork Sandwiches? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Crockpot Pulled Pork
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast*
- 8 to 12 rolls for serving
- additional barbecue sauce for serving, optional
Homemade Sauce
- 1 medium onion chopped
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup tomato ketchup
- ½ cup chili sauce like Heinz, or additional ketchup
- ¼ cup brown sugar firmly packed
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Coleslaw
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tablespoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 5 cups coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage finely shredded
Instructions
To Make the Pork
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For the sauce, in a medium bowl, combine onion, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, chili sauce, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard powder, and pepper in a bowl.
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Cut the pork shoulder in half and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the pork on all sides.
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Place the seared pork in a 6-quart slow cooker and pour the prepared sauce over it, ensuring it's well coated.
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Cook the pork on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours or until it's fork-tender (to quickly check it, pull a little piece of pork, it should be very tender). If the pork is not tender, it likely needs more time, cover and cook 1 hour more. While the pork is cooking, prepare the coleslaw below.
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Remove pork from the slow cooker, discard any large pieces of fat. Remove the liquid from the slow cooker and skim any fat off the top, strain the sauce if desired.
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Shred the pork using two forks and return it to the Crockpot. Add the sauce a bit at a time to reach desired consistency.
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Drizzle with a little bit of barbecue sauce if desired.
To Make the Coleslaw
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Stir together the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Add cabbage and toss to combine. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
To Serve
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Place slaw on rolls and pile high with pulled pork.
Video
Notes
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon celery seeds
⅛ teaspoon salt
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Entree, Pork, Slow Cooker
Cuisine American
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How to Use Leftover Pulled Pork
Add pulled pork to any of these recipes by replacing the chicken, beef, or pork for a delicous new meal!
Chicken Quesadillas
Chicken Burrito Bowl
If using bone in roast do we still need to cut it in half before cooking? If so do we pull the bone out prior to browning or when it is time to shred?
I do recommend cutting it in half, you can leave the bone in or remove it before cooking. If leaving the bone in, you may need to increase the cooking time slightly.