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I love making this Crockpot Pulled Pork for sandwiches. Piled high with fresh homemade coleslaw, the sandwiches are sweet, savory, crispy, and absolutely delicious. This hands-off recipe comes together easily in the crockpot so I can go about my to-do list while it cooks. Though I use the meat to make sandwiches, I love putting a stash away to make sliders, quesadillas, or, if I’m not in the mood to fuss, I’ll simply serve it with a side of rice. This versatile recipe can be used for an easy weeknight dinner, finger food for a party, or the ultimate game day snack.
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It doesn’t get any easier than this slow cooker pulled pork. It literally takes minutes to prepare, and then it’s hands-off for about 6 hours so I can go about the rest of my day. What I end up with is juicy, tender meat that’s both sweet and savory, ready to be used in any number of ways.
For game days, I’ll throw the meat on buns and pile on the coleslaw; for a weeknight meal, I may just serve it as is with a side of rice or pasta. Likely, I’ll stash some in the freezer to use for another meal, as this recipe makes quite a few servings.
Tips for Beginners
- Use all or just over half the BBQ sauce. I use sauce in the bottom of the crockpot, over the pork while it cooks, and serve the rest on the side. Serving the pork with the sauce is up to you.
- If no food processor is available. Slice the cabbage very thin and chop it until the pieces are very small.
- The size of the bun will affect the number of servings. A hamburger bun, sandwich bun, or slider bun can all be used, but they differ in size, so the amount of pork used will be different for each. They will all work, though.
Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Sandwiches
Ingredients
For Pulled Pork
- 16 oz. jar BBQ sauce divided, Blue’s Hog BBQ Sauce is my favorite
- 6 lb. pork shoulder skin on and bone in
- 1 yellow onion peeled & quartered
For Classic Coleslaw
- ½ head of cabbage
- 2 medium carrots peeled & trimmed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ¾ tsp celery seed
- 1 tsp dried chives or 2 tsp fresh, minced
To Serve
- buns optional, use your preferred size, sandwich or slider
Instructions
Directions for Pulled Pork:
- Spray inside of slow-cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
- Pour an inch of barbeque sauce into the bottom of the slow-cooker crock.16 oz. jar BBQ sauce
- Score the fat on top of the roast in a crisscross pattern, being sure to cut through the fat layer.6 lb. pork shoulder
- Place the roast in the slow-cooker and pour 8 oz. of BBQ sauce over it.
- Place the onion wedges around the roast.1 yellow onion
- Cover the slow-cooker with the lid. Set the temperature to HIGH and cook the roast (unopened) for 6 hours or until the meat can easily be pierced with a fork.
- Transfer the roast to a cutting board, remove the fat layer, and use two forks to pull it apart. (Thus, the name, ‘Pulled Pork”)
- Serve on buns with coleslaw and extra BBQ sauce or, if desired, mix it with BBQ sauce to taste.
Directions for Classic Coleslaw:
- Remove the core and outer layers from the cabbage. Cut the cabbage into pieces sized to fit into a food processor. Grate the cabbage in the food processor or with a grater. If no food processor is available, slice the cabbage very thin, and chop it until the pieces are very small.½ head of cabbage
- Grate the carrots the same size as the cabbage.2 medium carrots
- Combine the grated cabbage and carrots and season with salt. Place the vegetables in a colander/strainer and set it over a large plate to drain for an hour.
- After an hour, squeeze the cabbage by twisting it in a clean dishtowel to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Combine the sugar and apple cider vinegar. Whisk together until the sugar has dissolved. Add mayonnaise, salt, black pepper, celery seed, and chives. Whisk again, taste, and adjust seasonings if needed. **¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, ¾ tsp celery seed, 1 tsp dried chives
- Squeeze the cabbage again and add it to the dressing. Mix until well combined.
- Serve coleslaw with pulled pork on sandwich buns. Enjoy!buns
Becky’s Tips
- A little more than half the sauce will be used to cook the roast, and the rest can be used to mix with the shredded cooked pork or to serve on the side.
- Slice the cabbage very thin and chop it until the pieces are very small if you don’t have a food processor.
- Any type of bun can be used; since they differ in size, the amount of pork used will be different for each.
- Store the pork and coleslaw separately for up to 3 days. Reheat the pork over the stove or in the microwave.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Store
Store leftover pulled pork and coleslaw separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat
Reheat the pork in the microwave or over the stove until warmed through.
Freeze
Freeze leftover pork for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat. I do not recommend freezing the coleslaw.
Serving Suggestions
I like to keep our Crockpot BBQ Pork Sandwiches simple and serve them with BBQ sauce, homemade coleslaw, maybe a side of BBQ baked beans, and either hamburger buns or Hawaiian rolls. You can pile on things like onions, pickles, or whatever your heart desires…but I think simple is best.
This shredded pork is also great in sliders, stuffed into a tortilla to make a quesadilla, or just served over a pile of garlic rice.
These tasty pork sandwiches are great for game day, parties, or whenever I’m looking for fun, finger food. Depending on the size of the bun you use, you can get between 10 and 20 servings, enough to feed a nice-sized crowd.
More Pork Recipes To Try
- This Roasted Pork Shoulder is a comforting, no-fuss dinner that feels impressive.
- Apple Butter Pork Chops is a one-pan meal that turns out juicy and flavorful.
- Roasted Pork Loin comes together with a handful of ingredients, and the meat turns out fork-tender.
I’m not sure if I understand the second day serving…You store the leftover pork in a container and the coleslaw in a separate container on first day but on the second day you mix the pork and coleslaw together????I thought you would serve them separately again and just put the coleslaw on top of your pork on your sandwich???? Please tell me which way you do it. Thank you!!! It all sound delicious!!!!
You store both separately, but mix the mayonnaise into the pork (see step 5) the next day! Sorry for the confusion!