Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork Sliders

Having people over for the game this weekend? There is nothing easier and less expensive to feed a crowd than these slow cooker barbecue pulled pork sliders. Plus, I guarantee everyone will be impressed by your homemade barbecue sauce. Little will they know how simple it is!

Despite the long ingredient list, the cooking is incredibly easy, doesn’t take much time, and I bet you have most of the ingredients already! Most importantly, you’ll have plenty of time to make all the other game day favorites. Guacamole, wings, and of course some kind of dessert (I’m making s’mores bars!)

Here’s the schedule:

10 am: make barbecue sauce

10:30 am: prep pork and start up the slow cooker

5 pm: make coleslaw

5:30 pm: finish pork by shredding and adding back to slow cooker

6:30 pm: kickoff! Everything you need to make the sliders is prepped and ready to go

This recipe makes enough sliders for 6 people. If you need to make more, buy a bigger pork shoulder and monitor cooking time, it may need longer in the slow cooker.

First up, make the barbecue sauce. I never could have imagined how easy this would be. Put all the ingredients into a pot or pan, heat it up, stir, blend, you’re done. I chose to use an immersion blender (a regular blender would work too!) to whip the sauce together, which makes it creamy and smooth. Highly recommended.

I was absolutely licking this sauce off the spoon (at 10am on a Sunday…) which means it’s going to become a staple in my house. I plan to keep a jar at the ready at all times, instead of a bottled variety from the grocery store.

Next up: the pork. The slow cooker is a genius instrument, despite my current struggles using it after the most recent This is Us episode. Do you watch? I want to talk about it!! (With a few boxes of tissues and some ice cream). Moving on…

I struggle at times with slow cooker recipes that need you to sear the meat first. Sure, it tastes great and cooks better, but who has time for that? And who wants to smell meat first thing in the morning, often times before work? This is completely avoided with this recipe. Simply place onion slices in the bottom, rub the pork with spices and barbecue sauce and add liquid. Done.

Last, but not least, is the coleslaw. Truthfully, I thought I hated coleslaw. It was soggy, mayo-y lettuce with no real flavor. I was so wrong. This recipe includes a zest from Dijon mustard and champagne vinegar, the right amount of mayo that it doesn’t get soggy (even after a few days in the fridge), and I was eating it by the spoonful.

So… what are you waiting for? Your game-day meal planning is done!

Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork Sliders

There is nothing easier and less expensive to feed a crowd than these slow cooker barbecue pulled pork sliders.

• Author: Sarah
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 8 hours
• Total Time: 8 hours 45 minutes
• Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

BARBECUE SAUCE

• 1/2 c ketchup
• 1/3 c brown sugar
• 1/4 c molasses
• 1/4 c apricot preserves
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp. champagne vinegar
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. hot sauce
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice

PULLED PORK

• 2 yellow onions
• 1/4 tsp. allspice
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 c tangy barbecue sauce
• 1/2 c water
• 2 lb bone-in pork shoulder

COLESLAW

• 1 c mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. champagne vinegar
• 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 bags (14 oz each) shredded coleslaw mix

OTHER

• 2 pkg slider buns

Instructions

MAKE THE SAUCE

1. In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients with 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil, stirring well. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Let cool and season with salt.
2. When fully cool, transfer to a high-sided bowl and mix using an immersion blender for 30 seconds, until sauce is creamy.

MAKE THE PORK

1. Cut onions into 4 rings each, place at the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Mix together spices and salt and rub into pork.
3. Place pork on top of onions and pour tangy barbecue sauce on top and water around the sides.
4. Cook on low 8 hours.

MAKE THE COLESLAW

1. In a large bowl, mix together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, and salt.
2. Add coleslaw mix to the mayo mixture and stir using a spatula until well combined.
3. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, serve chilled.
4. Finish & Assemble
5. Remove meat and onions from the slow cooker and dispose of liquid. Shred meat and remove bone. Add meat back to the slow cooker with as much of the onions as you would like. Add 1/2 barbecue sauce and stir to combine. Keep warm until ready to serve.
6. Assemble sliders with meat, extra barbecue sauce, and coleslaw.

Notes

Simple sliders combine all the game-day favorites with a mouth-watering homemade barbecue sauce.