These slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches are meltingly tender and delicious, the perfect easy dinner option!
Do you have a carboholic in your life? One of my children loves bread, I think she would live on garlic bread if I let her. Obviously that’s not healthy so she gets her garlic bread in moderation but I’ve come to realize that she is more willing to try new things if they come served on her beloved bread. If I served her pulled pork plain, I doubt she’d want to try it. But pulled pork sandwiches? That’s more like it. When you add the slaw, it becomes a meal that appeals to adults too. I created this recipe for slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches to satisfy everyone’s different tastes.
How Do You Make Pulled Pork Sandwiches?
Let’s talk about the meat first. I use boneless pork country ribs for this recipe, but you could also use a pork shoulder roast. The pork is coated in a spice blend then slow cooked to perfection. After the meat is done, it gets shredded and tossed in your favorite barbecue sauce. Grab some buns and whip up a quick slaw, then dinner is served!
The slaw is a mixture of shredded cabbage and carrots tossed in a tangy lime dressing. I use a mandoline to finely shred my cabbage but you can do it by hand or with a food processor. You’re not going to find any mayo here as my family doesn’t care for it. This slaw is great to serve on its own as a side dish to the meal or heaped on top of the sandwiches.
This recipe makes a lot of slow cooker pulled pork, so you can use the leftovers the next night for a different meal (like chili or nachos), or you can freeze some for another night. The leftovers are also perfect to take to work for lunch the next day!
The whole family is sure to love these slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches – my husband actually thinks this pork is almost as good at what you’d get at a BBQ restaurant! That’s a pretty high compliment, don’t you think?
Other recipes you’ll love
- Monte Cristo Sandwich
- Grilled Caprese Sandwich
- Bahn Mi Sandwich
- Buffalo Chicken Sliders
- Pork Carnitas
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Ingredients
For the pork:
- 3 lbs boneless pork country ribs or pork shoulder roast cut into large chunks
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
For the slaw:
- 2 cups green cabbage shredded
- 2 cups purple cabbage shredded
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper
- Buns for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix together the onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt, pepper and cumin.
- Sprinkle the spice mixture all over the pork. Place the pork in a slow cooker with the chicken broth. Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred. Toss with the barbecue sauce to coat evenly. Serve on buns with slaw.
- For the slaw: Combine the cabbage and carrots in a bowl. Mix together the lime juice, vinegar, sugar and olive oil; add salt and pepper to taste. Let the slaw sit in the fridge for at least one hour; add cilantro just before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on May 6, 2015 and was updated on October 3, 2017 with new photos.
Gill says
Can you make the slaw day before?
Sara says
Yes that’s fine!
Debra says
The meat came out so tender and flavorful! It was easy to make and we loved the leftovers!
Palladini says
You lost me at the BBQ Sauce! I agree, no Mayo slaw on top of a pulled pork sandwich. As a Former Truck Driver who was born in Canada and got into truck Driving in the late 70s, the best pulled pork sandwich I ever had was at a shed beside one of the big Cotton Mils that exist in eastern North Carolina USA. Those are sandwiches I have tried to replicate, but have never been able to do. I think the reason is, those folks in those sheds, cooked a hole hog, deboned it and mixed all the meats together well. This they put on bun. I on the other hand only cook a Butt roast.
Thanks for the great post!
Sunny says
Hi this looks good. I would like to try this however we don’t eat pork at home. Will chicken fillet be OK as a substitute? If yes, do I follow the recipe as is?
Sara says
I would use boneless skinless chicken thighs, and you can just follow the recipe as is!
Lana @ The Joy Blog says
This looks SO GOOD. Now I wish I had all the ingredients in my fridge so I could eat it shortly.
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files says
How colorful! Love the slaw with the pulled pork! They sound perfect for our next BBQ!
Cathy@LemonTreeDwelling says
This sounds like one awesome sandwich. I’m loving the rainbow slaw!
Mindy says
Omgeeee this looks so so so yummy!!! Thanks for sharing
Alyssa @ Simply Quinoa says
Oh man, this sandwich is heavenly! Not only do I love pulled pork, but that rainbow slaw you made? Gotta try it!!