Slow cooker pulled pork sliders are the perfect comfort food meal, without all of the work! Pork is dry rubbed with spicy, smoky flavors, then cooked and topped with homemade BBQ sauce and creamy coleslaw.
Pulled Pork Sliders with Western South Carolina-Style Barbecue Sauce.
I’m a California girl, therefore definitely not a barbecue expert by any means. A recent poll on my Facebook page about everyone’s favorite kind of BBQ sauce made me want to try a sauce that was a little bit different from the traditional bottled sauce. Every state, and even region, has different ideas about how to make pulled pork, and what sauce to serve it with.
Pulled Pork Sliders with Western South Carolina-Style Barbecue Sauce.
For more research, I dug out my very old, (1997) copy of Cook’s Illustrated about how to make the best pulled pork. Cook’s gave one recipe for a spicy chili rub, and three, very different types of Carolina sauces. After sampling two, our family decided we prefer the Western South-Carolina Style Barbecue Sauce over the mustard sauce from Mid-South Carolina.
Western South Carolina-Style Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon oil
- 1/2 medium onion minced
- 2 medium garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon dry mustard
- 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup ketchup
Instructions
- Heat oil in a 2 quart sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in all the remaining ingredients, except ketchup.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, then add ketchup.
- Cook stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Mix bbq sauce with shredded pork and serve on buns.
The sauces are different, just a hundred miles apart. Cook’s Illustrated’s recipe for pulled pork is meant for slow and low cooking over wood chips and charcoal.
Since I have a gas grill, and lack the patience for a 3-5 hour cooking time, I adapted this recipe to make it slow cooker pulled pork.
I used the rub, wrapping the pork tightly in plastic wrap to let the spices really work their magic on the pork. Anywhere from 3 to 72 hours is recommended. I settled somewhere in the middle with an over-night rest in the fridge. To cook the pork, I simply put the shoulder in the slow-cooker with 1 cup of my favorite IPA beer and left it alone for 8 hours.
Here’s the recipe to make the slow cooker pulled pork:
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sliders
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 2 Tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground oregano
- 4 Tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 Tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground white pepper
- 1 bone-in pork roast 6 to 8 pounds, (shoulder or butt)
- 1 cup of good quality beer such as an IPA beer
Instructions
- Mix all 9 spices, from black pepper through white pepper in a small bowl. Lay pork shoulder on a large piece of plastic wrap and use rub to cover all sides of pork, massaging the rub into the meat. Seal tightly with two layers of wrap and refrigerate for 3 and up to 72 hours.
- Remove roast from plastic wrap. Place roast in slow-cooker. Add beer and cover. Cook on low for 8 hours, or until pork is cooked through and pulls apart easily. Discard cooking liquid.
- Let pork rest until cook enough to tear into thin shreds. Remove fat if desired.
- Toss with BBQ sauce and serve on buns with cole slaw.
The slow cooker pulled pork recipe produces absolutely perfect pork! The slightly tangy and spicy BBQ sauce is the perfect accompaniment to the flavorful pork. Serve the sliders with this crispy, Creamy coleslaw for the right amount of crunch!
Christina @ Christina's Cucina says
Looks fabulous! I love pulled pork and this recipe is great as you get the benefits of both a rub and the sauce, but the ease of the slow cooker! Perfect!
Christina | Christina's Cucina says
OMG, yes!! Have to make these again!
Marlynn @UrbanBlissLife says
I really love the combination of spices for the rub, and slow cooking the pork with a cup of beer is genius! This looks like a fabulous summer BBQ picnic dish.
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life says
I absolutely love pulled pork! This looks so good…and best of all, using the slow cooker!
Sarah @ The Chef Next Door says
This looks amazing! I love pulled pork, and anything in the slow cooker is my favorite!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
Love this Cynthia! Anything in a slow cooker is a must make! Thanks 🙂
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
Love slow cooker pork Cynthia! So versatile. Great rub and a delicious, regional barbecue sauce recipe. Thank you!
mimi says
LOVE Cook’s Illustrated, especially the best of recipes and the product comparisons! I never knew what BBQ was at all until I moved to Texas. There’s a lot of bad BBQ out there!!! And don’t get me started on tex-mex…
Maria says
I am totally making these for a cookout this summer! 🙂
Cynthia says
Perfect for a backyard BBQ!
Catherine says
Dear Cynthia, pulled pork sandwiches are a summer favorite around here…what a delicious way to kick off the season. These look fabulous! xo, Catherine
Cynthia says
I agree Catherine!
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
Do these sandwiches look awesome, or what?! I can never remember the types of BBQ I like, but these look and sound super tasty!
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
What a delicious recipe for pulled pork Cynthia! We are having pulled pork at Jonathan’s graduation party next weekend, I figure it will be easier than firing up the grill, especially if it’s really hot out! Great recipe!
Marye says
These sliders look amazing, that Cole Slaw on top is perfect!
Sarah says
Yum! Can’t wait to use this recipe at a bbq or two this summer!
Cynthia says
Perfect for a cook-out sarah! Let the crock do all the work!
Allison - Celebrating Sweets says
This looks SO good! I’ve got to add it to my weekend menu!
Cynthia says
so easy too Allison!
Barbara Sefton says
This is so delicious!