Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is a set-it-and-forget-it meal so easy that it practically makes itself.

Crock Pot pulled pork cooks a pork roast to tender perfection with just minutes of prep.

Spoon it over mac and cheese or into a roll with a scoop of coleslaw.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches with slow cooker in the back

Flavor: This pulled pork has lots of flavor, with a homemade sauce that’s deliciously tangy and not too sweet.
Difficulty: This recipe is easy to make.
Technique: Once the pork is cooked, I use a gravy separator to separate the fat.
Cooking tip: This recipe can be cooked on high or low – I find cooking on low makes it more tender. If the pork is not tender, it likely needs more time.
Slow cooker tip: Try not to open the lid of the slow cooker; each time you open it, it takes quite a while to get back to temperature, increasing the cooking time.
Freezing: Pulled pork freezes perfectly.

ingredients to make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches with labels

Ingredient Tips For Pulled Pork

Pork: Look for a marbled pork roast such as boneless or bone-in pork shoulder, blade roast, pork butt, or Boston butt.
Chili sauce (my secret ingredient): Chili sauce is one of my favorite ingredients, and it is not spicy. It’s similar to a very zesty ketchup with less sweetness. Most grocery stores have it, or you can find it on Amazon. I also use it in my meatloaf topping and on ribs.
Dry mustard: This adds flavor, you can replace it with a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
Coleslaw: If possible, homemade coleslaw adds a great tangy crunch to this sweet and savory pulled pork recipe.

Variations

This pulled pork slow cooker recipe is amazingly versatile!

Spice: Have fun with zesting up the sauce. Try alternate spices like smoked paprika, liquid smoke, Tabasco, or cayenne pepper.

cooking pork to make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches — Brown the pork

How to Make Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Place the seared pork in a slow cooker and pour the sauce over the top (full recipe below).
Cover & cook until tender. Meanwhile, prepare the coleslaw.
Shred the pork and strain the juices.
Return shredded meat to the pot, stir in the sauce & keep it warm.

Make it once and enjoy it all week in wraps, mac and cheese, nachos, or on baked potatoes.

cooked pork in the slow cooker to make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches — Cook until tender

shredding pork to make Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches — Cook until tender

Storing and Reheating Pulled Pork

Store leftover slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches separate from coleslaw in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop, oven, or in the microwave.
Store coleslaw in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze pulled pork in zippered bags for up to 4 months.

Leftovers and Storage

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.
Keep coleslaw refrigerated for up to 4 days
Leftovers can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months.

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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This is the best pulled pork recipe for pleasing a crowd. Shredded pork roast is simmered in a tangy sauce and piled high on sandwich buns.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 5 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 5 hours 50 minutes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

To Make the Pork

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.
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.
Place the seared pork in a 6-quart slow cooker and pour the prepared sauce over it, ensuring it’s well coated.
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.
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.
Shred the pork using two forks and return it to the Crockpot. Add the sauce a bit at a time to reach desired consistency.
Drizzle with a little bit of barbecue sauce if desired.

Avoid opening the slow cooker often. It lets heat out and will increase the cooking time.
Bone in pork works well in this recipe, no changes in cooking times are needed.
Check the pork quickly, if the pork is not tender, cover and cook 1 hour more and check it again.
If the pork is ready early, turn the slow cooker to warm. The pork can rest for a few hours at warm either before or after shredding.

For a lighter coleslaw dressing, combine the following:
⅓ cup light mayonnaise
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon celery seeds
⅛ teaspoon salt

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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