These slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches are ideal for lunches, dinners, tailgate parties, or potlucks!
Pork shoulder is cooked in the crockpot with a sweet and zesty homemade BBQ sauce to make meat so tender, you can shred it with a spoon!
Zesty Pulled Pork sandwiches
- Hot and ready – pulled pork sandwiches are so easy when they’re made in the Crockpot!
- Cooking in the slow cooker makes this a set-it-and-forget-it kind of meal.
- Everyone loves pulled pork; there’s nothing better to serve for a summer BBQ, game day, or Sunday supper.
- Serve it as this as sandwiches, on nachos, spooned over mac and cheese, or with mashed potatoes.
Choosing Pork for Pulled Pork
When choosing pork for pulled pork, look for well-marbled meat with plenty of fat. The best choice of meat for this recipe is pork shoulder which can also be called picnic roast, Boston butt, blade roast, or pork butt. It’s affordable and becomes buttery tender when slow-cooked. Boneless or bone-in can be used.
Avoid leaner cuts like pork loin or center-cut chops. They don’t have enough fat and can result in dry and tough meat when slow-cooked too long.
Other Ingredients for Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Seasonings – I season the pork simply as the sauce adds love of flavor. You can add additional spices to the pork before browning such as garlic powder to taste or for a smoky flavor, a bit of smoked paprika or a dash of liquid smoke.
Homemade Sauce – The secret to this recipe is in this homemade sauce! The pulled pork is cooked in a tangy BBQ sauce with apple cider vinegar, ketchup, molasses, and the secret ingredient is chili sauce. If you don’t have chili sauce, you can use additional ketchup.
Coleslaw – I love a good zesty coleslaw with pulled pork sandwiches for fresh flavor. Use store-bought shredded cabbage and the quick creamy coleslaw dressing below. Leftover slaw or dill pickle slaw are also great additions.
Rolls – Anything goes, brioche, hamburger buns, or ciabatta rolls. I like to toast the rolls with garlic butter.
How to Make Crockpot Pulled Pork
This pulled pork recipe is zesty with a homemade sauce.
- Mix the sauce ingredients together according to the recipe below.
- Brown the pork, place in a 6qt slow cooker and pour the sauce overtop. Cover & cook until tender.
- Remove the pork and cooking liquid from the Crockpot. Shred the pork, discarding any large pieces of fat.
- Return shredded meat to the pot, stir in the sauce & keep on warm.
What to Serve With Pulled Pork
We most often make this recipe into pulled pork sandwiches but great over mac and cheese, or nachos. Some of our favorite side dishes are typical BBQ fare and make ahead salads.
How to Store Leftovers
- 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 for additional bbq pork sandwiches. Keep coleslaw refrigerated for up to 4 days
- Leftovers can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Did you love these Pulled Pork Sandwiches? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Crockpot Pulled Pork
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast*
- 8 to 12 rolls for serving
- additional barbecue sauce for serving optional
Homemade Sauce
- 1 medium onion chopped
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup tomato ketchup
- ½ cup chili sauce like Heinz, or additional ketchup
- ¼ cup brown sugar firmly packed
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Coleslaw
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tablespoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon celery seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 5 cups coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage finely shredded
Instructions
To Make the Pork
- For the sauce, in a medium bowl, combine 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.
To Make the Coleslaw
- Stir together the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Add cabbage and toss to combine. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
To Serve
- Place slaw on rolls and pile high with pulled pork.
Video
Notes
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon celery seeds
⅛ teaspoon salt
Nutrition Information
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© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
How to Use Leftover Pulled Pork
Add pulled pork to any of these recipes by replacing the chicken, beef, or pork for a delicous new meal!
I cannot find molasses to save my life lol what can I use as a replacement?
I have only made this recipe as listed but using Honey or dark corn syrup in it’s place should work. I would love to hear how it turns out for you!
This is only my third time of making this recipe, so I’m not sufficiently familiar with it to remember all the components. The biggest blessing? That there were check boxes to tick as I added ingredients. Phew! Helped me realise how much time I usually waste checking I’ve added everything correctly….now I need to put check boxes on my grocery list! Note: I cut the pork loin in half and cooked each half in a separate slow cooker. What we don’t use tonight, will go in the freezer and be served to company at a later date! Thanks for the great recipes (I just froze your sautéed mushrooms and onions, also for company).
So glad you enjoyed it, Bessie!
This was yummy. I didn’t have chili sauce but, I used guava BBQ sauce and it was delicious.
Did any put both pieces of the roast in the slow cooker or was it one piece
Can I buy a pork 2x/size and would I have to double the sauce?
I would double the sauce too Eileen!
Does it matter if you don’t use light molasses. I think mine is dark.
That should work just fine!
I used this recipe with a 5 pound roast. Should I be worried that the sauce won’t be enough? What should I do?
There should be plenty of sauce. :)
If you wanted extra you could stir in some extra BBQ sauce but I don’t think you’ll need it.
I forgot celery seed at the store. Do you think I can skip it?
You can skip the celery seed although it does add nice flavor! If you happen to have celery salt on hand you could add a little bit and omit the salt. (You definitely don’t want to add the full 1/2 teaspoon of celery salt).
Thanks! I decided to buy the seeds. I actually have my roast cooking right now! :)
Enjoy! This is my bff’s favorite recipe! :)
Do I have to use yogurt , can this be left out. Not a fan
Thanks, Janet
You can certainly leave it out. You may need to add a little bit of extra mayo if you find your slaw is drier than you’d like.
Made this tonight. It was delicious! Was a hit :)
Pulled pork looks delicious, thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop, pinning.
Your Pulled Pork looks fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope you have a great week.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
A family favorite dinner for sure! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
This looks ah-MAZE-ing!!! I just ate dinner, but now I’m hungry from reading this post – haha! :) Thank you for linking up to Works for Me Wednesday!
Thank you Mary! :)
Oh my goodness, that is one seriously delicious looking sandwich!!! YUM!!!! The pulled pork looks AMAZING!!!! I love all the recipes that your share, and your photography is always just stunning!!! Love visiting your blog! :)
<3 Aw thank you so much Maria!!
Love that you can make this in the slow cooker. I love the idea of using chili sauce. Sounds delicious.
This is a must try! Love the chili sauce idea.
Love the chili sauce tips! Can’t wait to try this.
I would love to try this , but the cut of pork I have is a Pork Tenderloin. Does anyone know if this can be prepared this way with this cut? I’m unsure about the shredding.
I have made this with pork tenderloin before. If you do make it with tenderloin, keep in mind that pork tenderloin is very lean so the end result, although delicious, will not be as moist.