BBQ pulled pork sandwiches

BBQ pulled pork sandwiches are messy, saucy, and basically guaranteed to disappear fast. ♡

Tender pork that shreds with a fork, piled onto a soft bun, with a little crunch from slaw… it’s the kind of food that feels like a party even if it’s just Tuesday. Here’s the thing: the difference between “good” pulled pork and “wow” pulled pork is time + a simple spice rub, then finishing it in the sauce so every strand gets coated.

I’m giving you a foolproof slow cooker method (easiest) plus an oven option if you prefer.

Let’s make it together.

Ingredients

Pulled Pork

• 3 to 4 pounds pork shoulder (pork butt), boneless or bone-in

• 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional, for searing)

Dry rub

• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

• 2 teaspoons brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

• pinch of cayenne (optional)

Cooking liquid

• 1 cup BBQ sauce (plus more for serving)

• 1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional, deepens flavor)

For serving

• potato buns or brioche buns

• pickles

• coleslaw (optional but highly recommended)

Tips

• Pork shoulder is the move. It has enough fat to stay juicy and shred beautifully.

• Searing is optional, but worth it if you have 5 minutes. Adds a deeper flavor.

• Don’t drown it in sauce while cooking. Add most of the sauce after shredding so it stays bold, not watered down.

• Shred while warm. Cold pork is harder to pull apart.

• For extra flavor, broil the shredded pork for a few minutes so you get crispy edges.

Variations

• Make it spicy: add chipotle powder, hot sauce, or diced jalapeños to the sauce.

• Carolina style: add extra vinegar and a pinch of crushed red pepper for tangy pulled pork.

• Sweet and smoky: use a smoky BBQ sauce and add a touch more brown sugar.

• Taco night: skip buns and serve in tortillas with pickled onions.

• Meal prep: use leftovers for loaded baked potatoes, nachos, quesadillas, or rice bowls.

FAQ

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Tender BBQ pulled pork cooked low and slow, tossed in sauce, and piled onto soft buns with pickles and optional coleslaw.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings: 10 sandwiches

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Pulled Pork

• 3 to 4 pounds 3 to 4 pounds pork shoulder (pork butt)
• 1 tbsp 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)

Dry rub

• 2 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cumin (optional)
• pinch of cayenne (optional)

Cooking liquid

• 1 cup BBQ sauce, plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)

For serving

• potato buns
• pickles
• coleslaw (optional)

Method

 

Slow Cooker Method

1. Season. Pat pork dry. Mix the rub and coat pork all over.
2. Sear (optional). Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sear pork 2 to 3 minutes per side until browned.
3. Cook. Place pork in slow cooker. Whisk BBQ sauce, broth, vinegar, Worcestershire, and tomato paste. Pour around the pork. Cover and cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours (or HIGH 5 to 6 hours) until very tender.
4. Shred. Transfer pork to a tray and shred, discarding large fat pieces.
5. Reduce sauce. Skim excess fat from the slow cooker liquid. Simmer the liquid in a saucepan 5 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened (optional but great).
6. Toss. Return shredded pork to the slow cooker (or a bowl) and toss with enough sauce to coat well. Add more BBQ sauce to taste.
7. Serve. Pile onto buns and top with pickles and slaw.

Oven Method

1. Heat oven to 300F. Rub pork as written above.
2. Place pork in a Dutch oven. Whisk cooking liquid and pour around the pork. Cover tightly.
3. Roast 3.5 to 4.5 hours until it shreds easily. Shred and toss with sauce as written above.

Notes

• For crispy edges, spread shredded pork on a sheet pan, drizzle with sauce, and broil 2 to 4 minutes.
• Pulled pork tastes even better the next day.
• Store up to 4 days in the fridge or freeze up to 3 months.

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