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BBQ pulled pork sandwiches

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.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
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.