BBQ Baby Shower Pulled Pork (Printer View)

Smoky pork shoulder piled on soft buns, topped with creamy coleslaw for festive gatherings and showers.

# What you'll need:

→ Pulled Pork

01 - 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder
02 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
06 - 1 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
10 - 1 cup barbecue sauce
11 - 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
12 - 1/2 cup chicken broth

→ Coleslaw

13 - 3 cups shredded green cabbage
14 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
15 - 1 cup shredded carrots
16 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
17 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
18 - 1 tablespoon honey
19 - 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
20 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Assembly

21 - 12 slider buns
22 - Additional barbecue sauce for serving

# Method:

01 - In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
02 - Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels and apply the spice mixture evenly over the entire surface of the meat.
03 - Place the seasoned pork in a slow cooker. Pour barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and chicken broth around the pork. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours until the meat is very tender and shreds easily with a fork.
04 - In a large bowl, combine shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Toss thoroughly to coat and refrigerate until serving.
05 - Remove the cooked pork from the slow cooker and shred using two forks. Skim and discard excess fat from the cooking liquid. Return shredded pork to the slow cooker and toss with the cooking juices, adding additional barbecue sauce as desired.
06 - Slice the slider buns horizontally. Place pulled pork onto each bun, drizzle with additional barbecue sauce, and top with a generous spoonful of coleslaw.
07 - Arrange assembled sliders on a serving platter and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pork does almost all the work while you're busy with other things, leaving you surprisingly calm on party day.
  • Coleslaw made hours ahead means it actually gets better as it sits, unlike some recipes that deteriorate.
  • People eat these with one hand while holding a drink in the other—the mark of a truly successful party food.
02 -
  • If you sear the pork in a hot skillet before slow cooking, you'll develop a deeper crust that adds complexity—I skip this for simplicity, but it's worth the extra ten minutes if you have energy.
  • Coleslaw made with hot pork will wilt immediately, so always assemble just before serving or keep components separate.
  • The pork continues to tenderize as it sits in liquid, so if you're not quite at hour six, waiting the extra thirty minutes to hour eight makes a noticeable difference.
03 -
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check the pork at hour five—some models cook faster than others, and overdone pork turns stringy in an unpleasant way.
  • Invest in a slow cooker with a removable ceramic insert; it makes skimming fat and serving much easier than one with a fixed insert.
  • Make extra coleslaw beyond what you think you'll need—people always want more than they expected, and leftovers keep well for four days.
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