Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwich
Our slow cooker pulled pork sandwich is tender and juicy. It combines both sweet and savory flavors using a homemade dry rub and BBQ sauce.
This recipe has been on our blog for quite some time. Kim and I felt it needed to get reboot, so to speak.
So, we decided to remake it, both new pictures and updated post data. As you will soon see, it has a lot of steps, but is easier than it appears at first glance.
The slow cooker pulled pork sandwich recipe comes from a time when Kim and I were experimenting with more ambitious recipes. Mainly, because we wanted to find out what people truly wanted from us.
It turns out, it wasn’t recipes like this one. After a few different meal offerings, we discovered, most people want easy and delicious.
With that being said, there are still some cooks out there with a little more time to devote to cooking.
This pulled pork sandwich rewrite is dedicated to you. Furthermore, Kim and I hope you enjoy the updated version.
Now, enough with the chit chat already, let’s make some slow cooker BBQ! If you’d prefer shredded beef, then checkout our slow cooker BBQ beef recipe.
Pulled Pork Sandwich Instructions:
Start by prepping all your ingredients. Since the ingredient list is pretty long on this one, it’s not a bad idea to go ahead and get everything out of the cabinets and fridge before you get rolling.
Once that’s done, in a clean sink, cut open the pork and drain the solution. I usually wash the raw pork at this point and pat it dry with some paper towels.
In regards to the netting, you can cut it off or leave it on. We typically leave it on because it makes the cut of meat easier to season while it’s wrapped in twine.
Make the Dry Rub:
First, in a medium sized bowl, mix the brown sugar, salt, seasoned salt, chipotle, dry mustard, cinnamon, garlic powder, ground ginger, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, onion powder, and paprika.
Next, gently massage the sugar and spice mixture over the pork, pressing into the meat with your fingers. For some reason, I enjoy this step the most.
Not sure what that says about me…
Last, after the rub is applied, place meat in a large pan or dish and cover with foil. Put it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to overnight.
Applying a dry rub will infuse flavor into the pork before it’s cooked. It’s important to let the meat rest for at least 30 minutes after applying the spices.
While the pulled pork sandwich meat rests, you can work on the homemade BBQ sauce.
Make the Barbecue Sauce:
Begin by using a medium saucepan and then heat the tomato sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, allspice, salt, molasses, water, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke over medium heat.
Afterwards, allow the mixture to simmer and cook down to your desired thickness. With that being said, I caution against cooking down too much because it’s supposed to be a flavored cooking liquid for your meat.
Also, keep in mind, it cooks down even more during the slow cooker stage of the recipe. Now that you have everything prepped, let’s cook that pork.
Cook the Pork:
Go ahead and remove the pork from the refrigerator and place it in the slow cooker. Some recipes will call for you to let it come to room temperature first, but I don’t usually do that for this pulled pork sandwich.
Based on the amount of time it will be slow cooking, I can’t imagine dropping it in cold would have any effect, but I could be wrong.
After that, add the barbecue sauce and turn the slow cooker on low and cook for 6 to 8 hours or cook on high for 4 to 5 hours. Just like a smoker, low and slow for tender, juicy meat.
Lastly, you’ll know the meat is done when it shreds easily and begins to fall apart using tongs or a fork. Once it is cooked, shred it inside the cooker and discard the kitchen twine.
Pulled Pork Sandwich Tips:
- For a quicker version of this dish, use store bought versions of your favorite rub and sauce. Just remember to ad at least 1 1/2-cups of water, to the slow cooker and give it a quick stir. Also, you can checkout our Instant Pot recipe here.
- When storing the pulled pork, make sure to cover it in the BBQ sauce and drippings from the slow cooker. It will keep the pork moist and juicy while in the fridge.
- In order to reduce some of the carbs, you could serve this by itself or in a lettuce wrap.
Ingredients
Pork
- 1 to 2 pounds pork butt, or pork shoulder
Dry Rub
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- ½ teaspoon chipotle
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Barbeque Sauce
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
- 2 ½ cups water
Instructions
Dry Rub
- First, wash and pat dry the pork with paper towels and mix all ingredients for the dry rub in a medium bowl.1 to 2 pounds pork butt¼ cup light brown sugar1 teaspoon kosher salt1 teaspoon seasoned salt½ teaspoon chipotle½ teaspoon dry mustard½ teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon garlic powder½ teaspoon ground ginger½ teaspoon chili powder½ teaspoon cayenne pepper¼ teaspoon ground cumin½ teaspoon onion powder½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Next, massage mixture into the pork with fingertips.
- Then, place pork in a large pan or baking dish and cover with foil.
- Last, place in refrigerator for at least 30 or overnight.
Barbecue Sauce
- First off, combine all barbecue ingredients in a large saucepan or stockpot over medium heat.15 ounces tomato sauce2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar1 cup light brown sugar2 teaspoons garlic powder2 teaspoons onion powder½ teaspoon allspice2 teaspoons kosher salt2 tablespoons molasses1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce1 tablespoon liquid smoke2 ½ cups water
- Now, stir to combine.
- After that, bring mixture to a simmer and allow to cook for about 30 minutes.
- Then, then mixture will slightly thicken as it cooks.
- Lastly, remove from heat.
Cook
- Start by, adding the pork and barbecue sauce to the slow cooker.
- Next, cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours. Meat will be done when it shreds and falls apart easily.
- Then, remove from slow cooker and shred the pork.
- Last, place the pork on brioche or hamburger buns and serve immediately.
It’s been WAY too long since I’ve made pulled pork! Yours looks fabulous!!
Thank you, Liz! I started making pulled pork in a slow cooker about 10 years ago. It all started because I couldn’t afford a nice smoker. So, I used the tools I had to make something that at would satisfy that craving anytime of the year. Thank you again for commenting and have a lovely day, Liz 🙂
It’s been WAY too long since I’ve made pulled pork! Yours looks fabulous!!