These BBQ pulled pork sliders are assembled with Instant Pot BBQ pulled pork. (Slow cooker directions included.) Tucked between soft slider buns with coleslaw, the succulent fall-apart meat is tender and juicy. Serve these mini sandwiches as easy party appetizers or dinner.
The savory pork rub and tangy BBQ sauce result in a dish that’ll make your family and guests salivate and reach for more. Prep this easy Instant Pot recipe in 10 minutes, then let your pressure cooker or Crockpot do the rest!
Like tasty cheeseburger sliders and Guinness corned beef sliders, these succulent pulled pork sliders are a real crowd pleaser.
These small-bite sandwiches are ideal for tailgating, backyard festivities, big family gatherings, church socials, and potlucks year round. This make-ahead recipe is also perfect for quick and easy weekday dinners.
Serve these bite-sized sandwiches with condiments like mayo, dill pickles, thinly-sliced jalapeños, hot sauce, or Mexican picked onions. Traditional side dishes include watermelon arugula salad, deli-style macaroni salad, or a cool cucumber salad. Enjoy with crunchy, kettle-style potato chips.
INGREDIENTS
BBQ Pulled Pork
- Boneless pork shoulder
- Light brown sugar
- Sea salt
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Dried oregano or dried thyme
- Black pepper
- Chicken stock (or beef stock or water)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Can of Coca-Cola (not Diet Coke)
- BBQ sauce
Coleslaw and Dressing
- Package coleslaw mix (shredded green cabbage, red cabbage and carrots)
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream
- Apple cider vinegar
- Granulated sugar or honey
- Dijon mustard
- Lemon juice
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
For Assembling Sliders
- Hawaiian rolls (or brioche slider buns)
- Desired condiments (mayo, dill pickles, sliced jalapeños, thinly-sliced red onion, hot sauce, etc.)
INSTANT POT DIRECTIONS
RECIPE PREP: If the pork is tied up, untie it. Pat the pork shoulder dry between paper towels.
- STEP 1: In a small bowl, combine spices for the homemade rub: brown sugar, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano (or dried thyme). With clean hands, rub the spice mix all over the pork and massage it in. Make sure all sides are evenly coated. If time allows, refrigerate the meat for several hours or overnight.
- STEP 2: Pour chicken stock and apple cider vinegar into the Instant Pot. Place the pork inside. Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the meat. Attach the lid of the pressure cooker. Ensure the valve is in the “sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook – Manual for 45 minutes.
- STEP 3: Once the Instant Pot is done cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then switch the valve to “venting” position to release any additional pressure. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. For food safety, it must read 200 degrees. Remove pork from the pot. Let it shed heat for 30 minutes. Shred with 2 forks.
- STEP 4: Skim and discard excess fat that has floated to the top of the cooking liquid. Remove liquid from pot. Transfer shredded pork back to the pot. Drizzle some of the cooking liquid onto the meat and mix it in to keep pork moistened and flavorful. (Reserve remaining liquid in case it’s needed to keep the meat juicy.) Pour 1/2 cup BBQ sauce on top of the meat. Toss to combine. For saucier meat, add more BBQ sauce.
SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS
Follow the prep and instructions for the Instant Pot recipe. But when using a slow cooker, secure the lid and cook on “low” for 6 to 8 hours, or on “high” for 4 to 6 hours. For food safety, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. It must read 200 degrees.
ASSEMBLE BBQ PULLED PORK SLIDERS
- STEP 1: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Add coleslaw mix to a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the coleslaw and toss well.
- STEP 2: Tuck the BBQ pulled pork and coleslaw into slider buns and secure each slider with an appetizer pick. Or present the meat, buns and coleslaw, and any additional condiments in separate serving dishes. Let people assemble their own pulled pork sliders at will.
RECIPE FAQ
These are the most commonly asked questions when making this Instant Pot pulled pork recipe, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.
Hands down, pork shoulder (also known as pork butt or Boston butt) is the best cut of meat for pulled pork. It’s well known for its exquisite fat content that’s important for creating juicy fork-tender meat when cooked slowly over time.
I prefer boneless pork shoulder for this pulled pork recipe. But if your cut of meat is a bone-in pork shoulder, that works too. Just add 5 minutes to the cooking time.
The preference is a can of Coca-Cola (NOT diet soda). Other great options include root beer or Dr. Pepper.
Pulled pork pairs well with sweet and spicy, or sweet and smoky BBQ sauces. The brand I favor: Sweet Baby Ray’s Original BBQ Sauce.
Pork shoulder is a fatty, tough cut of meat. To properly break down the protein and connective tissues, it needs to be cooked low and slow. For succulent, tenderized pork that shreds easily, pressure cookers and slow cookers are excellent choices for cooking the meat.
For food safety, the USDA recommends that pork shoulder be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F. However, much higher temperatures (195-205°F) are needed to properly break down the connective tissues in the meat and bring it to a tender, juicy, fall-apart status.
The juices from the pulled pork are super savory and delicious! Don’t discard it. Pour the liquid into a small glass-handled measuring cup. Keep the broth available as a dipping sauce, or for pouring over the meat to remoisten it.
Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Absolutely! Cook the meat 1 to 2 days in advance and refrigerate. Reserve the cooking juices. Rewarm on stovetop or in a Crockpot, remoistening the meat with the reserved cooking broth. Whisk together the coleslaw dressing in advance and refrigerate. Just before serving, toss the raw coleslaw mix with the dressing. Let people assemble their own sliders, slipping the meat and slaw into tender Hawaiian rolls.
MORE GAME DAY SMALL BITES
These crowd-pleasing appetizers will be star attractions at your next Game Day party! Each is quick and easy to make. For safe keeping, print out your favorite small bites recipes or pin them to Pinterest.
- BBQ Little Smokies
- Mini State Fair Corn Dogs
- Fried Zucchini
- Buffalo Chicken Bites
- Sausage Cheese Balls
- Pigs in a Blanket
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BBQ PULLED PORK SLIDERS
- Total Time: 1 Hour 5 Minutes
- Yield: 12 Sliders 1x
Description
These BBQ pulled pork sliders feature tender, juicy fall-apart meat. The succulent pork is tucked into Hawaiian rolls with coleslaw that’s been tossed with a delicious, tangy homemade dressing.
Ingredients
BBQ PULLED PORK
- 1 boneless pork shoulder (about 5 pounds)
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons sea salt, or more if desired
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup chicken stock (or beef stock or water)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 12–ounce can Coca-Cola (or Root Beer)
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, or more if desired
COLESLAW WITH DRESSING
- 1 16–ounce package coleslaw mix (shredded green cabbage, red cabbage and carrots)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar or honey
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
FOR SERVING
- 12 Hawaiian rolls (or brioche slider buns)
- Desired condiments (mayo, dill pickles, thinly-sliced jalapeños, thinly-sliced red onion, hot sauce, etc.)
Instructions
INSTANT POT DIRECTIONS
RECIPE PREP: If the pork is tied up, untie it. Pat the pork shoulder dry between paper towels.
- In a small bowl, combine spices for the homemade rub: brown sugar, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano (or dried thyme). With clean hands, rub the spice mix all over the pork and massage it in to evenly coat all sides. If time allows, refrigerate meat for several hours or overnight.
- Pour chicken stock and apple cider vinegar into the Instant Pot. Place the pork inside. Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the meat. Attach the lid of the pressure cooker. Ensure the valve is in the “sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook – Manual for 45 minutes.
- Once the Instant Pot is done cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then switch the valve to “venting” position to release any additional pressure. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. For food safety, it must read 200 degrees. Remove pork from the pot. Let it shed heat for 30 minutes. Shred with 2 forks.
- Skim and discard excess fat that has floated to the top of the cooking liquid. Remove liquid from pot. Transfer shredded pork back to the pot. Drizzle some of the cooking liquid onto the meat and mix it in to keep pork moistened and flavorful. (Reserve remaining liquid in case it’s needed to keep the meat juicy.) Pour 1/2 cup BBQ sauce on top of the meat. Toss to combine. For saucier meat, add more BBQ sauce.
SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS
Follow the same prep and instructions for the Instant Pot recipe. But when using a slow cooker, secure the lid and cook on “low” for 6 to 8 hours, or on “high” for 4 to 6 hours.
COLESLAW WITH DRESSING
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Add coleslaw mix to a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the coleslaw. Toss well.
ASSEMBLE BBQ PULLED PORK SLIDERS
Tuck BBQ pulled pork and coleslaw into the middle of slider buns. Secure the sliders with appetizer picks. Or arrange the meat, coleslaw, slider buns and condiments on separate dishes. Let people assemble their own sliders when they’re ready to enjoy them.
Notes
TEMPERATURE FOR PULLED PORK: For food safety, the USDA recommends that pork shoulder be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F. However, much higher temperatures (195-205°F) are needed to properly break down the connective tissues in the meat and bring it to a tender, juicy, fall-apart status.
BEST BBQ SAUCE FOR PULLED PORK: Pulled pork pairs well with sweet and spicy, or sweet and smoky BBQ sauces. The brand I favor: Sweet Baby Ray’s Original BBQ Sauce.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER PULLED PORK: Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 55 Minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders, Pulled Pork Sliders, Pulled Pork Sliders Recipe, Instant Pot Pulled Pork, Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
BBQ PULLED PORK SLIDERS > join the conversation
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