Tender, juicy, and full of flavor, these Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches are a crowd favorite – and couldn’t be easier to make. With just 4 ingredients, shredded slow-cooked pork is simmered in BBQ sauce for a second round of cooking that makes it irresistibly saucy and melt-in-your-mouth tender. Perfect for game day, casual gatherings, or make-ahead meals, and easy to customize with your favorite toppings and sides.
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Pulled Pork Sandwiches in the Slow Cooker
This easy recipe comes from my cousin Barb Keller, who’s a fabulous cook – I always leave her house with a new favorite! Like so many of her recipes, this pulled pork is super easy, using just a few ingredients, yet it delivers big flavor. Just set it and forget it, then return to a kitchen filled with mouthwatering aromas and pork so tender it pulls apart with a fork. After shredding, the pork is stirred back into the slow cooker with a generous amount of BBQ sauce for a second round of slow cooking, so every bite is infused with smoky, tangy, saucy goodness.
What Makes This Recipe Great
- Low and slow magic. Cooking the pork on low heat in the slow cooker for several hours gently breaks down the connective tissues, resulting in juicy, fall-apart tender meat.
- Super easy prep. Just four ingredients and a few minutes of active time – that’s it!
- BBQ sauce cooked right in. The pulled pork simmers in the sauce, soaking up all that savory-sweet, smoky flavor.
- Make-ahead friendly. Cook it a day or two in advance, then reheat when you’re ready to serve.
- Versatile serving options. Serve on hamburger buns, slider rolls, ciabatta rolls, or even over baked potatoes or nachos. Add coleslaw, pickles, or sliced cheese on the side as optional toppings.
- Perfect for a crowd. Whether it’s game day or another casual gathering, this dish feeds 8 or more and is always a hit.
Quick Tip
Brushing the insides of sandwich buns with melted butter and giving them a little toast adds texture and helps prevent them from soaking up too much sauce.
Ingredients in This Pulled Pork Sandwich Recipe
Here’s all you need to create these delicious sandwiches (quantities are provided in the recipe card below):
- Pork. Barb’s recipe calls for pork loin roast – a leaner cut than boneless pork shoulder or pork butt – but it still turns out juicy and tender thanks to her two-step slow cooking method. It’s a bit lighter, but just as flavorful.
- BBQ Sauce. A good BBQ sauce brings that sweet, spicy, smoky vibe that makes pulled pork irresistible. Store-bought sauces work just fine, but if you want to take it up a notch, use our Oklahoma BBQ Sauce, or your favorite homemade BBQ sauce.
- Onions. Sliced yellow onions subtly enhance the pork’s flavor. I wouldn’t use sweet onions.
- Sandwich Buns. Soft, sturdy buns or rolls hold up well to the juicy pork without falling apart. Brioche or potato buns add a subtle touch of sweetness, but regular hamburger buns or sliders work perfectly fine.
Ingredient Additions
Our BBQ sauce packs so much flavor, no extra seasoning is needed. If using another sauce, you may want to rub the pork with one or more of these spices before cooking:
- Smoked paprika, cumin, salt, garlic powder, and pepper for that classic pulled pork taste.
- Chili powder or cayenne pepper if you want to dial up the heat.
How Do You Make Pulled Pork Sandwiches
In three easy steps, and with just a few minutes of prep, you can create the most delicious Pulled Pork with BBQ Sauce! Here’s an overview of what to do (more detailed instructions are included in the recipe card):
- Cook onions and pork roast in water in the slow cooker for 8 – 10 hours on low or 4 – 5 hours on high.
- Remove pork and onions; drain the slow cooker, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Let the pork rest, then shred with two forks.
- Place shredded pork, onions, and reserved cooking liquid back in the slow cooker with BBQ sauce and additional chopped onion (if using). Cover and cook on low for 4 – 6 hours.
Optional Step for Extra Flavor
If you have a few extra minutes, searing the pork before slow cooking adds even more flavor. Here’s how:
Pat the pork dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil (vegetable or canola) in a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, sear the pork on all sides until nicely browned, around 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the slow cooker and continue with the recipe.
This step isn’t required, but the caramelization from searing adds depth and richness to the final dish, and is especially helpful when using lean cuts like pork loin roast.
Tips for Success
- Let the pork rest before shredding. Once it’s cooked, let the pork rest for around 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute.
- Shred the pork while still warm. The meat will be more tender and easier to pull apart, and the juices will be better distributed.
- Don’t skimp on the sauce. After shredding, mix the pork with plenty of BBQ sauce to keep it moist for the second round of cooking, but leave some sauce to serve on the side so your guests can add more if they want.
- Butter and toast the buns. Brushing sandwich buns with melted butter and giving them a little toast adds texture and helps prevent them from soaking up too much sauce.
- Use two forks for shredding. Trust me, using two forks to pull the pork apart is way easier than trying to chop it with a knife. It also gives that classic shredded look.
Pulled Pork Sandwich Toppings
These toppings add crunch, creaminess, brightness, or heat. Serve them on the side and let your guests build their perfect bite:
- Classic Coleslaw – cool and crunchy; a tangy slaw is a traditional go-to.
- Pickles – dill slices, bread-and-butter chips, or spicy pickles all work.
- Red onion – Thinly sliced for sharpness and crunch.
- Pickled Red Onions – A quick homemade option adds color and bright acidity (find directions on how to make in our Steak Salad recipe)
- Jalapeño slices – Fresh or pickled, for a little heat.
- Cheddar cheese – A slice of sharp cheddar melts slightly over warm pork.
- Creamy horseradish sauce – Adds a peppery kick and cuts through the richness.
- Avocado slices – Creamy and mellow, especially nice with spicier BBQ sauces.
- Crispy fried onions – For a salty crunch.
What Sides Go With Pulled Pork Sandwiches
In addition to the classic sides of pickles and potato chips, here are a few suggested dishes to serve with these sandwiches:
- Lemon Mayonnaise Coleslaw
- Potato Salad
- Green Bean Salad with Feta and Pecans
- Corn and Prosciutto Salad
- Cucumber and Tomato Salad
- Pasta Salad
- Grilled Corn Salad
Easy Make-Ahead Desserts to Serve with Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Lemon Cheesecake Squares
- Mini Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Lemon Bars
- Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
- Chewy Chocolate Brownies
- Frozen Strawberry Pie
- Peach Ice Cream
Freezing and Storing Pulled Pork
Storing: Cool the pulled pork completely before transferring it to an airtight container and refrigerating for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Place the pulled pork in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge.
How To Reheat
- In the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place the pulled pork in an oven-safe dish, add a splash of water or BBQ sauce, and cover with foil (to keep it from drying out). Heat for 20 minutes or until warmed through, stirring halfway.
- On the stovetop. Place the pulled pork in a large skillet or saucepan. Stir in a splash of water or BBQ sauce, cover, and heat over medium-low heat until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
- In the microwave. Place pulled pork in a microwave-safe dish and cover with a damp paper towel to trap moisture. Heat on medium (50%) power for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway to ensure it heats evenly without drying out.
- In the slow cooker. Place the pork back into the slow cooker, stir in a splash of water or BBQ sauce, cover, and reheat on low for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Pulled Pork Sandwiches in Slow Cooker FAQs
Plan on about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of pulled pork per sandwich, depending on the size of the buns and appetites. This recipe yields enough for 8 to 10 generous sandwiches.
You’ll get about 3 to 4 sandwiches (1/3 to 1/2 cup each) per pound of cooked pulled pork, depending on how full you make them. (One pound of uncooked pork loin roast yields about 3/4 pound of cooked meat.)
Yes! If you’re short on time, the Instant Pot is a great alternative. For pork loin roast, cook on High Pressure for 40 – 45 minutes, then allow a natural release for 15 – 20 minutes. After shredding, return the pork and onions to the pot with the BBQ sauce and use the Slow Cook setting on Medium to continue cooking, covered, for 4 – 6 hours. (If using pork shoulder or butt instead, increase the cook time to 60 – 70 minutes.)
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches with BBQ Sauce
Tender, juicy, and full of flavor, these Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches are a crowd favorite – and couldn’t be easier to make. With just 4 ingredients, shredded slow-cooked pork is simmered in BBQ sauce for a second round of cooking that makes it irresistibly saucy and melt-in-your-mouth tender. Perfect for game day, casual gatherings, or make-ahead meals, and easy to customize with your favorite toppings and sides.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 720 minutes
Total Time: 12 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 8 to 10 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 4 pounds pork loin roast
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion (no need to add with our Oklahoma BBQ sauce as it has chopped onions in it)
- 32 ounces (4 cups) of Oklahoma BBQ Sauce or other barbecue sauce
- Hamburger buns, Ciabatta rolls, or other soft, sturdy sandwich buns for serving
Instructions
- Place 1/2 of the sliced onions on the bottom of the slow cooker. Add pork, 1 1/2 cups water, then scatter remaining onions on top. Cover and cook on the low setting for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
- Remove pork and onions; drain the slow cooker, reserving about 1/2 cup liquid. Let the pork sit at room temperature for around 10 minutes.
- Shred the pork with two forks; place back in the slow cooker with cooked onions. Stir in 2 cups BBQ sauce, chopped onion (if using), and reserved cooking liquid. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.
- Taste and stir in more sauce, if desired.
- Serve on toasted hamburger buns or Ciabatta rolls, passing the remaining sauce on the side.
Notes
Optional Step for Extra Flavor: If you have a few extra minutes, searing the pork before slow cooking adds even more flavor. Here’s how:
1. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil (vegetable or canola) in a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, sear the pork on all sides until nicely browned, around 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the slow cooker and continue with the recipe.
This step isn’t required, but the caramelization from searing adds depth and richness to the final dish, and is especially helpful when using lean cuts like pork loin roast.
- Category: Make ahead, Sandwiches, Dinner
- Method: Slow cooker, crock pot
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich (info excludes the bun)
- Calories: 562
- Sugar: 39.7 g
- Sodium: 905.1 mg
- Fat: 11.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 48.7 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 62.5 g
- Cholesterol: 169.2 mg
