BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders

Why This BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders Works

During the long slow cook, the pork shoulder has time to break down little by little. All the tough parts that would be chewy at high heat start to soften. The spice rub and BBQ sauce sit on the meat for hours, soaking into the pork as it cooks. With low heat and plenty of time, the fat inside the pork slowly melts and spreads through the meat instead of running out, so the shredded pork stays juicy instead of dry.

By the time it is done, the pork barely needs any effort to pull apart with forks. Shredding it gives lots of little edges and pieces, and those catch more BBQ sauce when it goes back into the slow cooker. Every bite ends up coated. The creamy coleslaw on top adds crunch and a bit of tang, which cuts through the rich, soft pork, and the small slider buns hold everything in place so the juicy meat and slaw stay together in each bite.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the pork cook on high heat or for too long dries it out. The meat still shreds, but the pieces turn stringy and tough instead of soft and juicy, so the sliders feel chewy and dry even with sauce on them.

Putting the pork in the slow cooker without really rubbing in the spice mix leaves some bites bland and others overly salty or spicy. The seasoning sits on the outside in clumps, and once it is shredded, the flavor is uneven from piece to piece.

Adding all the BBQ sauce at the start causes it to thin out and lose body in the slow cooker juices. By the time the pork is done, the liquid is watery, so the meat soaks up a thin, runny sauce instead of a thick, sticky coating.

Skipping the step of mixing the dressing into the coleslaw and just piling everything on the buns keeps the cabbage dry in spots and soggy in others. Some sliders end up with crunchy, undressed cabbage while others get heavy, wet clumps that slide out.