Pulled Pork Buns made in the slow cooker deliver tender, flavorful meat with an ideal sauce-to-meat ratio. The pork is rubbed with a simple dry herb mix, then slow-simmered in a rich barbecue sauce until it falls apart. Serve on warm buns for an easy, crowd-pleasing meal.
Delicious Pulled Pork Buns
If you enjoy pulled pork sandwiches topped with coleslaw or crisp lettuce, this slow-cooker version is for you. Instead of smoking or tending a roast for hours, you can prepare an incredible pulled pork with minimal effort. The pork shoulder is coated with a flavorful dry rub, placed on a bed of onions, then slow-cooked in a tangy-sweet sauce until ultra-tender. Toast your buns, pile on the meat, add coleslaw if you like, and serve. It’s simple, satisfying, and perfect for feeding a group.
What you need for BBQ-style Pulled Pork
Below are the main ingredients — scroll to the recipe card for exact amounts and full instructions.
- Boneless Pork Shoulder: A well-marbled cut ideal for shredding. Pork butt is an acceptable substitute if you prefer more fat.
- Chicken stock: Use homemade stock or a good-quality substitute to boost flavor.
- Smoked paprika powder: Adds the smoky note classic to pulled pork.
- Buns: Serve on brioche, ciabatta, kaiser rolls or corn buns — any sturdy roll that holds the saucy meat.
How to make Crockpot Pulled Pork
Follow the recipe card below for exact measurements and full details. Summary steps are provided here for a quick overview.
- Prepare the base: Lay sliced onions in the slow cooker to keep the meat from sticking and to add flavor.
- Apply the rub: Combine the dry spices and rub them evenly over the outside of the pork shoulder.
- Mix the sauce: Whisk barbecue sauce, ketchup, stock, vinegar, Worcestershire, brown sugar, mustard, oil and garlic until smooth.
- Cook: Place the pork on the onions, pour the sauce over it, cover and cook on high for about 6 hours, or until very tender.
- Shred: Remove the pork carefully and shred with two forks. Trim any large pieces of fat.
- Finish: Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker, stir to combine with the sauce and heat through before serving.
Serve with
- Classic sandwich: Pile pulled pork on a split bun and top with coleslaw or fresh lettuce. Add fries for a full meal.
- Pulled pork sliders: Make small sandwiches on slider buns. For a glossy finish, brush with a simple butter mixture (butter, Worcestershire, a pinch of garlic salt and sesame or poppy seeds), cover and warm briefly in the oven.
- American-style sides: Serve alongside mac and cheese, corn muffins, coleslaw and a green salad for a hearty spread.
Made this recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen on Instagram to share your photos. If you enjoyed the recipe, please rate it in the recipe card — ratings help other home cooks find great recipes.
Need more inspiration?
- Video recipes are available on the author’s YouTube channel.
- Save recipes to Pinterest or your preferred bookmarking method so you can find them again later.
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Ingredients
Dry herb rub
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika powder
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
Pulled Pork with BBQ sauce
- 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder
- 2 onions, sliced in rings
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 cup tomato ketchup
- 2/3 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
Instructions
Dry Herb Rub
- Mix the smoked paprika, dried thyme, cayenne and salt in a small bowl.
- Rub the mixture all over the pork shoulder, coating it evenly.
Pulled Pork from the Slow Cooker with BBQ sauce
- Place the sliced onions in the bottom of the slow cooker and set the seasoned pork on top.
- In a bowl, combine barbecue sauce, ketchup, chicken stock, white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard, olive oil and garlic. Stir until smooth.
- Pour the sauce over the pork and cover the slow cooker.
- Cook on High for about 6 hours, or until the meat is very tender and easily shredded.
- Carefully remove the pork and shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat.
- Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker, stir into the sauce and heat through. Serve on buns with coleslaw or your favorite sides.
Notes
Boneless pork shoulder: A well-marbled cut that shreds beautifully. Pork butt can be used if preferred for extra fat and flavor.
Chicken stock: Use homemade or store-bought. Stock adds depth to the sauce.
Alternate cooking methods:
- Oven: Place everything in a covered baking dish and cook at 90–110 °C for about 8 hours.
- Pressure cooker / Instant Pot: Cook under high pressure for approximately 1 hour 20 minutes (adjust for your device).
Storage: Cool the pork and sauce to room temperature quickly.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in suitable containers for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Cover and warm in a baking dish at 180 °C (350 °F) for about 20 minutes, or heat gently on the stove with a splash of water to maintain moisture.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 34 g
Protein: 66 g
Fat: 12 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Sodium: 1456 mg
Sugar: 26 g
3 x Slow Cooker
-
Slow Cooker Ajam Pangang Chicken
-
Slow Cooker Creamy Mustard Chicken
-
Creamy Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup with Meatballs
