BBQ Baby Shower Pulled Pork (Printable)

Smoky pulled pork piled on soft sliders with creamy coleslaw for festive occasions and gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ Pulled Pork

01 - 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder
02 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
06 - 1 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
10 - 1 cup barbecue sauce
11 - 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
12 - 1/2 cup chicken broth

→ Coleslaw

13 - 3 cups shredded green cabbage
14 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
15 - 1 cup shredded carrots
16 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
17 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
18 - 1 tablespoon honey
19 - 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
20 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Assembly

21 - 12 slider buns
22 - Additional barbecue sauce for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly to ensure even distribution of spices.
02 - Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture generously over all surfaces of the meat, ensuring complete coverage.
03 - Place the seasoned pork in a slow cooker. Pour barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and chicken broth around the meat without covering it. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours until the meat is extremely tender and shreds easily with a fork.
04 - While the pork cooks, combine green cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, celery seed, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss until all vegetables are evenly coated. Refrigerate until serving.
05 - Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Skim and discard excess fat from the cooking liquid. Return shredded pork to the slow cooker and toss with the remaining juices. Add additional barbecue sauce to taste.
06 - Slice each slider bun horizontally. Place a generous portion of pulled pork onto the bottom half of each bun. Drizzle with additional barbecue sauce and top with a spoonful of coleslaw. Cover with the top bun.
07 - Arrange assembled sliders on a serving platter. Serve warm with extra barbecue sauce and coleslaw on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The slow cooker does virtually all the work, leaving you free to handle party prep instead of standing over a stove.
  • These sliders are naturally crowd-pleasing—the sweet BBQ sauce, creamy coleslaw, and tender pork hit every flavor note at once.
  • You can make the pork and coleslaw the day before, then assemble fresh sliders just before guests arrive.
02 -
  • If your pork isn't shredding easily after 6 hours, don't panic—give it another hour or two; every slow cooker cooks differently depending on your altitude and the actual thickness of your meat.
  • Don't skim all the cooking liquid; that flavorful broth is what keeps the shredded pork moist and delicious, so toss it back in rather than discarding it.
  • Assemble sliders just before serving if possible, because the heat from the pork will soften the buns and the coleslaw will eventually wilt if they sit too long together.
03 -
  • Brown sugar in the rub caramelizes during cooking and creates a deeper, more complex flavor than white sugar would—it's a small change that makes a noticeable difference.
  • If your BBQ sauce tastes too sweet or too vinegary, adjust by adding more of the other; the balance between the two is what makes these sliders sing.
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