Really nothing beats the satisfaction of perfectly tender pulled pork piled high on a soft bun with your favorite toppings. This crowd-pleasing sandwich combines slow-cooked (or smoked) pork shoulder with tangy BBQ sauce and crisp coleslaw for the ultimate messy comfort food experience.
Pulled pork sandwiches excel at feeding groups without breaking the budget. One pork shoulder feeds 8-10 people, and the cooking is almost all hands-off making it so easy and satisfying for all. They can be customized with a variety of sauces and toppings depending on your preferences or the theme of your party.
The key is in balancing rich, smoky meat with bright, acidic elements. Tangy BBQ sauce cuts through the richness while fresh coleslaw adds crunch and freshness.
The Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pulled pork – Smoked is my favorite. But however you cooked it, it will be great. You don’t even have to make it yourself. You can purchase pulled pork by the pound at your favorite BBQ restaurant or at the grocery store.
- BBQ sauce – Use your favorite store-bought, or even better is to make your own (it’s easier than you think). This is my go-to favorite sweet & tangy BBQ sauce recipe.
- Bun, roll or bread – A soft and flavorful brioche bun is perfect, but ciabatta rolls are also great and hold up well without getting soggy. Hawaiian rolls are great for making sliders. Quality white bread can also be used. Just avoid breads or rolls that are hard or too crusty, as they compete with the tender texture of the pulled pork.
- Slaw – A bright and fresh coleslaw is key for pulled pork sandwiches. Definitely make your own versus store-bought for a good coleslaw. It’s only a few ingredients and so much better.
Condiments & Topping Inspiration
Aside from BBQ sauce and slaw, a few options are:
- Pickled red onions – Vibrant and bright, these level up any sandwich and pulled pork is no exception.
- Pickles – Bread & butter pickles served on the side go so well and are a great crunchy contrast to the soft smoky meat.
- Onion rings – Thick cut or onion strings, both are fun and tasty on top or on the side.
- Fried shallots – The deep flavor of shallots makes everything more sophisticated.
- Grilled pineapple – Sweet and tart flavors pair wonderfully with the pork and sauce.
- Cheese – Some people like cheese. Go with cheddar, jack or mozzarella that gets nice and melty on top. Personally, I leave the cheese off and reserve it for different type of sandwiches like the brisket grilled cheese.
Making the Pulled Pork
There are so many ways to make pulled pork, and they all work well for sandwiches. From the most flavorful way in the smoker, to the easiest slow cooker pulled pork or even in the oven.
Whichever cooking method you choose, you start with a pork butt or pork shoulder, season it well and cook it until it is probe tender, around 203° to 206° F internal temperature. This doneness makes for the perfect texture for pulled pork.
Once it is cooked and shredded, the secret to make it even better is to crisp it up in a hot skillet before adding it to the sandwich. Get all the details and recipes for how to make pulled pork using each of the three methods.
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Assembling the Sandwiches
- Heat the pulled pork and combine with BBQ sauce (about 1/4 cup sauce per pound of pork).
- Toast the buns with a little butter on the sliced surface.
- Place about 5 ounces of pulled pork on each bun.
- Top with your favorite toppings (see suggestions).
- Drizzle with a little extra BBQ sauce.
- Enjoy with amazing sides!
Sauce Tip: Don’t oversauce it. The amount of sauce you add to the pulled pork depends on how juicy your pulled pork is to begin with. People can always add more on top of their sandwiches. Remember, starting with smoked pulled pork means it has a lot of flavor and doesn’t need much (if any) sauce.
Make It a Pulled Pork Party!
Make the pulled pork, keep it warm in a Crockpot and put out all the sides for everyone to make their own sandwiches and fill their plates with delicious sides.
Want a smaller version? Make ’em sliders with Hawaiian buns, which are perfect for parties. You can slice the entire sheet pan of buns, toast, and assemble all at once rather than individually for quick and easy production.
Serve some delicious sides like Creamy Coleslaw, BBQ Baked Beans, Potato Salad
If you love these and happen to have some smoked brisket on hand, you definitely have to try leftover brisket sandwiches.
Pulled Pork Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
- 20 ounces pulled pork see options (5 ounces per sandwich)
- 2/3 cup BBQ sauce (plus more for serving)
- 4 buns (brioche, potato or hamburger buns)
- Butter or oil for toasting buns
- Coleslaw
Optional toppings:
- Pickles bread and butter or sweet pickle relish
- Pickled red onions
- Onion rings
- Grilled pineapple
Instructions
- Heat the pulled pork in a skillet or in a slow cooker and combine with the desired amount of BBQ sauce, starting with 1/3 cup.
- Toast the buns with a little butter or oil on the cut side.
- Assemble the sandwiches by spooning on about 5 ounces of pulled pork on each, drizzling on some BBQ sauce and adding your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
- Recipe makes 4 sandwiches with 5 ounces of pork each and can easily be scaled up or down.
- The pulled pork can be crisped up in a skillet or you can gently heat it in a pot or Crockpot before adding the sauce.
Nutrition
More Pulled Pork Recipes to Try
Check out all the Leftover Pulled Pork Recipes →
These came out great for our 4th of July BBQ. Made the pulled pork the day before (from your website) and it was so easy to serve these along side other things we grilled the day-of. Everyone asked me for your recipe.
So glad to hear it. Now enjoy all those leftovers!
These were amazing. I loved crisping up the pork in a skillet before combining it with the BBQ sauce. That totally changes the texture and brings it to another level. Plan on making these with Hawaiian buns for an upcoming party.