BBQ Baby Shower Pulled Pork (Printable)

Savory pulled pork paired with fresh coleslaw on soft slider buns, perfect for celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pulled Pork Rub and Cooking

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

# Method:

01 - Combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl, mixing thoroughly.
02 - Pat pork shoulder dry with paper towels and apply spice rub evenly over entire surface of meat.
03 - Place seasoned pork in slow cooker. Pour barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and chicken broth around the pork without covering it. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours until meat shreds easily with forks.
04 - While pork cooks, combine green cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, celery seed, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss until evenly coated and refrigerate.
05 - Remove cooked pork from slow cooker and shred using two forks. Skim excess fat from cooking liquid and discard. Return shredded pork to slow cooker, toss with cooking juices, and add additional barbecue sauce as desired.
06 - Slice slider buns horizontally. Layer pulled pork onto each bun bottom, drizzle with barbecue sauce, and top with generous portion of coleslaw.
07 - Arrange assembled sliders on serving platter and serve warm.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • The slow cooker does almost all the work while you handle everything else on your to-do list.
  • These sliders are naturally impressive-looking yet remarkably forgiving—even if you're nervous about cooking for a crowd.
  • The creamy coleslaw against smoky pork creates a flavor combination that keeps people coming back for seconds without realizing they're already on their third one.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the pork dry before seasoning—moisture is the enemy of a good spice crust that actually sticks and flavors the meat properly.
  • If your coleslaw tastes too acidic or mustardy after mixing, it probably just needs time in the fridge; the flavors calm down and blend together more pleasantly after sitting for an hour or two.
03 -
  • If you're cooking for a crowd and nervous about timing, cook the pork the day before and reheat it gently in the slow cooker on low—the flavors actually deepen overnight, and you'll sleep better knowing it's already done.
  • The cooking liquid left in the slow cooker is liquid gold; if it's not too fatty, save it as a sauce or thin it out with a little broth to drizzle over the sliders instead of relying entirely on BBQ sauce.
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