Pulled Pork Sliders

Mouth-watering Pulled Pork Sliders made with tender, juicy pulled pork from the slow cooker or Instant Pot, topped with (homemade optional) coleslaw, bbq sauce, and dill pickles. Includes slider bar suggestion and make-ahead options for game day and parties!

What's the best pork for pulled pork sliders?

Whether you're slow cooking, pressure cooking, braising, or smoking pork for pulled pork sliders, the best cuts of pork happen to be the least expensive. That's right, pork butt or pork shoulder can often be found for 90¢ per lb or less, especially during tv sporting events and summer holidays. Lean cuts like loin, roast, or chop aren't pulled pork material. There's just not enough fat to give the pork that texture that literally falls apart when pulled.

Best way to cook pulled pork (2 recipes)

Both methods turn out juicy, fall-apart tender pork, which makes it actually hard to tell them apart! You get to decide which method works best for you.

1. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork (8 hours low and slow)

2. Instant Pot Pulled Pork (ready in 1 hour)

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Pulled Pork slider toppings

These are my go-to slider toppings. I recommend the homemade options I've included, but you can use store-bought options if it's more convenient.

• coleslaw - zesty, fresh, and so easy to make from scratch
• bbq sauce - subtle sweetness with mild heat and also crazy easy to make
• pickles - aka refrigerator pickles (no canning required)
• French fried onions - purchased at Costco and YUMMM

Other toppings can include:

• Avocado Ranch dressing
• jalapenos (fresh or pickled)
• shredded cheese or cheese sauce
• potato chips
• pickled red onions

How to serve pork sliders (2 ways)

Option #1 - DIY (self-serve slider bar) - When it comes to serving a large quantity of party food, I'm all for letting guests serve themselves. To make a slider bar, use your favorite pork recipe and prepare all components a day in advance. When it's party time, assemble on a board or tray, serve, and watch them disappear!

Option #2 - DIFT (do it for them) - assemble several sliders to be served all at once. To do this, lay out all of the slider bottoms, and build them from the bottom up. I like to go this order: slider bottom, mayo, bbq sauce, pulled pork, more bbq sauce, coleslaw, pickles, French fried onions, more bbq sauce, and slider top.

If you go with method #2, you'll want to serve the sliders immediately since the rolls will be saturated with the juicy ingredients.

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How many pulled pork sliders per person?

This depends on how high you pile other toppings, but plan on 2-3 sliders per person. If your sliders are crazy delicious (and these are!), that's a pretty reliable number.

How much pork and toppings do I need for sliders?

If you use my homemade recipes for pulled pork, coleslaw, bbq sauce, and dill pickles, you'll get 24 well-proportioned sliders. Each slider can have up to...

• 1/4 cup pulled pork, or 2 oz
• 2 Tbsp slaw, or 1/2 oz
• 1-2 Tbsp bbq sauce
• 2-3 pickles
• 1 Tbsp French fried onions

What to serve with pork sliders?

• Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
• Loaded Baked Potato Salad
• BLT Pasta Salad
• Macaroni Salad
• Classic Potato Salad
• Baked Smashed Potatoes
• Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

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Can I make pork sliders ahead?

Yes! Well, you can make the ingredients a day or two ahead. In fact, doing so knocks out one of the oldest tricks in the flavor book because pork, slaw, and bbq sauce all taste better the next day! Refrigerate each one in an airtight container and reheat the pork before serving.