Pulled Pork Sliders for Game Day
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What do you get when you pair tender and juicy slow-cooked pulled pork with homemade bread rolls and homemade slaw? My deliciously easy pulled pork sliders, perfect for your next game day extravaganza!
I’m glad I got y’all to keep me up to date on important dates and such because if it wasn’t for you, I’d miss half of the big food events in any given year. Today’s example is Vicky, who informed me that there was a big football game this weekend when she asked me what I was making for it. I made a few phone calls and lo and behold, found out that it was the Super Bowl!
Now don’t get me wrong, I know exactly what the Super Bowl is. It’s that thing that happens that has all the neat commercials. Just kidding! But this pulled pork slider recipe is perfect for any game-day party, potluck, or barbecue.
In fact, it’s the makings of these pulled pork sliders that make them so ridiculously addictive. We start with my deliciously tender and juicy Southern-style pulled pork recipe, which is made overnight in your slow cooker (and so very easy). Then we make my easy yeast rolls (don’t freak out if you have never made yeast rolls, you can do it and I show you how). The final step is to top them with a little vinegar slaw.
I’ve included each of the individual recipe cards below to make life that much easier. Keep scrolling for even more options to make these pulled pork sliders work for you. Let’s get cooking!
Recipe Ingredients
Crockpot pulled pork
- A pork roast (about five pounds)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Brown sugar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Hot sauce
Easy yeast rolls
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Instant yeast
- Vegetable shortening
- Eggs
- Melted unsalted butter
Vinegar slaw
- Green cabbage/coleslaw mix
- White vinegar
- Sugar
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make Pulled Pork Sliders
1. Make the Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Put the pork roast in the slow cooker.
Add salt…
And pepper.
Pour in the cider vinegar.
Cover with the lid and cook on low for 12 hours (I cook it overnight).
Remove the pork roast from the crockpot.
Shred it with forks (this will be very easy).
Drain juices from the slow cooker, reserving two cups of liquid.
Return shredded pork to the slow cooker.
To the reserved liquid add the brown sugar…
Hot sauce…
And crushed red pepper flakes.
Stir well.
Pour over shredded pork.
Toss pulled pork with sauce.
Place the lid back on the crockpot.
Place on low or warm setting until ready to serve.
Can be made ahead of time, refrigerated, and reheated in the microwave.
2. Bake the Bread Rolls
Add dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
Start with the sugar…
Salt…
2 cups of flour…
And yeast.
Cut in shortening with a long-tined fork.
Add eggs to the mixing bowl next.
Then add the flour.
Next, add the melted butter.
Make sure you give it time to cool before adding it to the mixing bowl.
Finally, add the water, making sure the water is the temperature of baby’s bath water.
Stir ingredients together.
Cover that with a towel and let it sit for 20 minutes.
Place dough on a floured surface and add even more flour on top.
How to knead the dough
Okay, so you need to knead your dough ball a time or two.
What I do is just put some flour on my hands, press the dough into a ball, and then smoosh it out with the heel of my hand. Then put it into a ball again and smash it out again with the heel of your hand.
After kneading your dough two or three times, shape it into a rectangle.
Cut into strips with a pizza cutter or knife and then cut it crosswise.
Spray a 9×13 casserole dish or baking dish with cooking spray.
Arrange the yeast rolls into the prepared pan.
Cover with a towel and let them rise for 20 minutes.
Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter.
Then preheat the oven to 350 and bake them for about 25 minutes.
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3. Make the Vinegar Slaw
Place chopped or shredded cabbage (or a store-bought coleslaw mix) in a large bowl.
Add vinegar…
And sugar.
Stir ingredients together.
Cover the cabbage mixture and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight before serving.
4. Assemble Pulled Pork Sliders
Place pork on each slider bun.
Place vinegar slaw on top.
Serve your homemade pulled pork sliders to your hungry friends and family.
Yum!
Okay, one more photo because how festive does this look? Touchdown!
Storage
These pulled pork sliders are best served immediately once assembled. But visit the corresponding blog posts for individual storage advice.
Recipe Variations
There are so many ways to make this pulled pork sliders recipe work for you. Here are some suggestions:
- Skip the pork and use pulled barbecue chicken or even rotisserie chicken instead.
- Use store-bought coleslaw, my homemade coleslaw recipe, or my burger slaw recipe.
- Skip the homemade bread rolls and use store-bought dinner rolls instead.
- Add different toppings (there are many options below).
Recipe FAQs
How do you serve pulled pork sliders at a party?
A great way to serve pulled pork sliders at a party is to do a DIY self-serve bar with a selection of toppings (suggestions below). Otherwise, follow this recipe and make them beforehand before serving them as is to your guests.
What toppings are best for pulled pork sandwiches?
Here are some recommended toppings for pulled pork sliders:
- Dill pickles
- Yellow, dijon, or wholegrain mustard
- French fried onions
- Caramelized onion
- Fresh jalapenos or pickled jalapenos
- Ranch dressing
- Potato chips
- Pickled onions
- Barbecue sauce
- Cheddar cheese (see below)
- Pineapple pieces
- Crispy bacon strips
Do you put cheese on a pulled pork sandwich?
You don’t have to put cheese on pulled pork sliders but you totally can if that’s what you like. My top picks? Havarti, Swiss, Pepperjack cheese, cheddar cheese, or provolone cheese.
How do you keep sliders warm for a party?
The best way to keep pulled pork sliders warm is to cover them with aluminum foil if they’re sitting on the countertop. Another option is to individually wrap them in foil and place them in a slow cooker on the warm setting.
Should buns be toasted for pulled pork sandwiches?
This is totally a personal preference. You can keep them soft, toast them, or quickly reheat your rolls in the oven or air fryer before making pulled pork sliders.
What rolls are best for pork sliders?
If you aren’t using homemade rolls, opt for brioche rolls or Hawaiian rolls.
Which pork roast is best for pulled pork?
A pork shoulder or pork butt roast is best.
You may also like these recipes:
Breakfast Sliders With Sausage & Cornbread
Juicy Ground Pork Burgers (With a Surprise Ingredient)
Ingredients
Crockpot Pulled Pork
- 1 pork roast (approx. 5 pounds)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1.5 cups apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Yeast Rolls
- 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 2 packets instant yeast
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1.5 cups warm water
Vinegar Slaw
- 4.5-5 cups finely chopped or shredded cabbage
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup white vinegar
Instructions
Make Crockpot Pulled Pork
- Put the pork roast in the slow cooker and add salt and pepper. Pour in the cider vinegar. Cover with a lid and cook on low for 12 hours (I cook it overnight).1 pork roast (approx. 5 pounds), 1 tbsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1.5 cups apple cider vinegar
- Remove the pork roast from the crockpot and shred it with forks (this will be very easy).
- Drain juices from the slow cooker, reserving two cups of liquid. Return pulled pork to the slow cooker. To the reserved liquid add the brown sugar, hot sauce, and crushed pepper flakes. Stir well. Pour over shredded pork and place the lid back on the crockpot.2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp hot sauce, 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Place on low or warm setting until ready to serve. Can be made ahead of time, refrigerated, and reheated in the microwave.
Bake Yeast Rolls
- Place dry ingredients (sugar, salt, 2 cups of flour, and yeast) in a large mixing bowl. Cut in shortening with a long-tined fork.1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1.5 tsp salt, 2 packets instant yeast, 5 cups all-purpose flour
- Add eggs, beating them lightly with a fork before stirring them in.2 eggs
- Add the remaining flour, melted butter, and water. Stir together well. The dough will look like a big old lumpy blob.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 stick unsalted butter, 1.5 cups warm water
- Cover with a dish towel and let it sit in a warm place for 20 minutes.
- Pat the dough out into a rectangle that's about 3/4-inch thick. Cut into squares with a pizza cutter.
- Place each roll into a greased 9×13 baking dish and cover them with a towel. Let them rise for another 20 minutes.
- Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
- Brush hot rolls with additional melted butter.
Make Vinegar Slaw
- Place chopped or shredded cabbage in a large bowl.4.5-5 cups finely chopped or shredded cabbage
- Add vinegar and sugar, and stir.1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup white vinegar
- Cover the cabbage mixture and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight before serving. So feel free to make it when you make the pulled pork. It will make more juice over time.
Assemble Pulled Pork Sliders
- Place a serving of pulled pork and a serving of vinegar slaw on each slider bun. Then serve.
Keeping these in mind for the weekend. My daughter is turning 10 next Tuesday and, for the second year in a row, having her party on Super Bowl Sunday. She wants a football cake/party again. We have cake and ice cream and then yummy Super Bowl Party-style snacks. We tried to tell her she could have whatever girly theme she desired, but she went with football (“I’m starting to like football,” she says.) Bless her heart, we’ll turn her into her mama’s daughter yet!
I really love that you have such great recipes for vinegar slaw and sauce- I grew up on that Eastern Carolina goodness and it’s great to see it embraced by an Alabamian such as yourself! Guess it’s high time I tried white sauce, huh?! 😉
Rose Mary Morgan- Mud Hens are the most wonderful little treats ever! I made them a couple weeks ago and my family of 5 devoured the whole pan almost in a single sitting 🙂
Christy, you’re reading my mInd! I already have 20# of pulled pork in the freezer ready for our big Super Bowl Party! It’s a really BIG deal this year since it’s being played here in the DFW Metroplex area! My mother-in- law is fixin’ the slaw; still not sure about what sauce I’m going to use. I may test drive the one in your book this week. Still curious to see if anyone actually puts the slaw on the sandwiches. You know being Texans we’re not use to that, we usually have chopped beef brisket with tomato based sauce. So this will be a fun experience!
Really enjoy your blog and book. I got it for Christmas and gave my sister one for Christmas! Last week, we both made chicken stew on the same night, and didn’t even know it! Both families loved it! Thanks!!!
Where is the recipe for these “grilled” chicken tenders from Cracker Barrel?
Hi Christy,
Those sandwiches look so good. I can’t wait to try the recipe. I finally got my copy of your book I ordered from Amazon.com and boy oh boy what a great book. I could not stop reading it. It was like I was in a trance, I wanted to stop reading, but with all of the wonderful recipes and stories I just couldn’t stop, I read about half of it last night and plan to read the other half sometimes today. We are expecting between 12 and 23 inches of snow, so I plan to shop first and get home and settle in with your book. Your good heart just comes through in every page of the book. I LOVE IT. I will be exicited to try some of the recipes I have never made before like the MUD HENS. Keep up the good work, and thanks for sharing your wonderful stories of your family.
I eyed a nice Boston butt at the Piggly Wiggly this morning so now I have the resource to make it up RIGHT for the Superbowl. Thanks.
1. Those rolls look delightful (not that everything else doesn’t!). I will surely be making those at some point.
2. I made your Cracker Barrel “grilled” chicken tenders this weekend and they were phenomenal!
3. Then I read your FAQ and saw that you were a family & consumer sciences ed major…SO WAS I. I proceeded to get really excited, resulting in my roommate laughing hysterically.
Love your blog and your recipes! Have a wonderful day =)