BBQ Baby Shower Pulled Pork (Printable Version)

Smoky pulled pork on slider buns with creamy coleslaw, ideal for festive occasions and casual bites.

# The Ingredients You'll 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, plus additional for serving
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 drizzling

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
02 - Pat pork shoulder dry with paper towels and apply spice mixture evenly over all surfaces of the 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 a fork.
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 until serving.
05 - Remove cooked pork from slow cooker and shred using two forks. Skim and discard excess fat from cooking liquid. Return shredded pork to slow cooker with juices and stir in additional barbecue sauce as desired.
06 - Split slider buns horizontally. Fill each bun with pulled pork, drizzle with additional barbecue sauce, and top with generous coleslaw portion.
07 - Arrange assembled sliders on serving platter and serve while warm.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The slow cooker does almost everything while you shower, wrap gifts, or sit down for five minutes.
  • Coleslaw adds a cool, tangy contrast that keeps each bite from feeling heavy—especially crucial at parties where people are already full.
  • These sliders come together in minutes once the pork is done, meaning you can assemble them right before serving for maximum softness and warmth.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the pork before rubbing—wet meat won't take the spice mixture, and you'll end up with bland spots.
  • If your slow cooker tends to cook hot, start checking the pork around the 5-hour mark; overcooked pork becomes mushy and loses its texture.
  • Make the coleslaw while the pork cooks, not at the last minute—it needs time to soften slightly and for the flavors to come together.
03 -
  • Check your BBQ sauce ahead of time; some brands are quite thick, so if yours doesn't pour easily, thin it slightly with a little more vinegar so it coats the pork instead of clumping.
  • Use a slow cooker liner if you have one—cleanup becomes a non-event, which matters more than you'd think when you're hosting.
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