Description
Rich, smoky, and tender pulled pork sliders served on soft Hawaiian sweet rolls with a tangy-sweet homemade sauce and crunchy coleslaw. Perfect for feeding a crowd at parties or gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6–7 lbs pork shoulder (Boston butt)
- BBQ rub (brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper)
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar (for smoking)
- Hickory, apple, or cherry wood chips/pellets
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (for sauce)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons hot sauce (Tabasco or Frank’s RedHot)
- 18–20 Hawaiian sweet rolls or brioche buns
- 4 tablespoons butter (melted)
- 2 cups coleslaw mix
Instructions
- Trim hard fat from the pork shoulder, leaving a thin layer. Pat dry and slather with BBQ rub. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C). Soak wood chips if using, or fill hopper with pellets.
- Place pork fat-side up on the smoker. Smoke until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and a dark bark forms (approx. 3-4 hours).
- Wrap the pork tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil with a splash of apple cider vinegar. Return to smoker.
- Continue smoking until internal temperature reaches 203°F (95°C) and meat is fork-tender (approx. 1-2 hours).
- Remove pork from smoker and let rest in foil for at least 30 minutes. Unwrap, discard excess liquid, and pull meat apart with two forks.
- While pork rests, combine ketchup, 1/2 cup vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and hot sauce in a saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Mix pulled pork with about 1 cup of sauce. Toast buns with melted butter in a skillet or under the broiler.
- Assemble sliders: place pork on bottom bun, top with coleslaw and extra sauce, then close with top bun.
Notes
The pork shoulder must reach an internal temperature of 203°F to break down collagen. Do not rush the resting phase, as it keeps the meat juicy. You can make the pork ahead of time; it tastes better the next day. For a vegan option, substitute pork with smoked jackfruit.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slider
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 18
Keywords: pulled pork, sliders, smoked pork, Labor Day recipes, BBQ, party food, crowd pleaser, easy dinner