This recipe is a slow burner with a big flavour reward! Low maintenance and minimal effort that basically amounts to cheating, this party centrepiece is a mouthwatering marinated then shredded pork shoulder. Heavy on barbecue sauce, spices and syrup it’s an unbelievably succulent pulled pork sandwich that will save your BBQ plans if the weather forecast turns against you.

The way this summer in the UK is turning out, I’m going to be relying heavily on hot sandwiches. It is cold right now! 15-minute French dip, slivers of roast beef, topped with melted cheese and dipped in a brothy gravy; classic Croque Madame; and hot cheesy salmon sandwich are all on standby.

Close up shot of someone holding a pulled pork sandwich with fresh slaw

Slow cooker pulled pork

Ahh, the slow cooker. It seems as though its limelight has been stolen by that flashy newcomer the air fryer! Don’t get me wrong, I love my air fryer, but the slow cooker?

That is my ride or die. My trusty slow cooker has saved me countless hours of cooking time, mountains of washing up, and yielded some of the most delicious recipes ever. I couldn’t have come this far without it.

One of my favourite things to slow cook is pork. Other cooking methods can sometimes result in tough and dry meat, but slow cooker pulled pork is reliably melt-in-the-mouth. A tight lid and a slow steep in its own juice and fat means it retains all its moisture.

And this slow cook recipe is double juicy! It begins with a 12-hour marinade in a concoction of ketchup, barbecue sauce, chilli paste and maple syrup, that deeply infuses the meat. Followed by a further 8-hour soak in the cooker in the same sweet cocktail.

If you don’t have 12 hours to idle away marinating your meat, a minimum of 2 will be sufficient as it will continue to absorb the flavours during the cooking time anyway.

Besides this recipe, which is giving Wild West cowboy campfire vibes, fragrant pulled pork recipe with Mexican influence, like these pulled pork tacos served with guacamole and salsa fresca is a tried and tested crowd-pleaser. Or Asian-inspired pulled pork sandwiches which showcase flavours like ginger, soy, hoisin and sesame.

Side shot of two pulled pork sandwiches on a plate with frie in the background

Recipe tips and notes

Pork shoulder is one of the tastiest cuts, but also pretty fatty. Start by trimming the pork rind and layer of fat underneath right back. Fat fans, don’t fear! There is enough marbling within the cut to render and keep the meat juicy.
I quarter the cut before cooking it. Not only does it cook faster, you won’t end up with super long and stringy strands of pork when you shred it.
Barbecue sauce is the heavy hitter here. So much flavour comes from it so make sure you choose a reliably good one.
IMO, all this sweetness (from the ketchup, barbecue sauce, maple syrup) needs to be offset by some acidity. I’ve used apple cider vinegar and spice in the form of Korean Gochujang paste to achieve this.
Gochujang paste is fiery with chillies and a bit funky thanks the fermented soybeans. In its place you could use your favourite chilli paste, dried chillies, Sriracha sauce or Oelek.
Although Gochujang contains chillies, a tablespoon of paste isn’t going to blow your socks off, it’s more of a deep, subtle smoulder. If you’re after for a bigger impact, double or triple the measure.
I’ve marinated my pork shoulder in a glass bowl as my slow cooker insert is metal. It is not recommended to marinate in metal containers as it’s reactive to acid. If you have a ceramic insert in you slow cooker, go ahead marinate in there to make life even easier!
When the cooking time is up, check your meat. If it’s looking too soupy, remove the meat from the slow cooker and shred it in a large bowl with two forks. You can add more liquid from the slow cooker to the bowl if it needs it.
Soft, floppy brioche buns soak up the pork juice like a sponge, so things don’t get too sloppy. Robust ciabatta rolls will also hold fast and keep your sandwich intact.
My kids have devised a (not exactly failsafe) way to negotiating the pulled pork sandwich: once you’ve picked it up, do not put it down.

Side shot of someone picking up a pulled pork sandwich off of a plate next to another sandwich

Serving suggestions

The satisfyingly sloppy nature of this sandwich calls for some sides with contrasting texture. I’m serving slaws and crispy potatoes.

Slaws are super sidekicks. Nutritious and crunchy, vibrant with veggies like carrot, cucumber, red or white cabbage they bring much needed colour to the meal. They are easily stuffed inside the sandwich or forked from the plate. My faves with pork are:

Roasted, fried, or baked, potatoes are filling starchy carbs that round out the square meal. I can’t resist the crispy on the outside and fluffy-centred (all the better for soaking up that pulled pork juice!) variety. Try these air fryer time-savers out:

Process shots of pork being marinated, slow cooked and pulled

Storage and leftovers

Pulled pork will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To reheat, either zap it in the microwave or heat up slowly on the hob. Lots left? Leftovers are begging to be repurposed as pulled pork and cheese quesadillas.

More sandwich recipes to try