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Apple Butter BBQ Pork Sliders

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5 from 16 votes
Total Time: 30 minutes
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These slow cooker BBQ pork sliders are easy, delicious, and perfect to make for a crowd. Tender, juicy pulled pork smothered in apple butter BBQ sauce, topped with melty cheese, crunchy onions, and toasty buns. What’s not to love?!

For more fun tailgating recipes check out my Cheesy Ground Beef Sliders and appetizers!

Pork sliders with toasty buns, tender apple butter bbq slow cooker pulled pork, cheese, and crunchy onions.

There is one thing I have learned since moving to Arkansas. They love their University of Arkansas Razorbacks and take tailgating very seriously! We have no major league professional sports teams here so they really love their college football. Watching football just doesn’t seem right without delicious handheld sliders.

What You’ll LOVE About These

  • Crockpot pulled pork means you can sit back and relax while your protein prepares itself. So easy!
  • The sliders only take 30 minutes to make- 10 minutes of prep and 20 minutes to bake. Again, so easy especially if you are cooking for a crowd and have other things on your mind.
  • Homemade Apple Butter BBQ Sauce is a unique addition to these sliders. Not to mention, it is packed with festive fall flavors and easy to whip up.
Apple Butter BBQ Pork Sliders finished baking in the pan

Apple Butter BBQ Pork Sliders Ingredients

  1. Apple Butter BBQ Pulled Pork – I recommend making this one to two days prior. It gives you plenty of time to slow cook it, around 8 to 10 hours needed. The refrigerator time overnight allows the flavors to develop and meld together even more too. If you have a pellet smoker, try my Smoked Pork Butt recipe instead!
  2. Apple Butter BBQ Sauce – Not only does the pulled pork cook in this BBQ sauce but there is also an extra layer on the sliders. Get the recipe here!
  3. Brioche Slider Buns – This light and fluffy bun soaks up all the delicious flavors and toasts beautifully too!
  4. Sliced Onion – As the sliders bake the onion will slightly soften but still maintain the warmth and crunch when you eat it
  5. Cheeses – I chose Swiss and Gruyere because they are awesome melting cheeses. They also have a nutty and earthy flavor which pairs well with the other flavors.
  6. Seasoned Butter Sauce – This goes on top of your sliders before you bake them. This gives the bread moisture, salt, and extra flavor.
Ingredients for the sliders. slider buns, swiss cheese, gruyere cheese, apple butter bbq sauce, pulled pork, onions, seasoned butter sauce.

Making the BBQ Pork Sliders

The BBQ Pulled Pork cooks low and slow which is why it is so tender and delicious. It is as easy as placing the pork butt or shoulder roast, Apple Butter BBQ Sauce, and water into your crock pot. Cook it on low for 8 to 10 hours and it will easily shred with a fork.

TIP: As tempting as it may be, don’t lift the cover of your crockpot during cooking. It releases the heat and moisture you need in the pot necessary for the fall-of-the-bone pulled pork.

I refrigerated my pulled pork overnight and made the sliders the next day.

TIP: Remove the excess liquid before shredding the pulled pork and placing in the refrigerator. Removing the majority of liquid ensures we don’t have soggy sliders.

lifting slider out of the pan to serve

Assembling the Apple Butter BBQ Pork Sliders

Start by setting your oven to 375° F.

TIP: Be sure to spray your pan with non-stick cooking spray to make sure your sliders do not stick. I would do this even if your pan is nonstick.

Place the bottom half of your slider buns in your pan and slather with Apple Butter BBQ Sauce. Next you are going to add a generous layer of apple butter BBQ pulled pork on top of that.

Evenly distribute your onions.

Step 1. Layer bread, bbq sauce, and apple butter bbq pulled pork
Step 2 add sliced onions

Sprinkle on the Swiss cheese, and Gruyere cheese.

Cover with the top layer of your slider buns and lightly press down to help them stick together. Then in a small bowl mix together your melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, onion flakes, parsley, and poppy seeds. Use a baster brush to add the seasoned butter sauce all over the tops of your slider buns.

Cover your sliders with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minute. Covering them creates steam and allows everything to get melty without burning and drying out. Once they are done baking remove the aluminum foil and allow them to bake for an additional 10 minutes to get toasty.

Remove them from the oven and allow to cool for ten minutes before serving.

Step 3 add your two cheeses
Step 4 add top bun and seasoned butter sauce

Serve The Sliders With . . .

Just a few ideas, you can serve these with corn on the cob, coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad, potato chips, onion rings, etc. The list goes on and on because these taste delicious with so many things.

I like these with English Pea Salad or Lemon Orzo Salad.

And be sure to leave out your jar of Apple Butter BBQ Sauce for those who want to add more to their sliders!

sliders with extra sauce

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Can I use another BBQ sauce?

YES! This recipe uses my apple butter BBQ sauce but you can always substitute it for your favorite homemade or store bought sauce.

How long do these pork sliders last?

If stored in the refrigerator and in an airtight container, they will last up to 7 days. The longer they are kept, the soggier the bun will get so just keep that in mind.

More Sliders Recipes You Might Enjoy:

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Pork sliders with toasty buns, tender apple butter bbq pulled pork made in the slow cooker.

Apple Butter BBQ Pork Sliders

Elizabeth Swoish
Easy and delicious slow cooker pulled pork sliders topped with melty cheese, crunchy onion, and delicious BBQ sauce! These Apple Butter BBQ Pork Sliders are baked to perfection and great to feed a crowd or meal prep lunches.
5 from 16 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Servings 12 sliders
Calories 208 kcal

Ingredients
  

BBQ Pulled Pork

  • 2-3 pounds pork butt or shoulder roast
  • 1 cup Apple Butter BBQ Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water

Apple Butter BBQ Pork Sliders

  • 12 pack Brioche slider buns
  • ½ cup Apple Butter BBQ Sauce
  • 2-3 pounds shredded BBQ pulled pork
  • 1 onion; thinly sliced
  • 4-6 slices Swiss cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter; melted
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tablespoon onion flakes
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Instructions
 

BBQ Pulled Pork

  • Have a batch of my Apple Butter BBQ Sauce ready. You can find the recipe here.
  • Place the pork butt or shoulder roast, Apple Butter BBQ Sauce, and water into your crock pot. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours (you can also do high for 4 to 5 hours).
  • Remove the excess liquid from the BBQ Pulled Pork. Shred the meat using a fork and set aside.

Apple Butter BBQ Pork Sliders

  • Set your oven to 375° F and center your oven rack. Prepare a 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Slice the slider buns in half longways while keeping them attached. Place the bottom buns in your pan and set the top portion aside.
  • Smother the bottom buns with Apple Butter BBQ Sauce and then evenly layer the pulled pork on top.
  • Sprinkle your thinly chopped onion on top of the pulled pork.
  • Add an even layer of shredded Gruyere cheese first and then the sliced swiss cheese on top of that. Place the top buns on last.
  • In a small bowl mix together the melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, onion flakes, parsley, and poppy seeds. Slather the mixture all over the buns.
  • Cover your pan with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. Once done remove the aluminum foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
  • Remove the sliders from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Storing Information:

  • Pulled pork can be stored covered for up to 4 days, or frozen it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
  • Sliders can be stored covered for up to 7 days.

Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Keyword PORK SLIDERS, SLOW COOKER PORK SLIDERS, SLOW COOKER PULLED PORK, SLOW COOKER PULLED PORK SLIDERS

If you make my Apple Butter BBQ Pork Sliders, don’t forget to leave this recipe a rating, comment, or like. Tag me on social media using the hashtag #EntirelyElizabeth when sharing your own personal photos making this recipe. I would love to see your version and know your thoughts!

By Elizabeth Swoish on September 16th, 2021

33 thoughts on “Apple Butter BBQ Pork Sliders”

  1. 5 stars
    Made these this weekend for a crab feast I was going to. I quadrupled the recipe and I got many many compliments on them. I did make 3 slight changes. I carmelized my onions to add on top of pulled pork (not a big fan of raw onion), I used provolone and mozzarella cheeses instead for inside sliders (not a big fan of Swiss cheese and I did half the amount if chili powder( can’t do a lot of heat). Other than those 3modifications followed recipe exactly. They were Delicious and recipe is a real keeper!!!

    Reply

  3. Pork Butt does make the best pulled pork. It’s really inexpensive. I watch for it on sale and cook it all day in crock pot. It just falls off the bone.

    Reply

  5. 5 stars
    this is perfect for our movie night session, and that I can leave it and be done after Im done with chores. The apple butter is so good too.

    Reply

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