These easy Pulled Pork Sliders are warm mini sandwiches filled with shredded pulled pork, sauteed onion, melty Swiss cheese, and a tangy Golden BBQ Sauce. The buns are brushed with a flavorful garlic poppy seed butter and baked to golden brown perfection. They are great for parties, tailgating, and even family dinner.
For more party and tailgating appetizers, check these out!
What’s The Best Pork For Pulled Pork?
The absolute best cut of pork to use is a pork butt or pork shoulder. Stay away from lean cuts of pork like pork loin, roast, and chops. Pork butt and pork shoulder have a good amount of fat which is what makes it fall apart effortlessly.
Those cuts are also not super expensive, you can get an 8-9 pound pork butt for around $12. That is enough for two separate meals since we only use half of it (4 pounds in this recipe) which is a bonus.
PRO TIP: No matter the cooking method (smoking, slow cooking, etc.) be sure to cook your pork to the internal temperature of 200 °F so it easily shreds. Anything less will make the pork super difficult to shred. This is also why you should ALWAYS shred your pork when it is hot.
What Barbecue Sauce Is Best For Pulled Pork?
In my opinion, there is no wrong choice when it comes to BBQ sauce. Choose what you like!
I almost always use either my Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce (tangy, mustard based), my Apple Butter BBQ Sauce (sweet, ketchup, and apple butter based), or this Blackberry BBQ Sauce (using fresh berries).
Homemade barbecue sauce is too easy to make so I tend to shy away from buying them. If you have never tried making your own barbecue sauce, I highly recommend it.
Ingredients for Pulled Pork Sliders
- Slider Buns: I use brioche slider buns because they have a neutral flavor with a super soft, tender, texture.
- BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite BBQ sauce or try one of mine:
- Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce (what I used)
- Apple Butter BBQ Sauce
- Pulled Pork: I recommend using a pork butt or pork shoulder and making it a few days prior (the refrigeration time allows flavors to develop). Don’t forget to shred it while it is still warm. If you prefer to not make your own, you can easily use store bought.
- Smoked Pork Butt in the Smoker (what I used)
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork: Season the pork butt with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours. Once it is cooked shred the pork with two forks while it is piping hot.
- Sautéed Onion: I use a white onion in this recipe and include directions in the recipe card on how to sauté your onion.
- Swiss Cheese: I chose Swiss because it is a super melty cheese and tastes delicious with the BBQ sauce I chose.
- Seasoned Butter Sauce: This goes on top of your sliders right before you bake them. It makes them soft and delicious!
- melted unsalted butter, garlic powder, poppy seeds
How To Make Pulled Pork Sliders
This is a short summary of the steps, the recipe card below will have more details.
Cook your pulled pork to your liking (or buy it). Remember, the key internal temperature is 200 °F and always shred it warm.
Saute the onions.
Whip together the pulled pork and BBQ sauce.
Construct the sliders. Slider bun bottoms on bottom, BBQ pulled pork, sauteed onion, swiss cheese, and slider buns tops on top.
Mix together the melted butter, garlic powder, and poppy seeds. Slather it on your sliders.
Bake uncovered until warmed through and the cheese is melted. If your buns start to look a little too brown, throw aluminum foil over the top to keep them from burning.
Eat your Pulled Pork Sliders straight out of the oven piping hot.
Make Them How YOU Like Them
These sliders are super delicious just as they are, but you can always add or adapt them to make them your own.
- Pick the slider buns you love: hawaiian rolls, pretzel buns, white or wheat slider buns, brioche, etc.
- BBQ Sauce: Use whatever you like. You can also leave the barbecue sauce off the sliders and serve multiple options on the side.
- Not a fan of pulled pork? Not a problem, substitute the pork for shredded chicken or turkey.
- Substitute the sauteed onion: use fresh sliced onion for crunch or even cooked onion rings. I also like using these quick pickled shallots.
- Choose your cheese or cheeses: Great options are Swiss, cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack, or provolone.
More Pulled Pork Sliders Toppings
- coleslaw
- Quick Pickled Jalapenos
- french fried onions
- garlic pickles
- bacon
- waffle fries
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
These can be made 2 to 4 hours ahead of time, just store them covered and in the refrigerator until you are ready to pop them in the oven. I do not recommend making them too far in advance because the bottom slider buns tend to get a little soggy from the moisture in the BBQ pulled pork.
This really depends on what the occasion is. If you are making them for dinner this recipe feeds 4 people (3 sliders a piece). If you are making them as a party appetizer that is being served with other appetizers, it will feed 6 people (2 sliders a piece). It is pretty easy to double or triple this recipe to make as many as you need.
This is a great way to add another layer of flavor to the sliders and it takes minutes. Heat olive oil over medium heat and add the half slices of onion. Stirring frequently cook them down until they become soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add a tablespoon of worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the brown bits on the bottom. Cook for another 5 minutes and remove from the heat.
What to Serve with Pulled Pork Sliders?
- Lemon Feta Fries
- Smashed Fingerling Potatoes
- Smoked Cream Cheese
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Garlic Butter Parmesan Wings
- Feta and Onion Hot Dip
- Lemon Orzo Salad
- Buffalo Crab Dip
- Honey Lemon Pepper Wings
- Fried Dill Pickle Dip
- Smoked Queso Dip
- Smoked Cheez Its
More Slider Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Sloppy Joe Sliders
- Baked Cod Fish Sliders
- Cheesy Ground Beef Sliders
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders
- Breakfast Bagel Sliders
- Apple Butter BBQ Pork Sliders
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Pulled Pork Sliders
EQUIPMENT
- 9×13 baking dish
INGREDIENTS
- 12 pack slider buns
- 1 cup BBQ Sauce - I used Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
- 3-4 lbs pulled pork; - cooking methods in recipe notes
- 1 medium onion - half slices
- 9 slices Swiss cheese
- ¼ cup unsalted butter - melted
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare your pork butt or pork shoulder to an internal temperature of 200 °F. Shred it warm and set aside or refrigerate up to three days in advance.
- Set your oven to 375° F and prepare a 9×13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat and add the half slices of onion. Stirring frequently cook them down until they become soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add a tablespoon of worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the brown bits on the bottom. Cook for another 5 minutes and remove from the heat. Set aside.
- In a small bowl mix together the BBQ sauce and prepared pulled pork. Set aside.
- Place the bottom half of the slider buns in the prepared baking dish.
- Top the bottom half of the buns with BBQ pulled pork, sauteed onion, Swiss cheese, and top half of the slider buns.
- In a small bowl mix together the melted butter, garlic powder, poppy seeds. Evenly brush the top of the sliders with the mixture.
- Bake the sliders uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until heated through, the cheese is melted, and tops of the sliders are browned.
- Serve and eat immediately out of the oven.
VIDEO
RECIPE NOTES
Storing Information:
- Store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to three days.
Reheating Information:
- Reheat in the oven at 375° F for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can heat them in the microwave for 30 seconds or until warmed.
How to Make Pulled Pork:
- No matter your cooking method, cook your pork butt or pork shoulder to an internal temperature of 200° F. Shred it with two forks while it is warm.
- Smoked Pork Butt recipe here.
- Slow Cooker Pork Butt: Season the pork butt with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours.
Homemade BBQ Sauces:
- Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce (what I used)
- Apple Butter BBQ Sauce
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
These pulled pork sliders are the perfect little appetizer or dinner! My family really enjoyed the flavors.
The Swiss cheese was such a good choice here! The pork came out so tender and the family gobbled it up in record time. Another winner!
I made these for my son’s birthday party, everyone enjoyed them. It was a simple recipe but very flavorful and delicious!
Words cannot describe how good this was!!!
My kids absolutely loved it!! They have decided it is their favorite meal and want it every week!!!
I used a jar of homemade apple butter barbecue sauce that my sister makes and it was amazing.
But I can’t wait to try it with your golden barbecue sauce!
Thank you for such an amazing lung delicious dinner!
LOVED these sliders!! The kiddos gobbled them up.