Root Beer Pulled Pork Sliders with Jalapeño Slaw
We love these root beer pulled pork sliders! The pulled pork is cooked in the slow cooker until tender and juicy, then tossed with my root beer BBQ sauce. Serve on slider rolls piled high with a crunchy jalapeño apple slaw. So good!
Ingredients
root beer pulled pork
- 4 pounds pork shoulder roast
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup root beer
- 1 loaf of 12-count slider buns, such as brioche buns or hawaiian rolls
root beer BBQ sauce
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ⅔ cup root beer
- ½ cup honey
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
creamy jalapeño slaw
- 1 small green cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 apple, sliced into matchsticks
- 2 jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced and seeds removed
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons plain greek yogurt or sour cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- kosher salt and pepper
Instructions
root beer pulled pork
- I find the flavor is best when the pork is seared first. My slow cooker sears the meat, but if yours does not, heat a large pot over medium to high heat and add the oil. Sprinkle the pork roast all over with salt and pepper, then add it to the pot or slow cooker and sear on all sides until deeply golden brown. If necessary, transfer it to the slow cooker. Pour in the root beer.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. After 8 to 10 hours, the pork will easily shred with a fork. Shred it and mix with the juice in the slow cooker. I like to turn my slow cooker on high and let it sit with the lid off for 15 minutes or so – I find that if it’s extra liquidy, some of the liquid will be absorbed. Stir in ⅓ cup of the root beer BBQ sauce.
- To serve, slice the slab of slider rolls in half horizontally, keeping them attached as much as you can. Place the bottom of the rolls on a baking sheet. Top with the pulled pork. Drizzle with some of the BBQ sauce. Top with the jalapeno slaw. Top with the top of the buns. Serve immediately.
- You can also serve this individual brioche or kaiser rolls.
root beer BBQ sauce
- Place all ingredients in a saucepan and whisk together until combined. Heat oven medium heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cook for 30 to 60 minutes, until thickened. Stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and let sit at room temperature until it cools and thickens even more.
creamy jalapeño slaw
- Place the cabbage, red onion, apples and jalapeños in a large bowl. Toss in the cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, yogurt, sugar, vinegar, mustard powder, celery salt and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the cabbage and toss well. I like to let this sit for 15 minutes before serving on top of the sandwiches! You can also make it an hour or so ahead of time and let it chill in the fridge. Leftovers are delicious, but get slightly less crisp when kept overnight.
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