Slow Cooker Hickory Pulled Pork Burgers
These Slow Cooker Hickory Pulled Pork Burgers are one of those dinners that feel like a real treat without creating a lot of work in the kitchen.
Made with just two ingredients, the pork cooks low and slow in a rich hickory barbecue sauce until it’s beautifully tender and falls apart easily. Pile it onto soft bread rolls with crunchy slaw and all your favourite toppings for a delicious family dinner everyone can build their own way.
Simply pop everything into the slow cooker in the morning and let it work its magic. By dinnertime, you’ll have juicy, flavour-packed pulled pork ready to serve and hopefully enough leftovers for loaded wedges, tacos, toasties, pies or lunch the following day.
Simple, comforting and just a little bit messy, these pulled pork burgers are always worth getting your hands dirty for!
If you love an easy slow cooker dinner, you might also enjoy my Sticky Hickory Pork Ribs. For even more family-friendly ideas, take a look at my Easy Slow Cooker Recipes ebook, filled with 20 simple recipes for busy families just like yours.
More Slow Cooker Recipes you Might Enjoy:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Only two main ingredients. All you need is pork shoulder and your favourite hickory barbecue sauce.
The slow cooker does the hard work. Add everything in the morning and come home to tender pork ready to shred.
Perfect for feeding a crowd. Serve everything in the middle of the table and let everyone build their own burger.
Great for leftovers. Use the remaining pulled pork in tacos, toasties, loaded wedges, pies, wraps or baked potatoes.
Easy to make ahead. Prepare the pork the night before, refrigerate and start cooking in the morning.
Top Tips
Choose pork shoulder. It contains enough fat to become beautifully tender during the long cooking time and is ideal for shredding.
Remove the rind first. Pork rind will not become crispy in the slow cooker, so remove it and cook it separately if you would like crackling.
Cut the pork into large pieces. This helps it cook more evenly while still keeping the meat juicy.
Don’t add extra liquid. The pork releases plenty of juices as it cooks, so the barbecue sauce is all you need.
Thicken the sauce if needed. Slow cooker sauces can become quite thin, but a simple cornflour slurry will help create a richer coating for the pork.
Add the sauce gradually. Stir a little sauce through the shredded pork at a time so it stays juicy without becoming overly wet.
Toast the rolls. Lightly toasting the cut sides helps prevent them from becoming soggy once the pulled pork and sauce are added.
Prepare it ahead. Cut the pork and coat it in the barbecue sauce the night before, then refrigerate it in a covered container. Transfer it to the slow cooker in the morning.
Serving Suggestions
Turn your pulled pork into a complete burger bar with bowls of:
Crunchy coleslaw or kale slaw
Sliced cheese
Pickles
Red onion
Jalapeños
Kewpie mayonnaise or aioli
Extra hickory barbecue sauce
Serve the burgers with potato wedges, chips, sweet potato fries, corn on the cob or a simple garden salad.
Ways to Use Leftover Pulled Pork
Leftover pulled pork is far too good to waste! Try it in:
Soft tacos or quesadillas
Loaded potato wedges or fries
Toasted sandwiches
Baked potatoes
Wraps or sandwiches
Pies
Nachos
Homemade pizzas
Pulled pork sliders
Storage and Reheating
Allow the pulled pork to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it with some of the sauce in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheat gently in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat, adding a small spoonful of barbecue sauce or water if needed.
The pulled pork can also be frozen for up to three months. Defrost it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cut of pork for pulled pork?
I use a pork scotch roast because it comes without the rind and contains enough fat to become beautifully tender. If you can’t find one, boneless pork shoulder is a great alternative.
Do I need to brown the pork first?
No. You can place the pork straight into the slow cooker, making this a wonderfully simple preparation method.
Can I use a different barbecue sauce?
Absolutely. Use any hickory, smoky or brown sugar barbecue sauce you enjoy. Keep in mind that the flavour of the sauce will become the main flavour of the finished pork.
Why is there so much liquid in my slow cooker?
Pork releases natural juices as it cooks and very little moisture evaporates from a slow cooker. You can thicken the sauce with cornflour before returning the shredded pork to the slow cooker.
Can I prepare this the night before?
Yes. Cut the pork into pieces and coat it in barbecue sauce, then refrigerate it in a covered container overnight. In the morning, transfer everything to the slow cooker and begin cooking.
Hickory Pulled Pork Burgers
Tender, juicy pulled pork slow-cooked in a rich hickory barbecue sauce and piled onto soft rolls with crunchy slaw. Just two ingredients and perfect for an easy family dinner!
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg pork scotch roast or boneless pork shoulder, rind removed
- 1 x 425 mL bottle Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce or another hickory and brown sugar barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- Bread rolls
- Butter
- Coleslaw or your favourite fresh salad
- Grated cheese
- Mayonnaise
- Pickles (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the pork into four large pieces and place them into the slow cooker.
- Pour the barbecue sauce over the pork, turning the pieces to coat them in the sauce.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 4-6 hours, until the pork is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.
- Carefully transfer the cooked pork to a clean chopping board and shred the meat using two forks.
- Strain the cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a small saucepan. Return the shredded pork to the empty slow cooker.
- Combine the cornflour and cold tap water in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Bring the cooking liquid to a gentle boil over medium heat, then slowly stir in the cornflour slurry. Simmer for 1–2 minutes, stirring continuously, until the sauce has thickened.
- Ladle the thickened sauce over the shredded pork a little at a time, stirring gently after each addition. Add just enough to make the pork juicy and flavourful without leaving it swimming in sauce. Keep warm in the slow cooker until ready to serve.
- Cut the bread rolls in half and lightly butter the cut sides. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, then place the rolls cut-side down and toast until golden.
- Spoon a little of the thickened barbecue sauce over the base of each roll, then top with the pulled pork and your chosen coleslaw or fresh salad.
- Spread mayonnaise over the top half of each roll, if desired. If your coleslaw already has a creamy dressing, you may not need any extra mayonnaise.
- Add grated cheese, if using, then close the burgers and serve immediately.
Notes
Top Tips
- Choose the right cut of pork. I use a pork scotch roast because it comes without the rind and has enough fat to become beautifully tender. If you can’t find one, boneless pork shoulder is a great alternative.
- Remove the rind first. Pork rind won’t become crispy in the slow cooker. Remove it before cooking and roast it separately if you would like to make crackling.
- Use a barbecue sauce you love. The sauce provides most of the flavour in this two-ingredient recipe, so choose a smoky hickory or brown sugar variety you already enjoy.
- Keep the pork warm when entertaining. Once you have stirred through the thickened sauce, leave the slow cooker on KEEP WARM and let everyone assemble their own burgers when they’re ready.
- Serve the extra sauce on the side. Everyone can add as much sauce as they like without making the bread rolls too soggy.
- Freeze leftovers in meal-sized portions. Add a little sauce to each portion to help keep the pork juicy, then simply defrost as much as you need.
Serving Suggestions
Turn dinner into a build-your-own burger bar by serving the pulled pork with:
- Crunchy coleslaw or kale slaw
- Sliced or grated cheese
- Pickles
- Thinly sliced red onion
- Jalapeños
- Kewpie mayonnaise or aioli
- Extra hickory barbecue sauce
Serve your burgers with potato wedges, chips, sweet potato fries, corn on the cob or a simple garden salad.
Ways to Use Leftover Pulled Pork
Leftover pulled pork is far too good to waste! Turn it into another easy meal by using it in:
- Soft tacos or quesadillas
- Loaded fries, wedges or nachos
- Toasted sandwiches or jaffles
- Pies
- Baked potatoes
- Wraps or sandwiches
- Homemade pizzas
- Pulled pork sliders
- Macaroni and cheese
- Coleslaw bowls or salads
Nutrition Facts
Calories
399Fat
9 gSat. Fat
3 gCarbs
32 gFiber
1 gNet carbs
31 gSugar
22 gProtein
44 gSodium
898 mgCholesterol
118 mgThe nutritional information provided is computer generated and is only an estimate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
