Memphis-Style BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches are one of the best ways to enjoy pulled pork. Meaty pulled pork sits on toasted buns with homemade creamy coleslaw and is slathered in BBQ sauce for extra flavor. Perfect for picnics, backyard BBQs, weeknight dinners and more, it’s hard not to LOVE this easy BBQ sandwich recipe! Makes 4 sandwiches.
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The BEST BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
As a Memphis girl, I’m SUPER EXCITED to be sharing this Memphis-Style Pulled Pork Sandwich recipe with y’all today.
I’ve made various variations on my site in years past — Pear BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Pear Slaw, Pumpkin Pulled Pork Bowls and Apple Cider Pulled Pork with Apple Coleslaw, to name a few.
But this one is the ultimate BBQ Pork Sandwich… because it’s the original.
And it’s past time for me to share my spin on it.
Why I love this recipe:
Honestly, these Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches are the BEST. They are my kind of comfort food and so filling for any occasion.
Here are some things I love about them and think you’ll enjoy, too:
- The combination of the best pulled pork made in the slow cooker, quick slaw and sweet-spicy barbecue sauce is just… so satisfying.
- This recipe is more of a blueprint… you can customize it to make sandwiches for more or less people.
- It’s great for a crowd! We love pulled pork sandwiches to serve to friends and family because they’re easy to put together and easy for everyone to customize to their tastebuds.
These pork sandwiches are wonderfully messy and delicious to enjoy, no matter when you’re having ‘em!
Pro tip: This is a great way to use leftover bbq pulled pork and it makes the sandwiches come together in no time flat!
More BBQ recipes to try: Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos | Memphis-Style Barbecue Turkey Burgers | BBQ Chicken Burger Bites with Avocado Slaw | Memphis Style Ribs (Dry Rub Oven Baked Ribs Recipe)
Need more BBQ ideas? Head on over to my Outdoor Entertaining Recipe Index for more recipe ideas.
What is a BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich?
It’s a barbecue restaurant staple in Memphis, Tenn… and other BBQ meccas!
This version highlights slow cooker pulled pork with creamy homemade slaw and spicy-sweet barbecue sauce.
The combination is simply decadent and it reminds me of home.
Make sure to toast the buns, too!
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Slow cooker
- Tongs
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Kitchen scale
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Pulled pork shoulder or butt — my slow cooking pulled pork recipe calls for shoulder or pork butt. The key is cooking the meat on low heat for long enough so that it’s falling apart and incredibly juicy.
- BBQ dry rub — this traditional spice rub has a combination of spices and herbs, including onion, garlic, brown sugar, peppers and more. I like to use my own because it calls for a little less salt than the store-bought ones.
- Burger buns — use your favorite buns! We’re partial to a fluffy brioche bun.
- Coleslaw — the classic kind has mayonnaise for extra creaminess, paired with apple cider vinegar, but we’ve got a No Mayo Coleslaw recipe with honey mustard if you’d prefer that. I can vouch for its deliciousness on these sandwiches, too.
- Barbeque sauce — I like to use a homemade BBQ sauce for this recipe, but you can use your favorite store-bought brand. (Truly, our homemade sauce is the BEST BBQ sauce because it marries the vinegar with the sweetness and some spice.) Rendezvous and Stubb’s are my family’s favorites.
Extra toppings for Pork Sandwiches
Listen. I’m a Memphis girl, so I like the classic sandwich, as shown here, but here are some options if you’re looking to jazz up your sandwiches even more.
- Pickles — bread and butter pickles or even a dill pickle would add a nice tang to these combined ingredients.
- Caramelized onions — they’ll add a lovely sweet creaminess to the combination of ingredients
- Red onion — these would be excellent raw or pickled
- Cheese — while I’ve never had cheese on my pulled pork sandwiches, I hear that cheddar cheese is excellent on one!
- Pineapple Salsa — this adds the sweet/acidic notes that would pair beautifully with BBQ pulled pork! I’d consider skipping the slaw if you add this, though, since they’ll bring different flavors.
How to make Memphis-Style BBQ Sandwiches
How to make Pulled Pork
I go into major detail in my Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork post. This is the part of these sandwiches that obviously takes the longest, but once it’s done, you can make the sandwiches easy as pie.
Here’s an overview of how to do this for these sandwiches.
- Pat the pork shoulder dry after taking it out of its packaging.
- Liberally season it with BBQ Dry Rub on all sides.
- Place it into the slow cooker, and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until it’s fall-apart tender. I do not recommend using an Instant Pot to cook the pork quicker… it simply is not as tender when cooked in a pressure cooker.
When the pork is ready, remove any large pieces of fat and shred with a pair of forks, meat claws or tongs. You can leave the pork in the braising liquid so it soaks up those flavorful juices before measuring it onto a sandwich.
DID YOU KNOW?
In Memphis, you can have your pork chopped or shredded. If you want to try a chopped pork sandwich, instead of shredding it, roughly cut the meat into bite-sized chunks, and serve it!
How to make a BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich
Make the coleslaw in a medium bowl.
Toast the buns.
Layer a heaping scoop of slaw on the bottom bun.
Top the slaw with pulled pork.
Add a big drizzle of barbecue sauce on top, then add the top bun.
Enjoy immediately with your favorite barbecue side dishes.
How to store and keep warm
Store the ingredients separately in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Reheat the pulled pork in the microwave in 30-second bursts until warmed through.
Assemble the leftover sandwiches on toasted bread.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches are an excellent choice for entertaining. Hello, backyard barbecue!
If you want to make these to share with a crowd, here are some suggestions:
- Double the recipe. If you’re feeding a crowd, you’ll need more meat and slaw.
- Serve it with your favorite side dishes. Our family is partial to Spicy Baked Beans with Bacon, Classic Potato Salad and Hatch Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese or Three Cheese Mac and Cheese.
- Let guests build their own. Set out bowls of the pulled pork, slaw, BBQ sauce and a platter of buns, as well as all the sides, and let guests serve themselves, buffet-style.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pulled pork paired with creamy coleslaw is my favorite! Don’t forget the extra BBQ sauce, too!
Pork shoulder or butt are great for pulled pork sandwiches because both cuts need to cook for an extended period of time before they are able to pull apart.
Whatever buns you like are great with this! Some people serve pulled pork with white bread. We really like brioche buns with ours, but you do you!
To me, the classic coleslaw paired with tangy barbecue sauce is simply the best. Pickles would be a delicious addition, as could caramelized onions, though I’ll be real with you: those aren’t “classic” to a Memphis gal like me.
Quick tips and tricks to making the best BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Make the pulled pork in advance and keep it warm in the slow cooker!
- Don’t skip the slaw on the sandwich. It’s Memphis style!
- Crisp up the pork under the broiler, if desired. You could also do this in the air fryer!
More pulled pork recipes:
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Ingredients
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- 4 lb. pork shoulder or pork butt bone-in or boneless
- ¼ cup barbecue dry rub seasoning more to taste if needed
Pulled Pork Sandwiches (Makes 4)
- 4 burger buns
- 1 lb. slow cooker pulled pork
- 1 ½ cups coleslaw 263g
- ½ cup BBQ sauce 150g
Equipment
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Instructions
Make the Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Remove the pork from its packaging. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Liberally season the pork on all sides with the barbecue dry rub. The entire exterior of the meat should be coated.
- Place the pork into the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours. (To test to see if the pork is done, gently insert a fork or a knife into the meat, and see if it pulls apart. If it does this easily, it's done.)
- Remove the pork from its juices and place on a cutting board/platter/baking sheet. Shred the pork using tongs or forks.
Make the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Make the coleslaw.
- Toast the buns.
- Layer a heaping scoop of slaw on the bottom bun. (I used about ⅓ cup of slaw in each one, but you can add more or less, depending on your tastes.)
- Top the slaw with about a quarter pound of pulled pork.
- Add a big drizzle of barbecue sauce on top, then add the top bun.
- Enjoy immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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