The Best BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches {Instant Pot or Slow Cooker}
The best BBQ pulled pork sandwiches EVER. The pork is so tender and flavorful and can be made in the slow cooker or instant pot!
With over 1,500 recipes on my blog, I think I can easily say that in the last ten years, I’ve made this BBQ pork sandwich recipe more than any other recipe.
It’s been my standby recipe for family reunions, church parties, entertaining company, basic weeknight dinners, and feeding crowds of 200 or more.
With slow cooker and pressure cooker directions, it is SO easy, and the tender, saucy pork is crazy delicious.
It really is the best BBQ pork recipe out there. Perfect for sandwiches (or for salads or quesadillas!).
How to Choose a Pork Roast
I almost always make this BBQ pork with pork sirloin roasts. Costco sells a 4-pack that I keep on hand just for this recipe.
Pork shoulder or butt roasts work great, too. For really tender pork, you want to choose a pork roast that has adequate fat and dark, marbled meat.
I have not had great luck making this BBQ pork with pork loin (it’s often too lean) or pork tenderloin.
Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker
This recipe is brilliantly easy in the slow cooker or pressure cooker. No matter which one you use, you add:
- broth
- pork roast (I cut the pork into large chunks)
- liquid smoke (amazing for flavor!)
- salt and pepper
The slow cooker does it’s thing for about 8-9 hours (low) or 5-6 hours (high). For an electric pressure cooker, I cook the pork on high pressure for 55-60 minutes and then usually let the pressure naturally release all the way.
After cooking, the pork should be fall-apart tender. If not, add extra cooking time until it is!
BBQ Sauce Matters
All that’s left is pouring on as much BBQ sauce as your soul can handle.
The pork has tremendous flavor from cooking in the liquid smoke and seasonings, but the BBQ sauce is really why we’re all here. So use a BBQ sauce you love. Like, one that you’d willingly guzzle on its own.
It needs to be that good. This is my favorite homemade BBQ sauce recipe.
When I don’t have it on hand, our favorite store bought brands are Sweet Baby Ray’s and Kinders.
Serve this delectable BBQ pulled pork on buns. Store bought, homemade, whatever makes you happy.
You can also throw some coleslaw on there, too. I firmly believe that is a match made in heaven, but only a few remaining family members agree. The others (gasp) ditch the coleslaw and add a slice of cheddar to their BBQ pork sandwich.
To each his or her own. Although it pains me to say that.
All you really need to know is these are hands down the best BBQ pulled pork sandwiches on the planet. They are so easy to make, and the cooked pork freezes beautifully, making them a great freezer or make-ahead meal.
FAQs for BBQ Pulled Pork
I highly recommend using it, because it adds an amazing depth of flavor. But you can leave it out if you really don’t want to use it or don’t have it. You might consider adding a pinch of smoked paprika or other smoky spice for a flavor boost.
It sure does! I cook the pork, mix it with BBQ sauce, let it cool a bit, and then freeze in gallon-size freezer ziploc bags. To reheat, I thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the slow cooker for a few hours, in a skillet on the stove, or in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or so.
Yes! It makes delicious pulled pork with or without the BBQ sauce.
This recipe doubles or triples really well. For a really large batch, you can cook the pork in an electric roaster – about 250 or 275 degrees for several hours, depending on how much pork is packed in there.
What to Serve With This
- French Bread Rolls
- Coleslaw
- Fresh vegetables and/or green salad
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, pork butt, or pork sirloin roast
- 1 teaspoons salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (I use coarsely ground)
- 2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons liquid smoke
- 3 cups BBQ sauce (plus more for serving)
Instructions
- Cut the pork roast into large 4-inch pieces (optional, but helps cook a bit faster and more evenly). Season the pork on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Slow Cooker Directions: add water or broth and liquid smoke to slow cooker. Add pork. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours, until the pork is fall-apart tender.
- Pressure Cooker Directions: Decrease the water/broth to 1 cup. Add the water or broth, pork and liquid smoke to an electric pressure cooker. Secure the lid, set the valve to seal, and cook on high pressure for 55-60 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes (or all the way). Quick release any remaining pressure.
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker or pressure cooker and discard most of the remaining liquid (I leave about 1/4 cup or so). Shred the pork using a couple of forks – it should easily fall apart into pieces. Place the meat back in the slow cooker or pressure cooker. Add the BBQ sauce and heat through (or keep on warm for several hours).
- Serve on buns with extra barbecue sauce.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from my lovely friend, Sarah M.
Recipe originally posted August 2010; updated October 2020 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.
Any idea how many this serves? I need to feed about 70 people. Would you double or triple the recipe? Thanks for such great recipes!
Amy – if you are feeding 70, I would triple or quadruple the recipe.
Love love this recipe! I want to make ahead for a party. How would you suggest I reheat? For the same great taste, as if I just pulled it out of the crock?
Ashley – are you making far enough in advance to freeze or will it just be refrigerated? Either way, I usually reheat in the slow cooker on low until piping hot (I throw the frozen BBQ pork in the slow cooker and it takes 4-5 hours to thaw and reheat).
Hi Mel,
Making this recipe as a freezer meal, but will need to put it in before going to work if I want to eat it that night. Will it be ok on low for 8-9 hours in a crock pot? Would it need any added liquid? Or how do you feel about putting the frozen bag on the stove in simmering water?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
Hi Sarah – are you putting the frozen pork in the slow cooker already cooked (just to thaw and reheat) or is the pork uncooked?
This was one of the BEST things I have ever eaten……I made it a week ahead of my family coming and froze it. It reheated beautifully in the crock pot. I also made your homemade bbq sauce (to die for) and served the pork on your rolls (which I also made ahead of time and froze…..also to die for!!!) along with some coleslaw. Thank you for helping me to make my family so happy at our Christmas gathering and making it easy for me! Merry Christmas!
I made a version of this recipe last night and it was killer! I rubbed my roast with a pork rub first and threw it on the grill for a couple minutes to get some nice color to it, then threw it in the crockpot with the liquid smoke and water but also added a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Cooked it on low for 8 hrs, shredded it and added the BBQ sauce. I think by grilling it a little you get more of that smokey goodness. It was amazing!
Hi! I know this is an older recipe, but hoping you can answer in time. I’ve made this once, and it is delicious! I’m going to make it for a church luncheon on Sunday. So my plan is, cook it overnight, then bring it in the crock pot. I’m wondering if the texture might get weird if it sits on “keep warm” during church – do you think I should leave the shredding part til right before we eat?
Hi Kerri – it should keep just fine on warm for a couple hours in the morning before serving. I’ve done the same with great results.
Hello Mel:
any suggestions on a substitute for the liquid smoke? I cannot seem to find it anywhere. Thanks!
Hi Colin – I don’t know of any {easy} substitute for liquid smoke so if you really can’t find it, you’ll probably have to leave it out (you could try adding a dash of smoked paprika and see how that goes).
Just in case anyone else is wondering, I tried this recipe with a bone-in pork butt roast because it was on sale. For anyone who hasn’t used pork butt, despite it’s name it actually is a portion of the pork shoulder. 🙂 I was curious how much meat I would get after cooking it.
I bought 2 roasts; the first was 6.6 lbs, which resulted in exactly 3 lbs of cooked meat. The second was 7 lbs, and resulted in 3.5 lbs. of cooked meat.
In essence, although the raw pork butt was on sale for $1.49/lb, it cost $3/lb for the meat.
Hi Mel! Love your website and all your recipes. Just made this tonight and it is so good! I keep sneaking back to the crockpot to sneak bits of the pork. Yum!
I did make a few changes. I added some smoked paprika, cumin, chipotle power, garlic power and onion power. I also added more black pepper than called for.
I only added a little barbecue sauce in so the meat was less saucy, which I love!
Fantastic recipe and I am going to be making this a lot this fall.
Thank you!!
I made this for my birthday lunch with the family and it was a big hit!! Very easy and hardly any leftovers .Thank you so much for this recipe
Happy here in Western Australia,
Marie
Lindy – this recipe is really adaptable so I think that cut of meat should work fine. Hope you liked it!
My husband brought home a bone in shoulder roast. It’s in the crockpot but do you think it’ll all be fine? I’ve never made a bone in roast before.
ya just gotta love Blog World.
I just found this recipe today, 3 years after the original posting , and have my pork loin cooking in the crock pot now as I speak. My daughter asked me if I would “cook her some food” for the weekend as she will be working at sporting tournaments for 3 days. She hinted that she was hungry for “pulled pork sammies” and sad to say I have NEVER made pulled pork ! Lets just be kind and say I am old enough to be an empty nester and no longer a young bride , how have I never made this in all my adult years ?
I googled it and found your post. I am so excited to try these and am totally confident that it will be amazing.
Hungry in Michigan
I don’t know if I’m missing it somewhere, but how many people would you say this would serve? I’m planning to feed around 40 people so I’m trying to figure out how many recipes I need to make and how much pork to buy. Thanks!
Hi Heather – I would say this serves about 8-10 moderate eaters.
Hey Mel, I just wanted to follow up to say the boneless beef shoulder roast worked out great! So there’s another variation!
Hi Mel, this looks fabulous! One (probably dumb) question…could I sub a boneless beef chuck shoulder roast instead? I have one in the freezer & don’t know if I can wait to go to the store to try this one out!
Anupa – I’ve never made it with beef instead of pork but it’s worth a try!
2nd time making this one. First was a loin with store bought BBQ and today I used a shoulder and 1/2 a recipe of your homemade BBQ. 2nd time was definitely better and will be the only way I make it going forward. all 3 kids (6, 4, and 2) DEVOURED it! Next time maybe I’ll try the rolls too! Thanks Mel!
This is by far one of the best things I have ever made and it was so easy to prepare! I stumbled upon this site by accident and I am happy to have done so. Is recipe is a win win that’s for sure!
Thank you for sharing!
UNBELIEVABLE!!! Just found this awesome page. Just bought a crock pot. Never used one before. Going to have a LOT of fun preparing these meals. We seem to like the same kinds of foods. Hubby will be so happy…we both LOVE FOOD….textures, flavors,…enjoying every bite..NOT just eating, but savoring each and every bite…appreciating the meal. Thank you for all of these great inventions!! >
Made this tonight. Awesome. I made a homemade BBQ sauce (supposedly a Sweet Baby Rays copycat) and it was awesome. My picky 11 year old loved it thanks!
Melissa, I prefer cooking it on low but you can cook it on high if in a pinch.
With a pan of your holiday morning buns in the oven on a Sunday morning, I’m looking ahead to supper and this recipe looks great since it can cook while we run kids to hockey games.
Since it’s too late now to put it on low for so long, would you recommend putting it on high, and if so, for how long?
Thanks!
Brenda – you’ll have to experiment with that – I’ve only ever made it in the slow cooker. Good luck!
Is there anyway to do this in the oven instead, I’m planning on making it this weekend.
Hi Cara – thanks for your comment – I’m happy you’ve been loving the recipes! As for this pork, if it were me, I’d trim off most of the fat along the back of the roast as long as there is pretty good marbling throughout. I’ve bought roasts like you described that have the thick ridge of fat and it kind of makes me gag, so I trim it pretty close to the meat. If the rest of the meat looks fairly lean, leave a bit of fat to help the roast stay moist.
Hi Mel,
This recipe looks great and I am looking forward to it already. I found pork shoulder with the bone in on super sale this week. I am just wondering about the fact that the cut I have has a REALLY thick, like 1/2 inch thick strip of fat along the back. I know that you have emphasized throughout the comments that the meat shouldn’t be too lean or it will dry out, I am just wondering if I should try to take off [some/all of?] the thick strip of fat and leave only the marbling (like maybe it is only there because it’s a bone-in shoulder and sort of a rougher cut?) or if you would recommend leaving that on. I just haven’t cooked a lot with this kind of pork before. Thanks!
Also I should say that I’m sorry I have never commented before but I have been making extensively heavy use of your website for the last year or more and recommending it to all my family and friends… found you through Megan of whatmegansmaking who is a college friend of mine! Thanks for all of the fantastic and reliable recipes (and pictures)!
Cara
Mel,
Could you subsitute the water for cider?
Im planning on making this on Saturday.
How much pork do I need to feed 8 adults?
Thx v much
Jason – I’ve never subbed out the water so you’ll have to do a little trial and error on that one. For 8 adults, I think a 4 or 5 pound pork roast would work great (and probably provide with leftovers).
Shaye – it really depends on the type of pork roast you use. If it is overly lean, extra cooking time may dry it out, but overall, I don’t think 45 minutes will hurt it.
Will the pork roast be okay if cooked 45 min to an hour longer?
Fabulous recipe, Mel! You never disappoint!! 🙂 For those who asked if you have to cook it for 8-10 hours…I started this around lunch time and cooked it on high for 5 hours. The meat came out so tender and perfect. I also made your homemade BBQ sauce and it was wonderful, too. I would have made the rolls, but we were at the pool all day!! 😉 Thank you for such great recipes!
I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you from Canada! I am a mother of two boys (2 and 6 weeks), and happened to stumble across your blog during a 4am feed. You have inspired me! I have never made breads before, aside from some yummy cinnamon buns. Since discovering your blog last week I have tried 4 recipes (2 bread recipes) and they have all been outstanding. Tonight we had the pulled pork on the homemade rolls and my husband was in heaven! Since having my boys I have been looking for ways to reduce processed foods from our diet and return to scratch cooking. These recipes are so easy. I am hooked. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I’m eating this right now and it is AWESOME! I gotta say I was nervous about a WHOLE tablespoon of liquid smoke, but I quit doubting you a long time ago 🙂 Could not have been faster to put together and it’s proof when they say less is more. Fantastic!
I made this yesterday for dinner, and it was a huge hit! Nice and tender and smokey. Mmm!! Like the above poster, it was my first time cooking with liquid smoke. It gave the meat a lovely flavor. Thanks for another great recipe. My hubby and I are hooked on your site. He told me tonight, “Mel has been a great addition to this family”. haha 🙂
This pulled pork is Amazing!!! I am such a picky eater that I do not eat very much meat but I really enjoyed this. I love the flavor that the liquid smoke gives the meat and this was my first time cooking with liquid smoke and I was very pleased. Thanks for such a great recipe!
Debbie – I simply place the cooled BBQ pork in a freezer ziploc bag and freeze. I put it in the refrigerator the night before I want to use it and then the next day I reheat it in the oven or on the stovetop (sometimes I’ve even put it in the slow cooker to heat up).
The pulled pork is very good. My question is what is the best way to freeze it and then thaw it. Sometimes things loose some taste and texture in the process.
Thanks a lot for getting back to me. As you can tell I have no experience with cooking whatsoever. Went to America last year and haven’t been able to get a decent pulled pork sandwich over here. Going to give it a try on Saturday let you know how it goes.
Hi Gareth – I don’t mix it in with anything else first, I just sprinkle it around the pork roast. Hope that helps!
Hi, sorry about the stupid question but I’m from
England and have never used liquid smoke before. Do you just put it on or
Stir it in the water first?
Hi Rory – I would suggest probably doing 10 pounds of meat for that crowd (so you may need a couple of slow cookers to fit it all in).
I am feeding 16 adults and 11 kids this weekend. How many pounds of meat do you suggest?
Delicious! Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
Julie – I always use my favorite homemade version here:
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/03/the-best-barbecue-sauce.html
What is the favorite brand of barbeque sauce used in this pulled pork sandwich recipe?
Simple and YUMMO! We also serve the sauce on the side. Had this with bbq baked beans, coleslaw and potato salad!
Hi, I found this page when I searched crockpot bbq! I made my first batch of pulled bbq pork tonight for my DH and I’s 2nd anniversary! I used your recipe and WOW! My husband raved the whole time about how good it was! I did tweak alittle applying a rub and letting sit 24hrs, adding alittle more liq. smoke, and throwing garlic and onion in! This will be my go to recipe! This pulled pork was deliscious with homemade hushpuppies and corn on the cob! Thank you for making my anniversary dinner the BEST!
FANTABULOUS! I made this on Sunday and my house smelled wonderful all day. I used Countryside BBQ sauce and it was amazing with your recipe.
I love this pulled pork! My family loves it too!! We do the bar b Q on the side… so everyone gets the amount they need…. also, I added more liquid smoke…. Just sprinkled it all over the pork roast and rubbed it in with the salt and pepper… Mmmmmm! We made it exactly like the recipe the first couple of times and it was good also…. This is just the way we’ve adapted it to our family…. I highly suggest this yummy pulled pork! 🙂
This is such a good recipe. I love it! Next month we’re making it for a family who needs delivered meals.
Hi Kelly – I know it sounds like a lot, but if you are serving 40, I would plan on about 12-14 pounds of meat (you’ll definitely want to split it up between a few slow cookers). One batch of the homemade BBQ sauce should be good for that amount of meat but if you want to be on the safe side, I’d 1 1/2 the BBQ sauce recipe to give you plenty. You can make the BBQ sauce easily two weeks in advance and the pork could probably be made the day before, refrigerated and reheated for the party. Hope that helps!
Hi Mel,
I love this pulled pork and BBQ sauce, they are my go to recipes! I am making it this weekend for my sons 1st birthday party for 40 people! Do you have a recommendation for how much pork to make for that many people and how much BBQ sauce? And also how many days in advance can I make both? Sorry for so many questions! Any help you have I would appreciate it very much!