Pulled Pork Sliders that rival the best food truck offerings—made in your slow cooker or smoker for tender, flavorful results.
Summer seems to be passing by in a flash, and Food Truck Friday is back—one of my favorite posts because it blends two of my passions: cooking at home and the lively flavors of food truck fare. Not everyone can visit a festival every weekend, but you can recreate that atmosphere at home. Invite friends, fire up the grill or slow cooker, and spend the day making great food and lasting memories.
I recently broke in a new smoker and wanted to see how my popular pulled pork recipe would translate from the slow cooker to the smoker. The slow cooker version is reliably easy and delicious, so I was curious how the smoked version would compare.
Smoking is essentially slow cooking with smoke, and the timing was similar—about eight hours for a full cook. The difference is the attention required: the slow cooker is almost set-and-forget, while the smoker requires periodic checks to maintain temperature and fuel. If you prefer a hands-off approach, the slow cooker remains a great option; if you love the flavor and ritual of smoking, the smoker rewards you with that extra depth of taste.
So which is better—smoker or slow cooker? The smoker wins for flavor, hands down. But it isn’t always practical to spend an entire day tending a grill. The slow cooker delivers excellent results with far less effort, making it perfect for weeknights or any time you want great pulled pork without the full-day commitment. Both methods produce tender, delicious meat that works beautifully in these sliders.
Whether you choose the smoker or the slow cooker, make a batch of these pulled pork sliders, call friends over, and enjoy the flavors of summer. These sliders are crowd-pleasers and easy to serve at a casual gathering.
Get the slow cooker version of this recipe here!
Pulled Pork Sliders
Jennifer Draper
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pound pork shoulder
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 12 slider buns
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce for serving, optional
Instructions
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Mix the paprika, brown sugar, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder and kosher salt. Rub the spice mix thoroughly over all sides of the pork shoulder.
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Preheat your smoker to 250°F and add wood or pellets per the manufacturer’s instructions (applewood works well).
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Place the pork on the smoker fat side down and smoke for about 5–6 hours, until the internal temperature reaches roughly 160°F.
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Transfer the pork to a foil packet, add the apple cider vinegar and water, and seal tightly. Return to the smoker and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches about 205°F for easy shredding.
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Remove the pork and let it rest 30–45 minutes. Shred with claws or forks, serve on slider buns, and top with BBQ sauce if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Important nutritional disclaimer
Love Food Truck Friday? Check out the previous week’s post.
