Honey BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Apple Slaw

These are the best BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches! This from-scratch recipe starts with an oven baked pork shoulder roast. The tender shredded meat is mixed with a tangy honey bbq sauce. An apple slaw is the perfect topping to these sandwiches.

*Today I’m partnering with Sharp Home USA ~ Sharp creates quality home appliances that make life easier!

Tender, Tangy, and Sweet BBQ Pulled Pork – Piled High on Buns!

These sandwiches remind me of my childhood. My aunt used to make bbq pulled pork in her crockpot and serve it on hamburger buns.

Toss the Sweet Baby Rays, and make the grown-up version! These use a homemade Honey BBQ Sauce and a tangy, fresh apple coleslaw. We keep these gluten-free with a gluten free brioche bun, but use whatever bread fits your family’s needs!

These are a labor of love. I recommend making this Oven Baked Pulled Pork recipe for dinner, and then using the leftover pork to repurpose the meat for another meal. This homemade honey bbq sauce requires just 5 ingredients (that you just might have on hand!) and comes together in minutes.

Shred up some cabbage, carrots, and apples, and this tangy and light Apple Slaw is the perfect complement to the rich pulled pork.

Skip the recipes that call for cans of sugary soda or processed brown sugar! The pork in this recipe is made with only spices. The slow cooking method results in tender, juicy meat, without the junk.

I also homemade almost all of my condiments, especially sweet ones like BBQ sauce. This version is sweetened only with honey and uses apple cider vinegar. Read the Honey BBQ Sauce recipe post to understand how these two ingredients help control blood sugar!

Controlling what goes into your condiments is a great way to cut down on the junk in your family’s diets.

A pork shoulder roast is simple to cook – especially with my Sharp Home USA appliances. I start by browning the meat in a dutch oven on my Induction Cooktop. It heats quickly, so the hands-on process is just about 10 minutes.

Then I transfer the pot to my Sharp European Convection Oven for 3 hours. The pork comes out tender and falls apart when pressed with a fork.

Hop on over to Sharp’s website to see if their state-of-the-art appliances are the right fit for your dream kitchen!

What You’ll Need

• Oven Baked Pulled Pork (this slow roasted pork butt is tender and juicy!)
• Honey BBQ Sauce (I highly recommend making your own sauce!)
• Apple Slaw (use a bag of coleslaw and add apple and the homemade dressing to save time)
• Gluten Free Buns (or your family’s favorite buns – I found gluten free brioche buns and they were perfect for these!)

How to Make Honey BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Step 1: Reheat the roasted boneless pork shoulder and the bbq sauce if they have cooled after preparing. Add about 1/2 the bbq sauce to the pork, and mix to evenly coat the pulled pork. Add some of the braising liquid from the pork to thin out the mixture if desired.

Tip: If serving this at a gathering, add the shredded pork and BBQ sauce into a slow cooker or crockpot to keep the mixture warm while guests serve themselves.

Step 2: Toast buns until golden. If desired, spread each soft bun with butter or mayo.

Step 3: Add a heaping scoop of bbq pulled pork to the bottom bun.

Step 4: Add a big scoop of apple slaw to each sandwich, then add the top of the bun.

Step 5: Serve sandwiches with extra honey bbq sauce.

How to Prep BBQ Pork Sandwiches Ahead of Time (or store leftovers!)

Prepare the Pulled Pork: The pork shoulder roast has a dry rub and takes 3 1/2 hours to prepare (about 20 minutes of hands-on time, then 3 hours to bake the roast). If serving this roast for dinner, prepare the meat in the morning. If serving this pork for a lunch, prepare the pork the day ahead and reheat it when ready to assemble the sandwiches.

The pork can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat the pork by putting it back into the dutch oven with about 1/2 cup of water, and heating for 30 minutes in a preheated 400º F oven.

Prepare the Honey BBQ Sauce: A batch of honey bbq sauce takes about 15 minutes to prepare. Whisk together 5 ingredients, and then allow it to simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

The BBQ sauce can be refrigerated for up to 10 days. It can also be made and frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Heat the bbq sauce to a low simmer prior to mixing it with the hot pork.

Prepare the Apple Slaw: The apple slaw is best made fresh. The vegetables can be prepped a day ahead. Add the dressing and toss with the cole slaw vegetables and apples when ready to serve.

Variations

Mix up this bbq pork sandwich recipe with your favorite additions!

Add Cheese: Aged white cheddar, pepper jack, or provolone cheese are all great complements to the tangy and sweet bbq sauce in this recipe.

Condiments: Jalapeños, sauerkraut (especially a spicy one), dijon mustard, mayo, butter, dill pickles, avocado, bacon, caramelized onions, or sliced red onion are all great options to place on a table for people to add to their own sandwiches, if desired. I highly recommend trying these marinated red onions! Experiment to come up with your own delicious recipes.

Instant Pot or Crock Pot Pulled Pork: The honey bbq pulled pork recipe is an oven baked method. However, if you look in the tips section, there are instructions to prepare it in both an Instant Pot and Slow Cooker!

What to Serve with BBQ Pork Sandwiches

• Potato Salad is a popular choice!
• Grilled Pineapple
• Mexican Ceasar Salad
• Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries (or Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries)

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