Spiced Northern-Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-10 · Updated 2026-06-10

Tender pulled pork seasoned with bold spices and slow-cooked to juicy perfection, served on soft buns with tangy slaw for a Northern St. Louis inspired street food feel. This American-inspired sandwich and wrap recipe, ready in about 495 minutes, pairs pork shoulder, brown sugar, smoked paprika for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 490 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs pork shoulder
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard
• 6 hamburger buns
• 2 cups green cabbage, shredded
• 1 cup carrot, shredded
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp salt

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Combine 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper in a small bowl; rub this spice mix all over the 3 lbs pork shoulder evenly.
2. Step 2: Place the pork shoulder in a slow cooker and pour 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar and 2 tbsp yellow mustard around it. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until the pork is tender enough to shred with forks.
3. Step 3: While the pork cooks, mix 2 cups shredded green cabbage, 1 cup shredded carrot, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp honey, and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl; chill the slaw until serving.
4. Step 4: After cooking, remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks, discarding any excess fat. Return shredded pork to the slow cooker and stir to coat with the cooking juices.
5. Step 5: Toast 6 hamburger buns lightly, then pile generous portions of pulled pork on each bun and top with the prepared slaw before serving warm.