Star-Spangled Pulled Pork Sliders with Coleslaw
Slow-cooked pulled pork served on mini slider buns topped with a creamy red and white coleslaw, perfect for a patriotic party platter. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 260 minutes, pairs pork shoulder, smoked paprika, brown sugar for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 400 calories and feeds 8, 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
- 2 lbs pork shoulder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 8 mini slider buns
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded green cabbage
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 300°F. In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Rub this spice blend evenly all over 2 lbs pork shoulder.
- Step 2: Place the pork shoulder in a roasting pan, cover with foil, and slow-roast for 3-4 hours until the meat is very tender and easily shredded with forks.
- Step 3: Meanwhile, prepare the coleslaw by combining 1 cup shredded red cabbage and 1 cup shredded green cabbage in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper until creamy.
- Step 4: Toss the cabbage mixture with the dressing until well coated and set aside in the refrigerator.
- Step 5: Once the pork is done, shred it with two forks and mix in 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, adjusting seasoning as needed.
- Step 6: To assemble, split 8 mini slider buns and pile generous portions of pulled pork on the bottom halves. Top each with a spoonful of the red and white coleslaw and cover with the bun tops.
- Step 7: Serve warm sliders immediately for a hearty patriotic main dish perfect for gatherings.








