Slow Cooker Dr Pepper Pulled Pork Sliders

Source video by Kristin's Friends Cooking on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules and is marked for human review.

An American-style party slider built around a slow cooker pulled pork shoulder. Pork shoulder is seasoned with salt, pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder, then cooked low for 6 to 8 hours in a can of Dr Pepper, a packet of French onion soup mix and half a cup of barbecue sauce. Once tender, it is shredded back into the cooking liquid with more barbecue sauce. A quick mayonnaise and apple cider vinegar coleslaw goes on top, with sliced pickles and crispy fried onions to finish. Builds 12 sliders on a pack of brioche or Hawaiian-style sweet rolls. Easy to scale up for a barbecue or party tray.

Ingredients

• 1.4 kgboneless pork shoulder
• fine sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• smoked paprika
• garlic powder
• 330 mlDr Pepper
• 1 packetFrench onion soup mix
• 120 mlsweet smoky barbecue sauce
• 120 mlsweet smoky barbecue sauce (add late)

• 225 ggreen cabbage, finely shaved or shredded
• 240 mlmayonnaise
• 1 tbspwhite sugar
• 1 tbspcelery seed
• 2 tbspapple cider vinegar

• 12 rollsbrioche or sweet slider rolls, split horizontally
• 12 slicessliced gherkins or dill pickles
• crispy fried onions

Method

1. Season the pork shoulder all over with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder, then sit it in the slow cooker.

   ~5 min

2. Pour the can of Dr Pepper over the pork, sprinkle in the packet of French onion soup mix, and add the first 120 ml of barbecue sauce.

   ~2 min

3. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours, until the pork shreds easily with a fork.

   ~480 min

4. While the pork cooks, make the coleslaw. Whisk the mayonnaise, sugar, celery seed and apple cider vinegar together in a bowl, then stir through the shaved cabbage until evenly coated. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour so the flavours meld.

   ~10 min

5. When the pork is done, lift it out and pour off most of the cooking liquid (save a splash if you want to loosen the meat later). Shred the pork with two forks or a chicken shredder, return it to the pot, then stir through the second 120 ml of barbecue sauce.

   ~8 min

6. Split the 12 brioche rolls and pile shredded pork onto each base.

   ~4 min

7. Top each with a generous spoon of coleslaw, one pickle slice and a scatter of crispy fried onions, then set the lids on. Serve straight away.

   ~4 min

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