Applesauce Pulled Pork Sandwiches (Printable View)

Slow-cooked pork shoulder with applesauce and apple cider creates a sweet-savory sandwich filling in 8 hours.

# What You Need:

→ Pork

01 - 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder or pork butt, trimmed
02 - 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
03 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Sauce

06 - 1½ cups unsweetened applesauce
07 - 1 cup apple cider
08 - ¼ cup brown sugar
09 - 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
10 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
11 - 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
12 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ To Serve

13 - 6 sandwich buns
14 - 1 cup coleslaw, optional
15 - Extra applesauce or barbecue sauce, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Pat the pork shoulder dry and season all sides with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and cinnamon.
02 - Place the sliced onion and minced garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together applesauce, apple cider, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar until smooth.
04 - Place the pork on top of the onions in the slow cooker. Pour the applesauce mixture evenly over the pork.
05 - Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours, or until the pork is very tender and easily shreds with a fork.
06 - Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat.
07 - Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid, then return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and mix well with the sauce.
08 - Serve the pulled pork warm on sandwich buns. Top with coleslaw and extra applesauce or barbecue sauce, if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The applesauce makes the pork incredibly tender without any babysitting or fussing.
  • It fills your house with the kind of warm, cozy smell that makes people linger in the kitchen.
  • You can walk away for eight hours and come back to something that tastes like you worked hard all day.
  • It's just as good piled on a bun as it is eaten straight from the pot with a fork.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the pork before seasoning, moisture on the surface prevents the spices from sticking properly.
  • Use unsweetened applesauce or the sauce will turn too sweet and lose its balance.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check the pork around the 7-hour mark to avoid overcooking.
  • Skimming the fat after cooking makes a huge difference in texture, it keeps the sauce from feeling greasy.
03 -
  • If you have time, sear the pork in a hot skillet before adding it to the slow cooker for extra depth of flavor.
  • Save the cooking liquid even after serving, it makes an incredible base for soups or a glaze for roasted vegetables.
  • Toast your sandwich buns lightly with butter before piling on the pork, it keeps them from getting soggy and adds a little richness.
  • Let the pork rest in the sauce for at least 10 minutes after shredding so it absorbs every bit of flavor.
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