Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy BBQ Pulled Pork
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This Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Pulled Pork makes the perfect saucy summer sandwich.
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This week’s #SundaySupper theme is recipes inspired by music.
So obviously I chose BBQ pulled pork sandwiches.
Are you confused yet?
For some reason I can’t possibly imagine, there aren’t a lot of songs about pork. I mean, what’s not to love? Pork chops, pulled pork, ribs, sausage, BACON?!
Wine, chocolate, sugar, margaritas, even banana pancakes get their own songs, but not pork.
Where’s the pork love musicians?!
Since Usher and Mumford and Sons don’t seem to be hopping on the pork bandwagon, the inspiration for this recipe came instead from a song about BBQ.
Growing up, I only knew this song as the “BBQ Stain” song, but it’s actually called “Something Like That” by Tim McGraw.
The chorus goes something like this:
“I had a barbeque stain on my white t-shirt
She was killing me in that miniskirt
Skippin’ rocks on the river by the railroad tracks
She had a suntan line and red lipstick
I worked so hard for that first kiss
And a heart don’t forget something like that”
I’m not a huge country fan, but for some reason I’ve always loved this song. To me, it’s the perfect summer song. It’s got young love, tan lines, the county fair, sunsets, and most importantly, BBQ stains.
There’s nothing quite like those giant BBQ pulled pork sandwiches served out of shady looking trailers at the fair. That flimsy paper container, a bun bigger than your face, the sweet, smoky pork dripping down the sides of your fingers.
There is no neat way to eat a sandwich like this. You may at first attempt to be graceful, but you will inevitably find yourself leaning over your tiny paper bowl, licking pork juice off your fingers, and trying desperately to finish this sandwich before it dissolves into a puddle of soggy BBQ bread.
And we all know that feeling…that dreadful moment…when a single shred of pork escapes and we watch, seemingly in slow motion, as it hurls itself straight for our nice clean shirt. Once it’s landed, there’s no use trying to get it off. Napkins only smear it further. Wet wipes simply make you look, well, wet. Not even a Tide pen can come to your rescue at that point. So you might as well just own it.
It’s the stain of summer, y’all.
Now typically, pulled pork is made by smoking a pork shoulder (aka:pork butt…who knows why?!) low and slow in a smoker for several hours.
But let’s face reality here. I don’t have a smoker and even if I did, ain’t nobody got time for that!
What I do have time for is 15 minutes and a crockpot. This is one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever made, and it makes such a perfectly sweet and spicy BBQ pork. You’re going to love it.
How to Make Sweet and Spicy Pulled Pork
- Chop up 2 peaches and 1 onion and place them in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Stir in a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce and a couple chipotle peppers, place the pork on top, and spoon some sauce over the whole thing.
- Turn the crockpot to low and walk away for 8 hours.
- When you return, the pork will practically shred when you look at it. The sauce will be thick and sweet, with a kick of heat and hint of smokiness from the chipotle peppers. If you’re weirded out by the peaches, don’t be. They cook down completely, so you won’t even notice them in the end product. All you’ll notice is the nice mellow sweetness they lend to the sauce.
The Mr. and I decided that the recipe below is just the right amount of heat for universal appeal, but if you and your guests can handle spicy foods, feel free to increase the chipotle peppers. I think if it’s just us, I’ll add two peppers plus 2 teaspoons of sauce for a little more heat.
What to Serve with BBQ Pulled Pork
If you’d like, you can whip up a quick slaw to top these off. I served these on mini Hawaiian rolls because I wanted to substantially increase our chances of ruining all of our clothes, but you can feel free to use whatever kind of bun you like.
My favorite thing to serve with slow cooker pulled pork is Creamy Mac and Cheese, but if you’re looking for something lighter, this Cucumber Tomato Salad makes a great fresh and tangy side dish.
This recipe feeds a crowd, so invite the gang over for some true summer fare. You just might want to provide some bibs…and wet wipes. Or tell them to where black.
Ya know, just in case.
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe
Ingredients
For the pork:
- 1 sweet yellow onion (chopped)
- 2 large ripe peaches (chopped)
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo (chopped + 2 teaspoons adobo sauce)
- 1 bottle BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's original)
- 2 - 3 lbs. pork shoulder or pork butt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher Salt
- Pepper
For the slaw:
- 2 cups shredded coleslaw
- 1 jalapeno (seeded and diced)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 8 Hawaiian rolls
Instructions
- In the bottom of your slow cooker, stir together the onion, peaches, chipotle pepper, and BBQ sauce.
- Trim excess fat from around the outside of the pork then season it generously on both sides with Kosher salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Place the pork on top of the BBQ mixture and spoon some of the sauce over top.
- Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the pork from the crockpot and place it on a cutting board. Use two forks to gently pull apart the meat, then return it to the crockpot.
- For the slaw, whisk together mayo, sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Add shredded coleslaw and jalapeno and stir to combine.
- To serve, scoop meat onto buns and top with slaw.
Notes
- Not only are sliders cute, they help you stretch the meat further since the sandwiches are smaller!
What size bottle of sweet baby rays?
These sandwiches are pretty much the perfect illustration of the chorus of that song! I forsee many a barbeque stain coming from their oozy goodness! YUM!
Something Like That is one of my favorite country songs! I just love the imagery in it! Oh, and this pulled pork looks divine!
Messy sandwiches like this are the best! Love the addition of peaches too – everything’s better with peaches!
Got to have slaw with pulled pork BBQ!