Apple Cider Chipotle Crockpot Pulled Pork Sliders

Name: Crockpot Apple Cider Chipotle Pulled Pork Sliders
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat; 1 cup apple cider; 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 2 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely minced; 1 tbsp smoked paprika; 1 tbsp garlic powder; 1 tbsp onion powder; 1 tsp dried thyme; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 12 mini brioche slider rolls, split and toasted; 2 cups green cabbage slaw, tossed with light cider vinegar

These slow cooker apple cider chipotle pulled pork sliders offer the perfect balance of sweet, smoky, and tangy flavors with virtually zero effort. Cooking low and slow in the crockpot turns pork shoulder melt-in-your-mouth tender while absorbing every drop of rich cider glaze. It is a crowd-pleasing dinner designed for busy holiday weeks, family gatherings, or effortless game-day entertaining when you want maximum flavor with minimum hands-on time.

Crockpot Apple Cider Chipotle Pulled Pork Sliders, an easy crockpot dinner recipe

Prep: 15 minCook: 8 hrTotal: 8 hr 15 minServes: 8

Ingredients

3 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
1 cup apple cider
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely minced
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
12 mini brioche slider rolls, split and toasted
2 cups green cabbage slaw, tossed with light cider vinegar

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Rub the seasoning blend evenly over all sides of the pork shoulder.
Place the seasoned pork shoulder into the insert of a 6-quart crockpot.
In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the apple cider, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and minced chipotle peppers in adobo. Pour liquid mixture around the base of the pork shoulder.
Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 5 hours) until the meat is completely tender and reaches a safe internal temperature of at least 145 F, though 190 F to 200 F allows for easiest shredding.
Transfer the pork shoulder to a large cutting board and shred the meat using two forks, discarding any remaining connective tissue or excess fat.
Skim any floating fat from the juices left in the crockpot, then return the shredded pork to the pot. Toss well to let the meat absorb the sweet and smoky pan juices.
Pile generous portions of shredded pulled pork onto toasted slider rolls, top with crisp green cabbage slaw, and serve warm.

Tips

Prepare up to 3 days ahead by keeping the shredded pork stored in its cooking juices in the refrigerator; reheat gently in the slow cooker before serving.
Freeze cooked pulled pork in airtight containers with pan juices for up to 3 months for quick future weeknight meals.
If you prefer a thicker sauce, strain 1 cup of pan juices into a saucepan and simmer with 1 tbsp of tomato paste for 5 minutes before tossing back with the meat.