Beer Braised Pulled Pork Sliders

A set it and forget it beer-braised pulled pork recipe.  

Pulled pork slider

Man oh man. This is what I call a perfect lazy Sunday recipe, as all it really involves is some light prep work to get started, then you let the slow cooker do the rest while you fall asleep watching movies on the couch.  

Pulled Pork is also great because of how versatile it is, meaning you can play around with the flavor profiles to find something that pleases your pallet. For example, I included a basic rub for the pork shoulder, but feel free to change that to your liking. Same for the BBQ sauce. I opted to make my own (highly recommend) and the result was a pineapple habanero vinegar-based flavor bomb that made the so tender and juicy that it just melts in your mouth.  

For the beer, any stout should do. I chose a classic Left Hand Brewing Nitro Milk Stout, but if happen to get your hands on any barrel-aged stouts flavored with hot peppers, then do that of course.  

And then for dressing your sliders, you can also customize to your liking. I went with the classic toppings of pickles, vinegar slaw, and more BBQ sauce, but you do you. The pork shoulder takes anywhere between 5-6 hours on high, to 7-8 on low, so you’ll have plenty of time for your foodie imagination to run wild when planning what to top your sliders with.  

Time You Need 

  • 10-15 minutes prep 
  • 5-6 hours cooking 

What You Need 

  • 3 pound cut of boneless pork shoulder, with fat trimmed  
  • 1 sweet onion, chopped  
  • 8 ounces of stout beer of choice 
  • 1 cup of BBQ sauce of choice (more for serving)  
  • 1 tbsp olive oil  
  • 1/2 tsp liquid smoke  
  • Slow cooker  
  • For the Dry Rub:  
  • 1 tbsp salt 
  • 1 tbsp black pepper 
  • 1 tbsp cayenne pepper 
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika 
  • 1 tbsp cumin  
  • 1 tbsp chili powder  
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar  
  • For the sliders:  
  • Slider Buns 
  • Coleslaw  
  • Pickles  

What You Do  

  • Add the onion and olive oil to the slow cooker.  
  • Then toss in beer.  
  • Thoroughly mix seasonings to form dry rub, and generously coat pork shoulder in the rub.  
  • Add the pork shoulder into the slow cooker. Top with a cup of BBQ sauce and the liquid smoke.  
  • Cover and cook 5 hours on high, or about 7-8 hours on low.  
  • Once done cooking, transfer to a large plate or cutting board. Let cool for about five minutes, and then using 2 forks, shred the pork.  
  • Return the pork back to the crockpot and stir in with the juices. Top with a little extra dash of BBQ sauce . 
  • Leave in the crockpot to serve over low heat. Serve with slider buns, topped with coleslaw and pickles.  
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