Have saucy shredded pork sliders on the dinner table in no time! The ingredients are simple: tender BBQ pulled pork, creamy coleslaw, French-fried onions, and melty cheese on Hawaiian rolls. You will be surprised with how mouth-watering this easy recipe is!
Make Easy Coleslaw (Refrigerate up to several hours)
In a medium size bowl, whisk together the mayo, apple cider vinegar, honey, pepper and onion powder. Then add the coleslaw mix and apples, toss to combine. Cover and put in the fridge ideally for 2-3 hours before serving.
Make Shredded Pork Sliders
Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C)and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish or line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
Slice the Hawaiian rolls in half lengthwise, cutting the bottoms slightly thicker than the tops, keeping the rolls together. Place bottom half in prepared pan.
In a mixing bowl, combine the pulled pork and BBQ sauce and stir to combine.
Layer the cheese over the bottom buns.
Spoon the pork mixture over the cheese and gently spread out. Add the fried onions over the pork, and cover with the top buns.
In a small bowl combine the melted butter, garlic, salt, and worcestershire. Stir well, then pour over the tops of the sandwiches, using a silicone brush to brush the sides and crevices with the sauce. Sprinkle the sesame seeds and poppy seeds all over the tops of the buns.
Cover loosely with foil, and bake for 10-20 minutes; remove foil and continue baking until cheese is melted and tops are golden and have a slight crisp, another 5 minutes or so.
Remove from the oven, carefully remove the top buns, and add a spoonful of coleslaw to each sandwich, then replace the top. Serve immediately.Or provide a bowl of coleslaw on the side for guests to add their own coleslaw.
Notes
Try not to overload the sliders so they don’t get soggy. And be sure to slice the bottom half of the rolls slightly thicker than the top half. If possible, make the coleslaw a couple of hours in advance allowing the flavors to meld. Choose your favorite barbecue sauce, whether sweet, smoky, spicy, or a combination. This can be homemade or store-bought.Variations & SubstitutionsGluten-Free Pulled Pork Sliders | All you need to do is substitute the rolls with a gluten-free alternative and check for the gluten-free label on all other ingredients, including the French fried onions, Worcestershire sauce, BBQ sauce, and spices.Low-Carb Shredded Pork Sliders | Make keto-friendly pulled pork sliders by swapping the rolls for lettuce leaf wraps or using a keto slider bun, like Aldi’s Keto slider buns. Swap the honey for sugar-free honey substitute in the coleslaw, and purchase a sugar-free BBQ Sauce and simply omit the fried onions, adding if desired some yellow onions sauteed in butter.This recipe works well with any BBQ sauce, whether it’s smoky, sweet, spicy, or savory. Homemade BBQ sauce is also delicious!Toppings! Try jalapenos, onions, dill pickles, mashed avocado, avocado slices, or Dijon mustard! Check out this quick and easy Pickled Red Onions Recipe for something unique.Cheese Choices: Choose the cheese you love, like sharp cheddar, pepper jack, Swiss cheese, or provolone cheese.Put an Asian-inspired twist on the recipe by incorporating hoisin, teriyaki sauce, pineapple slices, or sweet chili sauceTry brioche buns or Hawaiian sweet rolls instead of the savory Hawaiian buns.Use chicken or brisket instead of pulled pork. Try my pulled chicken sliders or use leftover oven-baked brisketStorage Tips
Refrigerate - These pork sandwiches are best enjoyed hot and fresh from the oven, but they will keep for 24 hours in the fridge in an airtight container before the rolls become too soggy.
Make Ahead - Assemble the sliders and skip the buttery topping. Then, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to bake, bring them to room temperature (30 minutes), brush on the butter mixture, and bake as directed! Or cover well and freeze up to 3 months.
How to bake sliders from frozen | Brush frozen sliders with the butter sauce, cover the dish with foil, and bake for about 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for about 5 or 10 more minutes until heated through.
How to Reheat Pork Sliders |Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C) and place leftover sliders in a baking dish covered with foil and bake for 5-10 minutes until they are warmed through, removing the foil for the last 3-5 minutes.
Can I keep sliders warm in a crockpot? | Yes! Allow the sliders to cool for about 10 minutes, then wrap individual sliders in aluminum foil, place in a crockpot, lay some paper towels or a clean tea towel between the lid and the crock (this catches any condensation), and put the lid on, turn the slow cooker on warm.