Applesauce Pulled Pork Sandwiches (Printer View)

Slow-cooked pork with applesauce and cider, served on soft buns for a sweet-savory twist on a classic favorite.

# Components:

→ Pork

01 - 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder, trimmed
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
03 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Sauce

06 - 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
07 - 1 cup apple cider
08 - 1/4 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 - Additional applesauce or barbecue sauce, optional

# Method steps:

01 - Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Season all sides evenly with kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and ground cinnamon.
02 - Place the sliced onion and minced garlic in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
03 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together unsweetened applesauce, apple cider, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar until smooth and well combined.
04 - Place the seasoned pork on top of the onions in the slow cooker. Pour the applesauce mixture evenly over the pork, ensuring all surfaces are coated.
05 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8 hours, or until the pork is extremely tender and shreds easily with a fork.
06 - Remove the cooked pork from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large fat deposits.
07 - Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and stir thoroughly to combine with the sauce.
08 - Serve the warm pulled pork on sandwich buns. Top with coleslaw and additional applesauce or barbecue sauce if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a hands-off dinner that feels fancier than the minimal effort required.
  • The sweet and savory balance hits differently than standard pulled pork, making it feel unexpectedly special.
  • One slow cooker does all the work while you disappear for eight hours and come back to something restaurant-worthy.
02 -
  • Patting the pork dry before seasoning makes an enormous difference in how the spices adhere and how the sauce reduces; I learned this the hard way after making watery pulled pork twice.
  • Resist stirring during cooking—that eight-hour period is when the slow cooker does its actual work, breaking down collagen into gelatin, and unnecessary opening releases heat and extends cooking time.
03 -
  • Trimming the pork yourself before cooking saves money and ensures you're not paying for fat you'll just discard later.
  • The secret to avoiding a greasy finished dish is taking those extra thirty seconds to skim the fat from the cooking liquid before mixing everything back together.
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