Applesauce Pulled Pork Sandwiches (Print View)

Tender pulled pork with applesauce and apple cider on soft buns for a sweet-savory twist on a beloved classic.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pork

01 - 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder or pork butt, trimmed
02 - 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
03 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Sauce

06 - 1½ cups unsweetened applesauce
07 - 1 cup apple cider
08 - ¼ 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 - Extra applesauce or barbecue sauce, optional

# Directions:

01 - Pat the pork shoulder dry and season all sides with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and cinnamon.
02 - Place the sliced onion and minced garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together applesauce, apple cider, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar until smooth.
04 - Place the pork on top of the onions in the slow cooker. Pour the applesauce mixture evenly over the pork.
05 - Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours, or until the pork is very tender and easily shreds with a fork.
06 - Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat.
07 - Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid, then return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and mix well with the sauce.
08 - Serve the pulled pork warm on sandwich buns. Top with coleslaw and extra applesauce or barbecue sauce, if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The applesauce tenderizes the pork so deeply you barely need to chew, and the flavor seeps into every shred.
  • It cooks itself while you do absolutely anything else, no babysitting required.
  • The sweet and savory balance feels like comfort food that grew up just enough to surprise you.
  • Leftovers freeze beautifully and taste even better reheated on a weeknight.
02 -
  • Patting the pork dry before seasoning makes a huge difference in how well the spices stick and develop flavor.
  • Don't skip skimming the fat after cooking, it keeps the sauce from feeling greasy and lets the apple flavor shine.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check the pork after 7 hours to avoid it drying out.
03 -
  • Season the pork the night before and let it sit uncovered in the fridge, the spices will penetrate deeper and the surface will dry out for better texture.
  • Save a cup of the cooking liquid before mixing in the shredded pork, you can use it to moisten leftovers or thin the sauce if it thickens too much.
  • Toast the buns lightly before assembling, it keeps them from getting soggy and adds a subtle crunch.
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