These tasty pork sliders are made with shredded, seasoned pork on sweet rolls, and you can bake up a big batch to make everyone happy!
Based on a church supper-style pan of sandwiches, this recipe is meant to feed a crowd. The pork sliders are all laid out in a rectangular baking pan, all the fillings layered waiting inside.
Poured over the tops of all the sandwiches is a savory, seasoned butter sauce, then the whole thing goes into the oven for a bake. The sandwiches soak up the sauce while the fillings heat through and get melty.
Why you'll love these sliders
This is a dish that’s easy on the chef: you can use leftover pulled pork, or cook up seasoned pork loin in a slow cooker in just a couple of hours.
This recipe makes 12 savory pork sliders so they’re perfect to put out as an appetizer, for a Super Bowl party, or as a fun dinner for your family!
🔪 How to make this recipe
Step 1: Cook the pork
Sear the pieces of pork loin, then place them in the slow cooker to cook for about 1-½ hours. When the cooked pork is cool enough, shred it. (If you’re using leftover shredded or pulled pork you can skip this step.)
Step 2: Prepare the onions and the rolls
Saute the onions, and preheat the oven. Lay out the bottoms of the slider rolls in a baking pan.
Step 3: Assemble the sliders
Layer over the bottoms of the buns the shredded pork, sauteed onions and the cheese. Add the tops of the buns. Pour a seasoned butter mixture over the whole thing.
Step 4: Bake the sliders
Cover the pan in foil and bake the sliders until they are hot throughout and the cheese has melted. Serve the sliders while they are warm.
Notes:
- You can choose to use pork shoulder in place of the pork loin – though it will require about 8 hours in the slow cooker so plan for the extra time. See the OPTION section in the recipe below for instructions.
- If preferred, leftover or store-bought pulled pork can be used. Just be sure it has a nice, savory and/or spicy flavoring to contrast with the sweet rolls and cooked onions.
- I use sweet King’s Hawaiian rolls in this recipe. Other slider rolls work just as well if you prefer a less sweet bread.
You will love the sweet-savory flavor combination of shredded, seasoned pork, sautéed onions, and Pepper Jack cheese.
The recipe for these pork sliders is below! And here are a few more dinner ideas for you:
💬 Have you tried these sliders? Scroll down below to leave a comment for me!
Savory Shredded Pork Sliders for a Crowd
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 1½ pounds seasoned pork loin filet (If using an unseasoned filet rub it with a Southwest spice blend. See below for an option to use pork shoulder instead of the loin.)
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced into ½-inch thick rings (about 10 ounces)
- 12 Hawaiian sweet slider-sized rolls, like King's Hawaiian (Or use regular slider rolls or small brioche slider rolls.)
- 8 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
- ½ cup butter
- 2 teaspoons dried ancho chili pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Cook the pork:
- Have a slow cooker switched onto low and waiting.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Slice the pork loin into 4 or 5 large chunks. When the oil is hot add in the pork and sear it all over, using tongs to turn the pieces. Once seared remove the pork pieces to the slow cooker.
- Add ½ cup of water to the skillet to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits. Pour this liquid into the slow cooker over the pork.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook the pork for about 1¼ to 1½ hours, until it reaches an internal temperature of 140° F.
- Remove the pork from the crock pot. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
- When it's cool enough to handle, shred the pork - you can use two forks like many recipes suggest, but I find it's easiest just to use your fingers.
- (Note: you can also use leftover pulled pork instead of cooking the pork loin. Use about 4 cups of shredded, cooked pork.)
Cook the onions:
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of canola oil over medium heat in a small nonstick pan. Add in the sliced onion and stir to coat the onions in oil.
- Cook them over medium heat, stirring the onions occasionally while cooking, for about 10 minutes. The onions will be softened and browned in places. Remove the pan from the heat.
Assemble the sliders:
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Lay out the bottoms of the slider rolls 3 rows by 4 rows in a 13 inch x 9 inch baking pan.
- Arrange the shredded pork in an even layer over the rolls. Top the pork with the sautéed onions, spreading them evenly over all the sliders. (Hold aside the pan used to cook the onions.)
- Sprinkle the shredded Pepper Jack cheese evenly over the sliders, and the put the tops of the rolls in place.
- Melt the butter over medium heat in the pan you used to cook the onions. Whisk in the ancho chili pepper powder, garlic powder and the salt.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the butter mixture over the sliders. Spread it evenly so that the butter coats the tops of every slider - sometimes the spices will settle towards the bottom so try to scoop these up with every basting. Use the entire butter mixture.
Bake:
- Wrap the pan in foil and place it in the oven. Bake the sliders for 20-30 minutes: they should be hot all the way through and the cheese melted.
- Remove them from the oven before the tops and spices on top get too browned. Use a spatula to remove and serve the sliders while they're hot.
- Leftover sliders can be stored wrapped in the fridge. Warm up cold sliders covered with foil in a 400° F oven for about 25 minutes.
OPTION: PORK SHOULDER
- Pork shoulder can used in place of the pork loin - it will take 8 hours to cook in a slow cooker, so plan for this extra time.
- Use a boneless pork shoulder, approximately 4 pounds. Cut the shoulder into 2 or 3 pieces. Rub the pieces all over with a Southwest spice blend or other spicy blend of your choosing.
- Place the pieces in a slow cooker with about 1 cup of stock or water. Cook the shoulder on low for 8 hours until it's fall-apart tender.
- Shred the pork, removing any pieces of fat.
Notes
- Pork shoulder can be used in place of the pork loin, though it will require about 8 hours in the slow cooker. See the OPTION section in the recipe above for instructions.
- If preferred, leftover or store-bought pulled pork can be used. Just be sure it has a nice, savory and/or spicy flavoring to contrast with the sweet rolls and cooked onions. You will need about 4 cups.
- I use sweet King's Hawaiian rolls in this recipe. Other slider rolls work just as well if you prefer a less sweet bread.
Nutrition
Recipe and post updated January 2021.
Lana
What do you recommend seasoning the left over pork with?
Nancy Mock
Hi Lana! If you’re using leftover pork for these sliders, I recommend using a spicy seasoning since the rolls and onion are on the sweet side. Some good choices are a Southwest seasoning blend, taco sauce, or a spicy barbecue sauce. You can get creative here, and how spicy the blend or sauce you use is, of course, up to you. I hope this helps!
Brian
Made these for football Sunday and they were a huge hit with all!! Delicious!
Nancy Mock
Brian, I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks for giving these sliders a try!
Rongo Waerea
So good!!! Served with potato salad and made for a fabulous dinner
Thanks
Nancy Mock
Rongo, thank you for this amazing feedback, this is one of my family’s favorites as well. Great call on pairing the sliders with potato salad!