Shredded Pork Sliders

Shredded pork with cheese on slider rolls.

4.67 from 15 votes. Tap stars to vote

*Updated Recipe! Need a crowd-pleasing dish for New England game days, family dinners, or work potlucks? A pan full of Shredded Pork Sliders is always a hit! Sweet rolls are filled with tender pork, melty cheese, and sautéed onions, all basted in a seasoned butter sauce.

Prep Time35

Cook Time2 15

Total Time2 50

Course: Appetizer, Comfort Food, Dinner, Game Day, Holidays, Sandiwches, sandwiches

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 341kcal

Author: Nancy Mock

Ingredients

For the Shredded Pork:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
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.)

For the Sliders:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced into ½-inch thick rings (about 10 ounces)
12 King's Hawaiian sweet rolls (Or use regular slider rolls or small brioche slider rolls.)
8 ounces shredded pepper Jack cheese
½ cup butter
2 teaspoons dried ancho chili pepper powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the pork:

Have a slow cooker switched onto low and waiting.
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Slice the 1½ pounds seasoned pork loin filet 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.

Shred the pork:

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 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat in a small nonstick pan. Add in the 1 large yellow onion, sliced into ½-inch thick rings 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 375° F.
Lay out the bottoms of the 12 King's Hawaiian sweet rolls in a 13x9-inch baking dish.
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 8 ounces shredded pepper Jack cheese evenly over the sliders, and the put the tops of the rolls in place.

Make the butter sauce:

Melt the ½ cup butter over medium heat in the pan you used to cook the onions. Whisk in the 2 teaspoons dried ancho chili pepper powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.
Use a pastry brush to brush the melted 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:

Cover the pan in foil and place it in the oven. Bake the sliders for 20 to 30 minutes—remove them from the oven before the tops and spices on top get too browned. They should be hot all the way through and the cheese melted.
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 350° F oven for about 20 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.
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, but any type of slider roll will work just as well.

Nutrition