Applesauce Pulled Pork Sandwiches (Printable)

Slow-cooked pork shoulder with applesauce and apple cider, served on soft buns for sweet-savory comfort.

# What You Need:

→ Pork

01 - 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder or pork butt, trimmed
02 - 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
03 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Sauce

06 - 1.5 cups unsweetened applesauce
07 - 1 cup apple cider
08 - 0.25 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Pat the pork shoulder dry and season all sides evenly with kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and ground cinnamon.
02 - Place the sliced yellow 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 the mixture is smooth and well combined.
04 - Place the seasoned pork on top of the onion and garlic base. Pour the prepared applesauce sauce evenly over the pork.
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 pork from the slow cooker and shred using 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 thoroughly with the sauce.
08 - Serve the warm pulled pork on sandwich buns. Top with coleslaw and additional applesauce or barbecue sauce if desired.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The applesauce keeps the pork unbelievably moist and adds a gentle sweetness that balances the savory spices without tasting like dessert.
  • You can start it in the morning and forget about it until dinner, making it perfect for busy days or lazy weekends.
  • It feeds a crowd without much effort, and the leftovers somehow taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Do not skip patting the pork dry before seasoning, moisture on the surface prevents the spices from sticking and forming a flavorful crust.
  • Use unsweetened applesauce, not the kind with added sugar, or the whole dish will end up too sweet and lose its balance.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check the pork after 7 hours to avoid overcooking, though it's pretty forgiving.
03 -
  • Let the pork rest in the sauce for at least 10 minutes after shredding so it absorbs all the flavor and stays moist.
  • Save some of the cooking liquid separately and use it to moisten the pork if it dries out during storage or reheating.
  • If you're short on time, cook on high for 4 to 5 hours instead, though low and slow yields the most tender results.
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