I’m excited to share my new BBQ rubs from Spiceology. To start, this recipe uses the versatile Big Bad BBQ Rub to create a classic Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich that’s full of flavor and easy to serve for a crowd.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love These Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches
- Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich Ingredients
- How to Make Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches
- More with Pulled Pork
- BBQ Sauce:
- Serving
- Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich Recipe
This rub works on pork, chicken, beef, seafood and more. It balances sweet and savory notes and includes a hint of cinnamon for warmth. Below you’ll find a straightforward method for tender, shreddable pork and a honey BBQ sauce to finish the sandwiches.
Why You’ll Love These Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches
This sandwich is an approachable way to try the rub. Tender pulled pork combines with tangy honey BBQ sauce and coleslaw on a soft bun for a satisfying bite. The seasoning flavors the pork and is also added to the sauce to create a consistent, delicious profile.
It’s ideal for gatherings because guests can assemble their own sandwiches. Leftover pork is versatile—use it for tacos, nachos, or sandwiches later.
Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich Ingredients
This recipe is simple to prep and yields fall-apart pork. It takes about one hour to prepare and roughly six hours of cook time, depending on your smoker and roast size. The core components are pork butts, a quality BBQ rub, and a binder like yellow mustard. You’ll also prepare a crutch of light beer and pork fat to braise the pork while it finishes cooking.
The honey BBQ sauce is made with brown sugar, honey, ketchup, white vinegar, molasses, hot sauce, light beer, and a bit of the dry rub to tie the flavors together. Serve the finished pork on buns with coleslaw and any preferred sides.
How to Make Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches
1. Place the pork butt on a baking sheet and coat it with yellow mustard. Generously apply the BBQ rub over all sides to fully cover the roast. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight so the rub can adhere and the flavors develop.
2. Preheat your smoker to about 250°F. Add wood chips or chunks if you want additional smoke character.
3. Smoke the pork until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (about 4–6 hours). Remove the pork and transfer it to a large foil pan for the crutch stage.
4. Add pork fat and light beer to the pan so the liquid reaches roughly halfway up the roast. Tightly cover the pan with foil and return it to the smoker at 250°F. Continue to smoke until the meat is probe-tender and easily pulls apart, another 3–4 hours.
5. When the pork is done, let it rest for 30 minutes. Remove the bone, shred the meat, and toss or top with the honey BBQ sauce.
More with Pulled Pork
Pulled Pork BBQ Nacho Table
Loaded Pulled Pork Quesadillas
Al Pastor Pulled Pork Sandwich
Pulled Pork Loin Nachos
Chipotle BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich Recipe
Pulled Pork Elote Tacos
BBQ Sauce:
To make the honey BBQ sauce, heat a skillet or medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Combine brown sugar, honey, ketchup, white vinegar, molasses, hot sauce, light beer, and a tablespoon of the BBQ rub. Stir until the mixture comes to a simmer and the sugar dissolves.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 5–20 minutes until the sauce thickens to your liking. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature before serving.
Serving
Remove the bone from the rested pork and shred the meat. Pile shredded pork on the bottom bun, spoon the honey BBQ sauce over the top, and add coleslaw if desired. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Store leftovers in an airtight container and use them for tacos, nachos, or BBQ mac and cheese. Enjoy!
Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich
Ingredients
Pork:
- 1–2 Whole pork butts, bone in
- 1 cup Big Bad BBQ Rub
- Yellow mustard (for binder)
Crutch:
- 36 oz light beer
- 1/2 cup pork fat
Honey BBQ Sauce:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup local honey
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/8 cup white vinegar
- 2.5 tbsp molasses
- 2 tbsp hot sauce
- 4 oz light beer
- 1 tbsp Big Bad BBQ Rub
Sandwich:
- Burger buns
- Coleslaw (optional)
Instructions
Pulled Pork:
- Coat pork with mustard and rub; refrigerate uncovered for 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat smoker to 250°F and add wood if desired.
- Smoke pork until internal temperature reaches 165°F (about 4–6 hours).
- Place pork in a foil pan, add pork fat and beer so liquid reaches roughly halfway up the roast, cover tightly with foil.
- Return to the smoker at 250°F and cook until probe-tender and easily shreddable (another 3–4 hours).
- Rest 30 minutes, remove the bone, shred, and serve on buns with honey BBQ sauce and coleslaw.
BBQ Sauce:
- Heat a skillet over medium-high and add all sauce ingredients.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and simmer until the sauce thickens (about 5–20 minutes).
- Remove from heat and cool to room temperature before serving.