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    Home » sponsored » Dude Food: Root Beer Pulled Pork Sliders (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot)

    Dude Food: Root Beer Pulled Pork Sliders (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot)

    Jan 13, 2017 · 14 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Happiness comes in many forms for me. Sometimes it's the simple stuff, like a page-turner of a book with a really satisfying ending, or that one sip of coffee that's just the right temperature. And sometimes it's the big stuff, like spending a week in Paris eating all of the cheese and drinking all of the wine, or finally getting a big project ready to go at work.

    Root Beer Pulled Pork Sliders

    When it comes right down to it, though, my biggest source of happiness is all wrapped up in one person. The one guy who still makes my heart go pitter-patter after more than 10 years.

    Sure, he has a bad tendency to lose track of time, he loads the dishwasher all wrong, and he doesn't have six-pack abs... but he's still perfect to me. He's patient and kind, he tells wonderfully terrible jokes, and he's pretty much the only thing that's kept me sane through the crap life has thrown at me these last few weeks.

    Assembling Root Beer Pulled Pork Sliders

    And since this month's theme for the Gay Lea PTPA Ambassadors is "dude food", I decided this was the perfect excuse to come up with a culinary tribute to my favourite guy.

    I may do most of the cooking, but he's no slouch in the culinary department. Early on in our relationship, he wooed me with thick-sliced french toast, vegetarian curries, and tasty stir-fries. And even now, he's much better than I am at coaxing our temperamental espresso machine into pouring the perfect shot.

    Root Beer Pulled Pork Sliders

    However, his real passion is his beloved charcoal barbecue. The man has yet to meet a chunk of meat he couldn't smoke into tender, juicy submission.

    So, when it comes to an edible ode to all of The Mister's favourite things, a pulled pork slider seems like a very good place to start.

    Problem is, it's the middle of winter, so there's no way in heck I was going to go outside and barbecue a pork shoulder in -15C weather. (You know that Meatloaf song? Well, that's what I won't do for love. Sorry.)

    Root Beer Pulled Pork Sliders

    So instead I went the lazy smart route, and simmered a boneless pork shoulder in the slow cooker until it was fall-apart tender.

    A can of root beer, another one of The Mister's favourite things, adds sweetness and a subtle spice, while my homemade honey-chipotle barbecue sauce adds sweet heat and a hint of smoke.

    Then, I layered in a little more smokiness with slices of Ivanhoe smoked cheddar, an Ontario-made aged cheddar cheese that's smoked over real hardwood for a naturally smoky flavour. After all, a serious barbecue afficionado deserves a seriously smoky sandwich.

    Root Beer Pulled Pork Sliders

    The final crowning touch? Thinly sliced kosher dills as a bright, tangy counterpoint to all that sweet-and-smoky porky goodness.

    (Not to mention that pickles are The Mister's very favourite thing in the entire world. Whenever I make sandwiches, he immediately reaches for the pickle jar.)

    So there you have it. All of the Mister's favourite things - barbecue, smoke, root beer, and pickles - all piled up into a delicious bite-sized package of sweet and smoky deliciousness. Perfect for tailgating, game day snacking, Netflix binge-a-thons, lazy weekend afternoons, or whatever else makes your favourite dude (or dudette) happy.

    //

    Disclosure: I am part of the PTPA Brand Ambassador Program with Gay Lea, and received compensation as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

    //

    Print
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    Root Beer Pulled Pork Sliders

    Root Beer Pulled Pork Sliders


    ★★★★★

    5 from 2 reviews

    • Author: Isabelle Boucher
    • Total Time: 10 hours 5 mins
    • Yield: 6 1x
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    The sweet-and-smoky pulled pork filling for these sliders is a cinch to make - just five ingredients and a few hours in the slow cooker is all it takes!


    Ingredients

    Scale

    Root Beer Pulled Pork:

    • 1 (2-3 lb) boneless pork shoulder roast
    • 1 tsp salt
    • ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
    • 1 ½ cups root beer
    • 2 cups barbecue sauce

    Toppings and Sliders:

    • 12 slider buns, split and lightly toasted (or 6 regular hamburger buns)
    • 24 thin slices Ivanhoe aged cheddar, cut in half
    • 2 large dill pickles, cut into 12 slices

    Instructions

    1. Season the pork roast all over with salt and pepper, and place in a slow cooker. Pour in the root beer, then cover and cook on LOW until the pork is very tender and shreds easily, about 8-10 hours. (If you’re short on time, you can also cook it on HIGH for about 4-5 hours.)
    2. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Discard the cooking liquid.
    3. Using two forks, shred the pork meat, discarding any fatty or gristly bits as you go. Transfer the pulled pork back into the slow cooker, and stir in the barbecue sauce. Stir well, then cover and cook on HIGH for about 15 minutes to warm up the sauce.
    4. To assemble the sliders, place two pieces of cheese on the bottom half of each slider bun, then top with small amount of pork, followed by another square of cheese and a couple pickle slices. Finish with the top bun, and serve immediately (preferably with a side of chips).

    Notes

    Instant Pot Version: In Step 1, cut the roast into two pieces, and season both halves with salt and pepper. Place in the pressure cooker, and pour in the root beer. Cover and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before manually releasing the remaining pressure. Continue with the recipe as directed, using Saute mode to warm through once the pulled pork and barbecue sauce are mixed together.

    • Prep Time: 5 mins
    • Cook Time: 10 hours
    • Category: Main
    • Method: Slow Cooker
    • Cuisine: Canadian

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    Comments

    1. Nick says

      June 6, 2020 at 7:20 pm

      Made this with a pork prime roast tonight in the Instant Pot and it came out great and I got a big "thumb's up" from my wife. Thanks for the recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Isabelle Boucher says

        June 7, 2020 at 11:04 pm

        Glad it was a hit, Nick!

        Reply
    2. Deb Hatton says

      January 27, 2017 at 2:01 pm

      WHOAH. Rootbeer and pork? That's a serious game-changer! We cooked up some rum and coke bacon this summer but now that you mention it the more complex flavour profile of a good rootbeer would be absolutely scrumptious. I'm going to try it with a pork loin tonight, thanks!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Kelly @ Nosh and Nourish says

      January 17, 2017 at 7:49 pm

      Looks like the perfect sandwich to me! And I always love sliders because you can take one if you're not as hungry, or three... :)

      Reply
    4. Angie | Big Bear's Wife says

      January 17, 2017 at 9:41 am

      One of my favorite meals ever! These look amazing!

      Reply
    5. Lauren Kelly Nutrition says

      January 16, 2017 at 6:40 pm

      I've got four dudes at home and they would LOVE this!

      Reply
    6. Alyssa | EverydayMaven says

      January 16, 2017 at 5:06 pm

      My husband would be all over this!

      Reply
    7. Lora @savoringitaly says

      January 16, 2017 at 3:28 pm

      What a lovely post and I wouldn't go out in -15C either to grill, hahaha. Love the idea of root beer and now I'm so curious to try these sliders!!!

      Reply
    8. Bernice Hill says

      January 16, 2017 at 12:45 pm

      Well now...I would hazard a guess and say that 'Mister' feels just as lucky to have found YOU.

      Next time I make pulled pork, I will try out this recipe though I usually just throw the ingredients in and hope for the best. I'm intrigued by the rootbeer...

      Reply
    9. Amanda | The Kitcheneer says

      January 16, 2017 at 10:42 am

      Such a great post! And I am lovin this Dude food concept! Root beer and pork would be such a hit in my family of guys!

      Reply
    10. Stephanie says

      January 16, 2017 at 10:00 am

      Awww, such a sweet post! I think wonderfully terrible jokes are a guy thing, haha!
      Love the flavors you added here - looks like such a great sandwich!

      Reply
    11. Meaghan says

      January 15, 2017 at 4:59 pm

      What a lovely post! And that's one lucky Mister (well it sounds like you are both lucky!!!). But OMG I wish I had one of these sliders in my mouth right NOW... Yum!

      Reply
    12. Mardi (eat. live. travel. write.) says

      January 15, 2017 at 4:20 pm

      What a sweet sweet post, Isabelle! I love the sound of these - I've had "Coca Cola Ribs" before and they were so tasty - I imagine this would be something similar along the lines of sweet and salty and savoury. Sounds just about perfect for this chilly weather and SO easy!

      Reply
    13. lillian T says

      January 14, 2017 at 11:12 pm

      yum! root beer and pork!? I certainly have to try this! I also love dill pickles so this would be a perfect for a comfort food dinner!

      Reply

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    Hello! I'm Isabelle, and this is my blog. I'm a 40-something coffee-chugging, booty-shaking, bargain-shopping, trucker-swearing self-taught cook with a major addiction to vintage cookbooks. Come for the recipes, stay for the terrible puns! Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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