Pulled Pork Bowl (Printable)

Slow-cooked pork over rice with crisp coleslaw and smoky BBQ drizzle.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Pork

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - 0.5 tsp black pepper
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 0.5 tsp garlic powder
06 - 0.5 tsp onion powder
07 - 0.5 tsp ground cumin
08 - 1 cup chicken broth
09 - 0.5 cup BBQ sauce, plus extra for serving

→ Rice or Grain

10 - 2 cups cooked white rice, brown rice, or quinoa

→ Coleslaw

11 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
12 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
13 - 1 medium carrot, grated
14 - 0.25 cup mayonnaise
15 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
16 - 1 tsp honey
17 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Garnishes

18 - Sliced green onions, optional
19 - Fresh cilantro, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, combine salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Rub the spice mixture evenly over all surfaces of the pork shoulder.
02 - Place the rubbed pork in a slow cooker and add chicken broth. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 hours until the pork is very tender and easily shredded with forks.
03 - Remove the cooked pork from the slow cooker and shred using two forks. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker, stir in 0.5 cup BBQ sauce, and keep warm on low heat.
04 - In a large bowl, combine shredded green cabbage, shredded red cabbage, and grated carrot. Mix thoroughly to distribute vegetables evenly.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
06 - Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss thoroughly to coat all vegetables evenly. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
07 - Divide cooked rice or grain evenly among four bowls. Top each with generous portions of pulled pork and coleslaw. Drizzle with additional BBQ sauce and garnish with green onions or cilantro if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The pork does almost all the work while you live your life, then rewards you with meat so tender it barely needs chewing.
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but costs a fraction of what you'd spend eating out, and honestly feels a bit like cheating.
  • One batch feeds a crowd or gives you leftovers that taste even better the next day when you're hungry and impatient.
02 -
  • Don't peek constantly at the slow cooker because every time you lift that lid you're adding fifteen minutes to your cooking time, which I learned the hard way by getting impatient.
  • The coleslaw is better made at least an hour ahead because the dressing needs time to soften the cabbage slightly and let all those flavors actually talk to each other instead of just existing in the same bowl.
03 -
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check the pork at the seven hour mark because some models cook faster and you don't want meat that's been sitting in liquid for too long, which can turn it mushy.
  • Save that braising liquid left in the slow cooker because it's liquid gold for reheating leftovers, keeping everything moist instead of dry and sad.
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