Pulled Pork Bowl (Printable)

Tender pork over rice with crunchy coleslaw and smoky BBQ drizzle

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 or brown rice, or cooked 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

# Cooking Steps:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting, leaving you free to do literally anything else for eight hours.
  • Every bite gives you something different: smoky, tangy, creamy, crunchy, all in one forkful.
  • It's the kind of meal that makes people lean back in their chairs and ask when you're making it again.
02 -
  • Don't open the slow cooker lid to check on the pork every hour—you'll lose heat and add cooking time, and trust me, it's doing just fine in there.
  • Shred the pork while it's still warm; once it cools, it firms up and becomes way harder to pull apart.
  • Make the slaw at least 30 minutes ahead so the flavors marry and the cabbage softens just a little without turning soggy.
03 -
  • Use a fatty cut like pork butt or shoulder—the fat melts during cooking and keeps everything juicy instead of dry.
  • Let the pork rest in the slow cooker with the sauce for 15 minutes after shredding so it absorbs every bit of flavor.
  • Warm your bowls slightly before assembling so the rice doesn't cool down the pork too fast.
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