Delicious apple pulled pork, cooked low and slow and flavoured with a touch of apple. Served on a crusty roll and topped with a homemade apple coleslaw. Perfect for feeding a crowd!

Apple Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Why you’ll love this apple pulled pork!

Pulled pork is always a favourite in my household. It’s a great dish to cook up on a cold winter day and since it makes a lot, it’s perfect for feeding a group, too. The smell is wonderful as it cooks and it doesn’t need much tending. When ready, simply shred and enjoy! I love it in these pulled pork sandwiches, with a crusty bun and a simple, homemade apple coleslaw.

And speaking of apple, it’s the secret ingredient in my pulled pork as well. It disappears in to the sauce as it cooks, but lends an ever-so-subtle fruity note to the sauce. It’s a perfect complement to the other flavours in the sauce. Any apple will do. Grab a nice sized one, peel, core and dice and toss it in.

Apple Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients and Substitutions

Pork – start with a pork shoulder or pork butt roast, either boneless or bone-in. I tend to prefer boneless if I can and prefer to use a roast that is one piece of meat, rather than one that is tied together with butcher string. If yours is tied, remove the string before cooking.

Apple – use any type of apple you like or have on hand.

Chili Powder – this is the same powder (made of a mix of spices) you would use for a pot of chili. It is not cayenne or a similar hot powder.

Recipe Tips

This pulled pork can be cooked on the stove-top in a heavy Dutch oven pot or in a slow cooker. On the stove-top it should take 4 hours from start to finish. In the slow cooker, it would be about 4 hours on high or 7 or 8 hours if cooked on low. For the slow cooker, be sure to simmer a bit at the end with the lid off to thicken the sauce.

You could also pop this one into a low oven (325F), covered for about 3 hours, or until pull-apart tender.

Apple Pulled Pork Sandwiches

apple pulled pork sandwiches on wooden background

Get the Recipe: Apple Pulled Pork

Low and slow cooked, apple pulled pork, great served on crusty rolls with apple slaw. Great Fall eating!
5 stars from 2 ratings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

For pulled pork:

  • 3 1/2 - 4 lb. pork shoulder
  • 1 cup onion, diced
  • 1 red pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 large apple, peeled, cored and diced
  • 1 6-oz. can tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Chili powder, *see Note 1 below
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

For the apple coleslaw:

  • 2 cups Purple or green cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded
  • 1/4 cup apple, cored and thinly sliced or shredded
  • 6 Tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 Tablesoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

To serve:

  • Crusty buns or rolls

Instructions
 

  • Place pork shoulder in a large, heavy bottomed Dutch oven or pot on the stove-top. If necessary, cut the pork in to a couple of large chunks to fit. Add all the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Cover and turn burner on to medium. After 10-15 minutes, stir the mixture well and flip the pork over. Cover pot, reduce heat to medium-low and allow to cook for 3-4 hours, flipping pork and stirring several times during that period.
  • For the Slow cooker, cook on high for about 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. If the roast is exposed on the top, I like to open the lid a couple of times during cooking and flip it over, but it isn’t really necessary if it’s not convenient. Cook for 20-30 minutes at the end with the lid off to thicken the sauce.
  • When pork is tender enough to pull apart with a fork, remove the pork to a rimmed baking sheet. Remove and discard any bone. Using two forks, shred the pork, discarding any fatty pieces. Return the shredded meat to the pot with the sauce and stir well. Allow to simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce thickened.
  • For the apple coleslaw, combine all the coleslaw ingredients in a medium bowl and stir together well.
  • Serve on buns, topped with apple coleslaw.

Notes

Note 1: This is the Chili powder that you would use for a pot of chili. It is a mix of spices. It is not cayenne or a similar hot powder.
Be sure to read the notes above this recipe card, for more tips, options, substitutions and variations for this recipe!
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Sandwich
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 281kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Sodium: 18mg, Potassium: 118mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 480IU, Vitamin C: 21.9mg, Calcium: 19mg, Iron: 0.3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @seasonsandsuppers on Instagram or tag #seasonsandsuppers.