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These BBQ Pulled Pork Bowls are sure to become your favorite for weeknight dinners! All of your BBQ favorites in one flavorful bowl.
To say I am obsessed with these BBQ Pulled Pork Bowls would be putting it lightly. The pork is so simple yet cooked to perfection (if I do say so myself), then paired with so many flavorful elements in one nourishing bowl.
What else do I love about this recipe? It is super versatile! While my husband and I enjoy these bowls as-is, I deconstruct them a little for my kids. They prefer to enjoy their pulled pork on a soft bun with coleslaw and sweet potatoes on the side! All that to say, this makes for the perfect build-a-bowl (or sandwich) dinner.
BBQ Pulled Pork Bowl ingredients:
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic Cloves
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
- Bone-In Pork Shoulder
- Salt and Pepper
- Ground Cumin
- Sweet Potatoes
- Avocado Oil
- Smoked Paprika
- Mayonnaise
- Lemon Juice
- White Vinegar
- Coleslaw Mix: With red cabbage and carrots
- Canned Black Beans
- Sliced Dill Pickles
- BBQ Sauce
- Cilantro
- Lime Wedges
BBQ Pulled Pork Bowl Step-by-Step: slow cooker method
Step one: make the apple cider vinegar pulled pork:
To start, place the onion and garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour in the apple cider vinegar and broth and stir to combine. Pat the pork dry and season all over with salt, pepper, and cumin, using your hands to press the spices into the pork so that it adheres. Place the pork on top of the onions and garlic in the slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours.
Step Two: Roast the Sweet Potatoes
When there are about 45 minutes left on the pork, preheat the oven to 400℉ and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cut potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the avocado oil, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Toss until well combined then spread into a single layer. Transfer to the oven and roast until the sweet potatoes are tender and golden on the edges, about 35 minutes, tossing halfway through the cooking time.
Step Three: Make the Coleslaw
In the bottom of a medium mixing bowl, combine the mayo, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper and whisk until well combined. Add the coleslaw mix and toss until very well coated. Set aside.
Step Four: Crisp the apple cider vinegar pulled pork
When ready to eat, turn the broiler on (set to high if you have the option). Using tongs, transfer the pork to a large-rimmed baking sheet, and using two forks, shred the pork and spread it in a single even layer over the baking sheet. Ladle about ½ cup of the liquid from the slow cooker over the pork. Place the pork on the top rack under the broiler and cook until the pork begins to crisp up on the edges, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how hot your broiler gets. Watch carefully as it crisps to make sure it doesn’t burn. Pour an additional ½ cup of the liquid over the pork and give it one last toss to coat evenly.
Step Five: Serve and Enjoy!
To serve, plate the pulled pork alongside a serving of the coleslaw, some roasted sweet potatoes, and a scoop of the warmed black beans. Drizzle the bowl with BBQ sauce. Top with some sliced pickles, sliced onion, and cilantro, and serve with a wedge of lime.
I hope y’all love these BBQ Pulled Pork Bowls! Comment below once y’all try!
For More Pork Recipes:
Slow Cooker Shredded Lemongrass Pork Bowls
Cuban-Inspired Pulled Pork with Mojo
BBQ Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Avocado Crema
Honey-Orange Glazed Pork Stir Fry
BBQ Pulled Pork Bowls
Ingredients
For the Apple Cider Vinegar Pulled Pork:
- 1 small yellow onion halved and thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2.5-3 lb bone-in pork shoulder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
For the Sweet Potatoes:
- 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes diced large
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
For the Coleslaw:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 14 ounce coleslaw mix with red cabbage and carrots
For the Bowls:
- 1 can black beans drained and warmed
- Sliced dill pickles
- BBQ sauce for serving
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
Make the Apple Cider Vinegar Pulled Pork (Slow Cooker Method):
- Place the onion and garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour in the apple cider vinegar and broth and stir to combine.
- Pat the pork dry and season all over with the salt, pepper and cumin, using your hands to press the spices into the pork so that it adheres. Place the pork on top of the onions and garlic in the slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours.
Meanwhile, Make the Sweet Potatoes:
- When there is about 45 minutes left on the pork, preheat the oven to 400℉ and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the cut potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the avocado oil, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Toss until well combined then spread into a single layer. Transfer to the oven and roast until the sweet potatoes are tender and golden on the edges, about 35 minutes, tossing halfway through the cooking time.
Meanwhile, Make the Coleslaw:
- In the bottom of a medium mixing bowl, combine the mayo, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper and whisk until well combined. Add the coleslaw mix and toss until very well coated. Set aside.
Finish the Apple Cider Vinegar Pulled Pork:
- When ready to eat, turn the broiler on (set to high if you have the option). If you don’t have a broiler, heat the oven to 500℉ or as hot as you can get it.
- Using tongs, transfer the pork to a large rimmed baking sheet and using two forks, shred the pork and spread it in a single even layer over the baking sheet. Ladle about ½ cup of the liquid from the slow cooker over the pork. Place the pork on the top rack under the broiler and cook until the pork begins to crisp up on the edges, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how hot your broiler gets. Watch carefully as it crisps to make sure it doesn’t burn. Pour an additional ½ cup of the liquid over the pork and give it one last toss to coat evenly.
Serve:
- To serve, plate the pulled pork alongside a serving of the coleslaw, some roasted sweet potatoes, and a scoop of the warmed black beans. Drizzle the bowl with BBQ sauce. Top with some sliced pickles, sliced onion, and cilantro and serve with a wedge of lime.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We really enjoyed this. Nice way to enjoy pulled pork, aside from sandwich form.
We loved this one! I’m a big bowl girlie & went that route while my husband made a BBQ sandwich with sweet potatoes & black beans on the side. We really loved the flavors of this meal & I really loved the ease of cooking that came with it so we’ll absolutely have this one again!
I was so excited to try this recipe. I love bowls for dinner and this one had such unique ingredients from bowls I have made before. We loved it!! I didn’t make any changes from the recipe. BRING ON THE BOWL RECIPES!!
Loved these so much! Easy to make and great for meal prep. Thanks, Alex!
Glad it was a win!
How would you adjust this for slow cooking in the oven vs slow cooker?
I haven’t tested the recipe yet in the oven so i am not totally sure here.
Hi,can I cooked the pork in instapot?
Hi! I could only find boneless pork shoulder. Will this change the cooking time?
should be still just fine with the same time!
I sautéed the onions briefly and made this with boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of pork and cooked it a few less hours. It was so good! All 3 kids and mom and dad were happy!
love to hear that!!! Thanks, Chrissy!