Pulled Pork Bowl (Printable View)

Slow-cooked pork over fluffy rice topped with tangy coleslaw and smoky BBQ sauce for a hearty, flavorful meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pork

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
07 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1 cup chicken broth
09 - 0.5 cup barbecue 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 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
16 - 1 teaspoon honey
17 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Garnishes

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

# How to Make:

01 - In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Rub the spice mixture evenly over the entire pork shoulder.
02 - Place the seasoned pork in a slow cooker and add chicken broth. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours until the pork is very tender and easily shreds 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 barbecue sauce, and keep warm on low heat.
04 - In a large bowl, combine shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, and grated carrot. In a separate small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss until evenly coated. Refrigerate until serving time.
05 - Divide cooked rice or grain equally among four serving bowls. Top each portion with generous amounts of pulled pork and coleslaw. Drizzle with additional barbecue sauce and garnish with green onions or cilantro if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The meat practically cooks itself while you go about your day, filling your kitchen with the kind of smoky aroma that makes people ask what's for dinner the moment they walk in.
  • One bowl feeds you completely, no sides needed, though you'll want extra sauce because it's addictive.
  • It's forgiving enough for a weeknight but impressive enough to serve when people are coming over.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of returning the shredded pork to the slow cooker with sauce—it keeps the meat warm and allows those flavors to really soak in during the last bit of cooking.
  • Make the coleslaw ahead if you can because it gets better as it sits, and the vegetables soften into something almost buttery instead of remaining too crisp and raw.
03 -
  • Buy your pork the day before and let it sit in the fridge uncovered for a few hours—the slight drying of the surface helps the spices adhere better and creates more flavorful edges when it cooks.
  • If your BBQ sauce is too sweet or too thin, simmer it in a small pan for a few minutes to concentrate the flavors or reduce it before mixing with the pork.
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