Salted Caramel Pulled Pork Slider

Published: May 17, 2017 · Updated: Jan 28, 2024 by Carlos Leo · 34 Comments

5 from 10 reviews

Juicy, sweet, flavorful & tender Pulled Pork Slider with Salted Caramel Sauce. This party bite or appetizer recipe also uses extra virgin olive oil, along with Sea Salt from Greece, and spices. I also included easy cooking instructions for a pressure cooker, slow cooker, crock pot, and a Dutch oven, so that you have all the options for making this pulled pork slider recipe.

Four Salted Caramel Pulled pork sliders on a plate with condiments in the background. Spoonabilities.com — *Recipe post may have affiliate links; read our* *disclosure policy*. *Photographs ©Carlos Leo, Spoonabilities*

Hello my friends, the last month has been a bit crazy around here - a ton of work in my full-time job. I know, you are thinking: “What does he do when he’s not cooking, taking photographs, looking at recipes or writing the blog?”

I have one of the coolest jobs. I work in the hospitality market in sales. I get to travel around the Caribbean, meeting new people and helping hotels resolve their problems. How cool is that? Yes, I know I’m very privileged to do two things that I love; share with our Spoonabilities community all the products and recipes we sell here, and, work with people in other countries including travelling and learning different cultures and tasting their food.

Each island in the Caribbean has characteristics that are special and unique to their island. But the most amazing quality is the warmth and happiness of the people. Some of my territories are The Dominican Republic (what a coincidence - that's where I'm from), The Grand Cayman Islands, Jamaica, The Bahamas & Bermuda. Of course, my favorite island is my country but my second favorite is Grand Cayman Islands.

Grand Cayman is a small island but what is special about them is the multi-racial community from all over the world. This diverse community creates the most fascinating and exciting food. There is a high concentration of Filipinos, Western Europeans, Jamaicans and others from all over the Caribbean. With all this diversity of both people and food, I came across a small restaurant that had the very best pulled pork sandwiches. They were “to die for!” Finding that place inspired me to research and make this Pulled Pork Slider recipe with Salted Butter Caramel Spread.

Most of the time when I go to Grand Cayman, I get to stay at the Ritz-Carlton. Tough life, I know. I have to tell you - after you try the “Ritz Experience,” you will know why they are one of the top luxury hotels in the world. I just want to make something clear. This is not a sponsored post. I’m just expressing my views like I always do. Spoonabilities is still a little company and we are too small still to be asked to write a sponsor post! But even when that happens, you know I say exactly how I feel about something.

So now you discovered my secret of why I have so many different food props in my photographs. Foodservice is my favorite department when I work in the hotels. I get to work with the executive chefs and their teams to help them find innovative products for the service tables, and buffet presentations, and the back of the house (kitchen). I am constantly assisting them with new ideas, and consequently “have to” buy some for my own use. If you have noticed some of the Amazon links to products in my posts, now you know where I found them.

Talking about “props,” I will be listing some of my plates on eBay and Etsy. It has been hard for me to give some of them up, but this is something I must do because I don’t have any more space available in our condo. My last resource was to make extra space in the shoe closet by stacking shoes on top of each other. Geoffrey is not happy about it because his space in every closet gets smaller and smaller every day. It's crazy!

Three Steps to the Pulled Pork Slider Recipe

This Pulled Pork Slider is the easiest recipe with just three steps: rub, cook and shred.

#1 Rub - Make the Spice mix and rub on the pork.

First, in a medium bowl mix the ingredients to prepare the wet rub adding the Salted Butter Caramel Spread, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salt Odyssey Pure Sea Salt from Messolonghi, (all ), cumin, dry oregano, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and ground ginger. This rub will give the pork a caramelized soft crust and aromatic flavor.

In addition to the Salted Butter Caramel Spread, we have several flavored Goat's Milk Caramel Sauces from Fat Toad Farms. For the Pulled Pork Sliders, we also recommend using either Cold Brew Coffee Caramel Sauce, or Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce.

#2 Cook the pork - Three different options.

When I was doing some research to create this recipe for a Pulled Pork Slider, I found most recipes only give instructions to cook the pork with only one cooking method. With this recipe, I want you to have all in one place how to cook the pulled pork using a pressure cooker, slow cooker, crock pot, and in a Dutch oven so that you have all the options for making this pulled pork slider recipe. My favorite way to cook the pork is in the pressure cooker for a super easy, quick but tender, juicy meat. On other occasions, I like to cook it in a Dutch Oven, especially if I want a crispy crust.

Pulled Pork Slider Pressure Cooker Method - 6 or 8 quart size bowl

Follow the same instruction for the rub mixture.
Select the browning option in the pressure cooker. Add 2 Tablespoons EVOO and brown for about 2-3 minutes each side.
Leave the pork in the pressure cooker and add a cup of unsalted chicken stock or water.
Select high pressure and set the timer for 90 minutes, and use the natural pressure release.
When done, remove the pork and let it get cool.
With two forks, pull the meat apart. Place the meat in a baking dish or container with lid.
Pour the cooked liquid into a small saucepan on medium low heat.
Reserve one cup of the liquid in a small container and whisk with a Tablespoon of cornstarch.
Return the liquid to the saucepan and whisk until the proper consistency.
Pour the sauce over the shredded pork.
The pulled pork is ready to serve with fresh slider rolls.

Pulled Pork Slider Slow Cooker Method

Follow the same instruction for the rub mixture.
Place the pork in the slow cooker and set for 8 hours on low.
When done, remove the pork and let it get cool.
With two forks, pull the meat apart. Place the meat in a baking dish or container with lid.
Pour the cooked liquid in a small saucepan on medium low heat.
Reserve one cup of the liquid in a small container and whisk with a Tablespoon of cornstarch.
Return the liquid to the saucepan and whisk until the proper consistency.
Pour the sauce over the shredded pork.
The pulled pork is ready to serve with fresh slider rolls.

Pulled Pork Slider Traditional Oven Method

Follow the same instruction for the rub mixture.
Preheat oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit
Place the pork in a Dutch oven. Cover and cook for 5-6 hours.
When done, the internal temperature should be around 190-195 degrees. Remove the pork and let it get cool.
With two forks, pull the meat apart. Place the meat in a baking dish or container with lid.
Pour the cooked liquid in a small saucepan on medium low heat.
Reserve one cup of the liquid in a small container and whisk with a Tablespoon of cornstarch.
Return the liquid to the saucepan and whisk until the proper consistency.
Pour the sauce over the shredded pork.
The pulled pork is ready to serve with fresh slider rolls.

Here are some other recipes where I use the braising method:

#3 Shred the pork.

To shred the pork, I wait for the pork to cool for a little bit and I shred it by using two forks. I laid the pulled pork on a baking sheet, and I pour on top the reduced sauce left over in the pressure cooker.

For the reduced sauce, I place the liquid with cornstarch in a medium low heat on the stove until the sauce reaches the ideal consistency.

This juicy Salted Caramel Pulled Pork Slider is the perfect small bite for serving at parties, or as an appetizer for your summer parties. Serve the pulled pork on slider buns with pickles and a side of coleslaw. There are also so many ways to eat this pulled pork besides on a slider bun. Great and fun alternative to hamburgers.

Fun ideas to pair with Pulled Pork Sliders

Pulled pork on a lettuce wrap with green onions, and peanuts.
Pulled pork on pita bread with chopped tomatoes, cucumber and red onion.
Pulled pork on a lettuce wrap with chopped apples.
Pulled pork in a tortilla with avocado, jalapeno pepper and cilantro.
Pulled pork on a spring roll rice wrapper with shredded carrot, red cabbage and green pepper.

After you whet your appetite with these Pulled Pork Sliders, heat up your grill and enjoy these summer weekends cooking with some of these sticky, sweet, tangy, spicy dishes like:

If you have some leftover burger buns, then you have to make my Gourmet Dominican Chimichurri Hamburger or this new Spiced Lamb Burger with Fennel Cucumber & Celery Slaw. You will love them. Enjoy trying all these recipes. Let me know if you need any more encouragement.

Carlos Leo
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