Pulled Pork Bowl with BBQ (Printable)

Slow-cooked 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 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 tbsp apple cider vinegar
16 - 1 tsp honey
17 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Garnishes

18 - Sliced green onions (optional)
19 - Fresh cilantro (optional)

# How-To Steps:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The slow cooker does almost all the work while you live your Saturday, then you get restaurant-quality pulled pork without the stress.
  • Every component tastes different but works together perfectly, so you get that whole satisfying meal experience in one bowl.
  • It's forgiving enough for a weeknight but impressive enough to serve at a casual gathering without anyone suspecting how easy it was.
02 -
  • Don't skimp on the 8-hour cook time if you're using low—shortcuts here mean chewy pork, which defeats the entire purpose.
  • The pork is done when a fork shreds it easily with almost no resistance, and if it's still tough, those extra 30 minutes matter.
  • Pat your cabbage dry before dressing it if you made it hours ahead, or the coleslaw will get watery and dilute all your flavor work.
  • Your choice of BBQ sauce completely changes the bowl's personality, so pick one you'd actually eat on its own.
03 -
  • If you only have regular paprika instead of smoked, add a tiny pinch of liquid smoke to the spice rub—it won't be identical but it gets you closer.
  • Double the coleslaw dressing if you like things creamy, or use Greek yogurt instead of mayo for something lighter that still feels indulgent.
  • Leftover pulled pork freezes beautifully for up to three months, so make extra and use it in tacos, sandwiches, or nachos later.
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