BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders

Pork shoulder has enough fat to stay moist during long cooking. Don't trim the fat cap - it bastes the meat. Shred while warm for easiest pulling. The vinegar in the cooking liquid tenderizes and adds tang. Make the slaw just before serving to keep it crisp. Brioche buns add sweetness that complements the pork.

Pulled pork is a product of the American barbecue tradition, rooted in the slow-smoking techniques developed in the American Southeast and particularly in the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Georgia from the colonial period onward. The technique of cooking a whole pork shoulder or Boston butt (the upper portion of the front leg) over indirect heat at low temperatures for many hours — typically 225–250°F for 10–14 hours — breaks down the collagen in the connective tissue, converting it to gelatin and allowing the muscle fibers to separate easily. This technique was developed by African American pit masters who were central to the history of Southern barbecue, bringing techniques from West African cooking traditions combined with the abundant pigs of the colonial Southeast. Pulled pork is now universally associated with Southern American barbecue culture and is a competitive category at the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest in Memphis and similar events. The slider — a small, single-serving bun — provides the party format: sliders originated at White Castle (founded 1921 in Wichita, Kansas) as small steamed hamburgers on soft buns, and the format was adopted by upscale restaurants from the 1990s onward. Coleslaw — shredded cabbage in a vinegar or mayonnaise dressing — is the traditional counterpart, providing acid and crunch to balance the richness of the smoked pork.