12 Ingredients That Will Improve Your Pulled Pork Sandwiches

There is so much to love about pulled pork sandwiches, especially during grilling season. It's hard to get enough of their soft buns filled with slow-cooked, tender, melt-in-your-mouth, smoky pork, which can carry complex seasonings and flavors. These popular sammies manage to hit different taste elements like salty, umami, sweet, and spicy, which makes each bite satisfyingly delicious. Many people have their preferred takeout or BBQ joint to get a pulled pork sandwich, but if you've ever made your own, you'll know how rewarding it can be to get it right. 

While there are some common mistakes that you should avoid if you want to get the most out of your sandwiches — like undercutting the cooking time or shredding the finished product too much — pulled pork is generally pretty forgiving to cook. It's also a meal that can feed many mouths, so it's perfect for outdoor summertime gatherings like potlucks, picnics, and barbecues. It not only carries well, but everyone can also customize and assemble their own buns to fit their sandwich preferences. 

With so many options for pulled pork sandwich toppings, you can put your own spin of them through simple but effective additions like pickles, coleslaw, and cheese — or get creative, and push the BBQ envelope even more. As a professional recipe developer, I've made pulled pork sandwiches countless times for both my business and my family. Here are some of the best ingredients to improve your pulled pork sandwich.

Before I even get to the sandwich, I have to talk about what cut of pork to use. I know that the ultimate pulled pork is cooked low and slow, and that means you need a cut that won't dry out and get tough. Since your pork won't be tender and soft if you use a leaner cut, you're looking for one that's marbled with enough fat, collagen, and tendons. These will melt into your meat as you cook it, making your pulled pork juicy and rich. Word to the wise: A bone-in cut, which is generally a cheaper option than boneless, will give your pulled pork an even richer flavor.

The most popular cut for pulled pork is pork shoulder — sometimes referred to as the pork butt (don't worry, the pork butt isn't the backend of the pig). It's the name for a larger part of the shoulder, which includes the shoulder blade, neck, and upper arm, including the bones. This cut has a high fat and connective tissue ratio to the muscle, making it ideal for slow cooking. The best part is that all of this fat will act as a basting liquid for your pork as it cooks.

The right seasoning can often make or break a good piece of slow-cooked meat, and it's no different with pulled pork. Because it cooks for hours, people often use an oil, sauce, or liquid-based marinade for their piece of pork. While you might consider turning to a BBQ sauce, I recommend using a dry rub — which is the unsung hero of delicious pulled pork. Dry seasonings stick to the meat better, and if you let the meat marinate for a couple of hours with a dry rub, the seasonings will absorb deeper into the meat.

You can still also add a liquid marinade to the meat while cooking, even if you've already used a dry rub, so there's no need to choose one over the other if you're torn. Use a pre-mixed rub or make your own blend using salt, pepper, and whatever other spices and herbs you like. Some great options include paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, cloves, garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, and more. Just remember that the best method for applying a dry rub is to pat the meat completely dry first.

Making pulled pork takes quite a bit of effort, so you don't want to mess up the whole thing in the final hour by using average bread. Bread is arguably just as important to your enjoyment of a pulled pork sandwich as the filling itself, so it's important to give it the attention it requires. 

There are various bread options to use, but soft buns are key to delicious pulled pork sandwiches. Since the meat is so tender, the bun can't be too dense and chewy, which makes soft buns the perfect carrier. The filling is also likely to spill out if your bread isn't soft enough. However, keep in mind that you need to find the perfect balance between soft and sturdy, because your buns need to carry the meat and absorb its juices while still holding everything together. If the buns are too soft, the bread could disintegrate in your hands from the moisture of the sauce. Soft Hawaiian buns are an ideal choice for pulled pork, and they're also pretty easy to find at your local grocery store. A decent alternative would be some brioche or even good old-fashioned hamburger buns. 

Whichever type of bread you use, make sure the buns are fresh, as this will further make your sandwiches tastier and fluffier. There are few things worse than stale bread letting down your deliciously cooked pulled pork.

Pulled pork contains a lot of fatty goodness, but this can be a bit much if you don't add an ingredient to cut through the richness. Pickles, for example, can bring a little sharpness. You can use any pickled veggie you love, but a truly complementary type for pulled pork is pickled red onions. Using red onions over white or yellow onions works well because their slight sweetness goes well with pork — and when pickled, they turn into a beautiful purple-pink color that is visually appealing. Their acidity not only offers relief from the fatty pork, but also the sweetness of whatever sauce you're using, such as BBQ sauce. Red onions are also not overly acidic, so they won't overpower the rest of the meal.

While you can likely purchase pickled red onions at your local grocery store, they're also easy to make. Try our sugar-free pickled red onion recipe, which is made with some simple household ingredients you may already have in your pantry. These pair well with all types of dishes, so you won't regret making a large batch for the week. 

However, if you don't love pickled veggies, a great allium alternative would be scallions. They have that coveted onion-y flavor but are milder than other onions, so they won't be too overwhelming. They're also easy to prepare, add much flavorful depth, and bring a beautiful pop of green to your sandwich: Simply slice the scallions up into little rings and throw them on.

One of the most common problems people run into when slow cooking a piece of meat like pork is letting it dry out. It can happen to anyone, as the meat is left to cook for hours, but there are some tricks you can use to prevent this. One suggestion shared by Tasting Table recipe developer Petar Marshall is to spray a splash of apple cider vinegar on your pork. Vinegar is a known meat tenderizer, as it contains acetic acid, which will help break fibers in the meat down — and in this recipe, it does just that while also adding flavor and replenishing moisture. You can use any vinegar to do this, but apples famously go well with pork by adding a little pleasant sweetness to the dish. In fact, Marshall doubles up on the apple by mixing apple cider vinegar with apple cider. 

For this technique, it's best to spray your piece of meat after about two hours of cooking, when it has lost some of its juices. The apple cider vinegar works to reintroduce some of the lost moisture to the pork, so it's a good idea to continue spritzing it regularly throughout the remaining cooking time.

There are few toppings as classic on a pulled pork sandwich than some coleslaw. It's usually the only fresh ingredient added to the sammie, and it provides crunch, juiciness, and added flavor. Plus, if you use a mayonnaise-based dressing for your coleslaw, it will bring some creaminess to help balance out the sweetness or spiciness of your meat. In truth, a great coleslaw can make even a mediocre pulled pork sandwich taste incredible.

There are so many ways you can customize your slaw to exactly what you like. Of course, you can keep it totally classic by shredding some white cabbage and carrots and pairing it with a tangy mayo dressing. You might also consider using some red cabbage or other crunchy veggies, like celery, radish, sprouts, or even some kohlrabi. Some people prefer to add some sweetness by using apples (making for a strong flavor combo with pork). Or, perhaps you want to give this topping a little twist and add some cilantro, chiles, and sriracha mayonnaise. If you don't like the heaviness of the mayonnaise, opt for a mayo-free slaw and make a vinaigrette, or simply dress it with some vinegar, olive oil, and seasonings.

If you're a cheese lover, then there should be no need to convince you that basically everything is better with cheese. It's a culinary no-brainer. And if you're going to eat something as delicious as pulled pork, then you should go all the way with the decadence and cover it with some melting cheese. Cheese not only makes your sandwich gooier and richer, but it also adds even more umami, which is hard to say no to. Plus, it's an easy way to take your sandwich to the next level — there's no preparation needed other than slicing your cheese or unwrapping a package of the pre-sliced stuff. 

If you're wondering what cheese to choose, cheddar would make an excellent choice. It melts easily and boasts a little sharpness that packs a lot of flavor. You can also choose a cheddar with different levels of strength by looking for what level of maturity it is. A more aged cheddar will have a deeper umami flavor, for example, but for those who prefer a milder cheddar, you can always choose one that's less mature. 

Another great option is mozzarella, which is so satisfyingly gooey and stringy when melted. Mozzarella has a milder flavor than other cheeses and will ensure your pulled pork isn't overpowered by it. It's also a crowd-pleaser (even for some of the pickier eaters in our lives). 

For those who love spicy food, you should consider adding kimchi to your pulled pork sandwich. If you haven't heard of it before and are wondering what kimchi is, it's a popular Korean staple made of fermented cabbage and chile paste or powder. Kimchi is sour, spicy, and deeply complex in taste, so it goes with many dishes — especially with rich foods — as its acidity and spiciness will cut through and make for a more balanced palate. 

It's a seemingly obvious choice, then, to pair with a pulled pork sandwich, which would usually have some cabbage anyway in the form of coleslaw. Kimchi doesn't have to replace your slaw (because you can always use both), but it does similarly add a little freshness and tang to complement the sweetness or richness of the meat. It can even add a little crisp texture to your sandwich. Do you love pickles on your food? Then consider using kimchi instead; or, add them both to double the sourness. 

If you can't handle heat but are still curious to try kimchi, we've found that you can sometimes find less spicy jars at Asian markets. So, perhaps it's worth asking about at your local store.

There are so many sauce options to choose from for a delicious pulled pork sandwich. One of the most popular choices is BBQ sauce — and of course, there's no shame in keeping to the classics. But if you want to try something different, then piri-piri sauce is a unique choice. If you're unfamiliar with this sauce, it hails from African countries previously colonized by Portugal, like Mozambique and Angola (where the sauce's exact origins are hotly debated). It later became popularized worldwide due to the Nando's chicken chain; and nowadays, you can usually find bottles of this sauce in mainstream grocery stores.

Packed with flavor, piri-piri sauce (also called peri-peri sauce) is usually made from a base of African bird's eye or Thai chiles, along with garlic, lemon, vinegar, paprika, oil, and other ingredients. While initially created as an incredible sauce for chicken, shrimp, and more, the heat from the chiles will add a mild spiciness to your pulled pork sandwich. Meanwhile, the other ingredients bring a lot of flavor and brightness — all of which make for a moreish bite. Not to mention, mopping any excess sauce up from your plate with your bread buns is also delicious.

Just keep in mind that too much of any sauce can ruin your pulled pork sandwich. Sauces tend to have very strong flavors, which can drown out the delicate smokiness of your pulled pork. It's best to add just enough to enhance the meat, without the sauce taking over completely. 

Yogurt may not be an ingredient that immediately comes to mind when you think of pulled pork sandwiches, but it's a secret culinary weapon that adds both creaminess and tang. Lighter than mayonnaise or cream, yogurt doesn't feel as heavy when added to other foods. Its cooling effect also makes for a welcome contrast to the more intense flavors of pulled pork, whether spicy, salty, or sweet.

While it's delicious on its own as a sandwich topping, yogurt also makes a great base for a sauce. You can add some cucumbers, lemon juice, and salt to make a riff on an easy tzatziki, which would taste deliciously fresh on a pulled pork sandwich. Or, you might even mix it with some sriracha and paprika to make a creamy, mild hot sauce. If you want it to be extra creamy, opt for a thick Greek yogurt — it won't let you down in terms of flavor and richness, but will still feel fresh rather than greasy or too heavy. 

Another quintessential ingredient to add to your pulled pork is jalapeño. Whether you make your own pickled jalapeños or buy them in jars, these little chile peppers add the perfect amount of bite to your sandwich. They're especially good if you like a tiny bit of spiciness but not an overpowering heat, as they're more flavorful than hot. Not to mention, you can often find jalapeños of different heat levels, so you can simply buy the level you like best. This also makes it the perfect ingredient when serving pulled pork sandwiches to guests who prefer varying levels of spice.

While you can add jalapeño slices for an easy pulled pork topping, you might consider using whole jalapeños for extra juiciness. If you want to take things to the next level, place stuffed jalapeño poppers on your sandwich. These are filled with gooey cheese and sometimes deep-fried — making for a crowd-pleasing pairing. And there are no rules that say you can't use this snack on your sandwiches, especially if you love decadence and bold flavors.

This added ingredient is for anyone with a sweet tooth and who isn't opposed to adding fruit to savory foods. Grilled pineapple and pork are a pair that naturally go great together. We see them both on Hawaiian pizzas, in pork roasts, and for our purposes, on pulled pork sandwiches. Grilled pineapple gives these sammies a sweet fruitiness, which balances nicely with the smoky pork. To help wash it down, this fruit also adds more juiciness to the meat — which could even help save pork that's been dried out in the cooking process.

You can always use raw pineapple in your pulled pork sandwich, but grilling the fruit makes it a little caramelized and soft, while also removing any sharpness that can make pineapple a little unpleasant to eat. This method is also simple to do if you've already got your grill, smoker, oven, or barbecue going to cook your pork: You can simply add your pineapple slices to a wire rack right at the end of your cooking. Although you might be tempted to take a shortcut, fresh pineapple is better than canned when it comes to grilling. The natural sugar of the fresh fruit will caramelize better than fruit that has been stewed or cooked in syrup, and it won't be as overly sweet as the canned stuff.