Pulled Pork Sandwich with Brussels Slaw Recipe

This pulled pork sandwich recipe with Brussels slaw combines tender slow-cooked pork with a smoky, sweet, tangy sauce and a crisp Brussels sprout slaw piled onto toasted brioche buns. Featured on VEGANnotvegan with hosts Maddie and Kiki Longo, this hearty sandwich layers maple syrup, molasses, apple cider vinegar, spices, and rich pulled pork with crunchy vegetables for a bold comfort-food main that is ideal for feeding a crowd.

The Inspiration

Pulled pork is a dish built around patience. A large cut of pork becomes tender through slow cooking, giving the meat enough time to soften while absorbing the flavours of its seasoning and braising liquid. This version takes that familiar approach and turns it into a generous sandwich finished with a bright, crunchy Brussels sprout slaw.

Featured on VEGANnotvegan with Maddie and Kiki Longo, the recipe starts with a whole boneless pork butt weighing approximately 4 to 6 pounds. That size makes the dish ideal for a family meal, casual gathering, game-day spread, or weekend dinner when you want enough food to serve several people.

Ingredients

For the Pulled Pork

1 whole pork butt, boneless (4 to 6 lbs)
½ large white onion, chopped
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup maple syrup
1/3 cup molasses
1 tsp liquid smoke
2 dashes hot sauce
½ cup plus ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, divided
3 cups low sodium chicken broth

For the Brussels Slaw

1 lb Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup raisins
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
Salt and pepper to taste

For Assembly

6-9 brioche buns, toasted

Method

Make the Pulled Pork

Place an oven rack in the lower position and preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).
Score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern. Stir together the kosher salt, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, garlic powder, and freshly ground black pepper and rub all over the pork.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pork butt fat side down and sear for 2-3 minutes. Turn the pork and sear on all sides for 2-3 minutes until browned all over. Finish by searing the bottom of the pork with the fat cap facing up and add the chopped onions to the bottom of the pot while cooking.
Mix the ketchup, maple syrup, molasses, liquid smoke, hot sauce, and ½ cup apple cider vinegar in a medium bowl and pour all over the pork butt. Add the chicken broth and cover with a lid.
Place the Dutch oven in the oven and cook for 4 hours, or until the pork just starts to feel tender. Remove the lid and cook for 1 hour more.
Remove from the oven and transfer the pork to a cutting board to rest for at least 15 minutes. Strain the fat out of the Dutch oven and stir the remaining ¼ cup apple cider vinegar into the remaining liquid.
When the pork is cool enough to touch, remove the fat cap (the crisp top can be snacked on or mixed into the pulled pork, and the remaining fat can be rendered down to make lard). Use 2 forks or your hands to shred the pork, leaving it in small clumps to maintain some variation in texture.
Add the pork back to the Dutch oven with the sauce and stir together. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, or hot sauce.

Make the Brussels Slaw

Whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, in a large bowl. Add the Brussels sprouts, red onion, and raisins and mix to coat with the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Assemble the Sandwiches

Add a large scoop of pulled pork to the bottom bun. Top with a smaller amount of the slaw followed by the top bun. Serve with more slaw on the side.

Serving Suggestions

This pulled pork sandwich with Brussels slaw is an ideal choice for a casual dinner, game-day meal, backyard-style gathering, weekend lunch, or any occasion when you need to feed several people from one main preparation. Serve the pork warm so the rich maple-molasses sauce can soak slightly into the toasted brioche, then top each sandwich with enough Brussels slaw to provide a refreshing contrast without overwhelming the meat.

The slaw can also be served generously on the side, as specified in the source recipe, giving diners the option to add more as they eat. Because the pork is rich and deeply seasoned, lighter sides work particularly well alongside it, but the sandwich and slaw are substantial enough to function as a complete meal on their own.

For entertaining, keep the shredded pork warm in the Dutch oven and arrange toasted buns and slaw separately so guests can build their sandwiches just before eating. This helps preserve the crisp texture of the slaw and prevents the brioche from becoming overly soft before serving.

Final Thoughts

This pulled pork sandwich recipe delivers the kind of bold flavour and contrasting texture that makes slow-cooked barbecue-style sandwiches so satisfying. It is a hearty sandwich with plenty of contrast, built around a slow-cooked centrepiece that rewards the long cooking time with tenderness, depth, and bold barbecue-inspired flavour.

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