BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls

Piles of smoky, pulled pork loaded into soft Hawaiian rolls with melted cheese and pickled jalapeños. That combination of smoky, sweet, and spicy is what keeps this on rotation.

The base recipe is just a starting point. Swap in provolone for a milder melt, dial up the heat with pepper jack, or skip the jalapeños and pile on fresh coleslaw instead.

Ingredients needed

• Hawaiian rolls – Their slight sweetness works perfectly against the smoky pulled pork and spicy jalapeños.
• Pulled pork – Leftover smoked pulled pork works best here, so the bark and smoke flavor really come through. If you don’t have any, our hot and fast smoked pulled pork recipe cuts the usual cook time in half.
• BBQ sauce – does double duty with half going into the foil tray to reheat the pork, and the other half gets drizzled over the top when building. We used Lillie’s Carolina, which has a tangy, vinegar-forward base that cuts through the richness of the pork, or make your own with our homemade East Carolina sauce.
• Cheese – Adds a rich, melty layer between the bun and the pork. Monterey Jack is our pick, but Havarti, Provolone, or Pepper Jack all work depending on how much heat you want.
• Pickled jalapeños – Bring heat and a sharp vinegary bite that balances the sweetness of the rolls.
• Butter – Brushed over the bun tops before going back on the smoker gives them a golden finish.

Storing and reheating pulled pork

This recipe started with a few pounds of leftover hot and fast pulled pork sitting in the fridge. A pork butt yields plenty of meat, so leftovers are almost guaranteed.

If you’re storing pulled pork in the fridge, transfer it to an airtight container with a splash of the reserved cooking liquid to keep it moist. It will keep for 3 to 4 days.

For longer storage, vacuum seal the pork with some of the braising liquid and freeze it for up to 6 months. When you’re ready to use it, drop the sealed bag into hot water and reheat it sous vide style. The pork comes out just as juicy as the day you cooked it.

For this recipe, the easiest reheating method is a foil tray on the smoker with your BBQ sauce mixed through, which does double duty by flavouring the pork at the same time. A pan on the stovetop or griddle works too if you’re short on time.

How to make BBQ pulled pork sliders

1. Preheat your smoker

Get your smoker running at 300°F. I use a pellet grill with Kirkland Competition pellets, but any smoke wood works fine here.

At this temperature and cook time the wood flavor isn’t really going to come through in a big way. You’re essentially just using the smoker as a heat source to melt the cheese and toast the buns.

No smoker? A regular oven at 300°F works just as well.

2. Reheat the pulled pork

Add your leftover pulled pork to a disposable foil tray. Cold pulled pork tends to clump together, so pour in a quarter cup of BBQ sauce and mix it through to loosen everything up.

Cover the tray tightly with foil and put it on the smoker for 30 minutes. Give it a shake at the 15-minute mark to redistribute the meat and sauce.

When you pull the foil back, you’re looking for pork that has that loose, stringy consistency again, like it was freshly pulled.

Give it a quick taste to check the temperature. If you’re short on time, a pan on the stovetop or a griddle works too.

3. Slice the rolls

Slice the whole sheet of Hawaiian rolls horizontally through the middle. Keep them connected as a sheet rather than pulling them into individual rolls.

It’s much easier to build, easier to handle on the grill grates, and they hold together better through the cook.

4. Build the sliders

Lay your cheese slices across the bottom buns first. The reason I do cheese before the meat is two-fold. It melts directly into the bun and acts as a barrier against the meat juices, which helps stop the buns going soggy.

Once the cheese is down, sprinkle over the diced pickled jalapeños. Then pile on the pork. Don’t be conservative here, these should be loaded.

Drizzle the remaining quarter cup of BBQ sauce over the top and put the lids on.

5. Back on the smoker

Put the sliders straight onto the grill grates and brush the bun tops with melted butter right away. Then leave them alone for around 20 minutes.

You’re watching the bun tops rather than the clock. Once they’re a deep golden brown and you can see the cheese starting to push out from the sides, they’re done.

6. Serve immediately

Get them off the smoker and onto the table straight away. They’re best eaten hot while the cheese is still melted and the buns have that fresh, toasted warmth to them.

You can carefully pull the sliders apart, or if you’re in a rush, just use a knife to separate them.

These sliders can be served as a main dish or are great as an appetizer.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders Recipe

These sliders are one of those recipes that make smoking a whole pork butt even more worthwhile. Quick to put together, easy to customise, and gone within minutes every time I make them.

These sliders are great with smoked pulled beef as well.

If you give them a try I’d love to know how they turned out. Leave a rating and a comment below; it really helps other readers, and I read every single one.