Really nothing to this recipe, soda, barbecue, slow-cooked meat, and voila, a perfect fork-tender saucy sandwich everyone goes nuts over.
Perfect for feeding a large crowd, parties, and even using the slow cooker at the office for associate parties!
The best thing about this recipe is that you can use any meats you like because it tastes great with chicken, beef, pork, and more!
My barbecue sauce for Jack Daniels is superb, but you can use a store-bought kind if you like.
We use the homemade barbecue sauce on many of our grilled food recipes.
You don't have to wait until summer to get a great barbecued tasty sandwich because I have several cooking methods to choose from right in your indoor kitchen!
Scroll down to the printable recipe card and check out how easy this recipe is to make and watch how many compliments you will get when you serve this to friends and family!
The Most Tender Meat and Why You Will This!
- Tender, juicy meat that practically melts in your mouth.
- Rich barbecue flavor enhanced with Jack Daniel's whiskey.
- Easy hands-off slow cooker preparation.
- Perfect for meal prep and freezer-friendly.
- Great for feeding a crowd.
- Delicious served in countless ways.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day.
- Family-friendly with restaurant-quality flavor.
Cooking Methods
- Instant pot: Sear the meat first for 3 minutes on each side, then place the instant pot on slow cooker mode to manual instructions.
- Regular slow cooker/crockpot: Sear meat on top of the stove first for 3 minutes on each side, then place in the slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 6 hours on high.
- Oven-roasted at 250 covered with foil in a roasting pan for around 6 hours.
- Smoker: place in a smoker using apple chips on 225 low heat for 12 hours.
- Pressure cooker for 45 minutes or according to your instruction manual.
Serving Suggestions
- Piled onto toasted brioche buns
- Loaded baked potatoes
- BBQ nachos
- Soft tacos
- Burritos
- Quesadillas
- Sliders
- Pizza topping
- Stuffed baked sweet potatoes
- Macaroni and cheese bowls
- Over creamy grits
- Rice bowls
- BBQ flatbreads
- Stuffed baked potatoes
- Egg rolls
- Omelets
- Breakfast hash
- Grilled cheese sandwiches
- Lettuce wraps for a lighter meal
- Barbecue party platters with classic sides
Slow Cooker Tips
- Sear the pork first if time allows for a deeper flavor.
- Cook on Low whenever possible for the most tender meat
- Don't rush the cooking process.
- Allow the pork to rest for 15–20 minutes before shredding.
- Remove excess fat after cooking.
- Toss the shredded meat back into the cooking juices before serving.
- If adding barbecue sauce, stir it in during the final 30 minutes so the flavors blend beautifully.
- Skim excess grease from the cooking liquid before mixing it back into the meat.
- Use two forks or meat claws for effortless shredding.
- Make it a day ahead—the flavor improves overnight.
Pulled Pork vs. and Chopped Pulled Pork
- Pulled pork is cooked low and slow until the connective tissue completely breaks down. The meat is then pulled apart into long, tender strands using two forks or meat claws. The shredded texture allows every bite to absorb plenty of barbecue sauce, making it extra juicy and flavorful.
- Chopped pork is cut into small bite-sized pieces instead of being shredded. It has a heartier texture and slightly more chew, making it ideal for sandwiches where you want larger chunks of meat. Chopped pork also holds together better if you're serving it on platters or in barbecue bowls.
- Both are delicious—the choice simply comes down to your preferred texture. For the juiciest results, choose cuts with plenty of marbling.
- Pork Shoulder (Boston Butt) This is the gold standard for pulled pork. It contains enough fat to stay moist during long cooking times and shreds beautifully
- Pork Butt Despite the name, pork butt actually comes from the upper shoulder. It's rich, flavorful, and the most recommended cut for authentic pulled pork.
- Picnic Roast: A slightly leaner shoulder cut that still becomes tender after several hours of slow cooking.
- Avoid pork loin or pork tenderloin, as they're much leaner and can dry out before becoming tender enough to shred.
Suggestions for Topping Pulled Pork
- Creamy coleslaw
- Crispy fried onions
- Pickled red onions
- Dill pickle chips
- Bread and butter pickles
- Jalapeño slices
- Pepper jack cheese
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Crispy bacon
- Fried onion straws
- Pickled banana peppers
- Sliced avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Green onions
- Homemade barbecue sauce
- Spicy chipotle mayo
- Garlic aioli
- Ranch dressing
- Honey mustard
- Hot sauce
Jack Daniels Pulled Pork Sandwich Pin for later
More Recipes We Love:
Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Oven Smoked Pork
Pork Breakfast Homemade Sausages
Mom's Italian Sausage Patties
Homemade Italian Merlot Burgers
Yield: 12
Jack Daniels Pulled Pork Sandwich
prep time: 10 Mcook time: 8 hourtotal time: 8 H & 10 M
These Jack Daniels sandwiches are barbecued meat using either pork, beef or chicken to make a fabulous sandwich with. The meat is fork-tender and slow-cooked in a whiskey and root beer or choice of soda then drenched with a delicious homemade barbecue sauce all stacked on a grilled hard roll.
ingredients:
- 3 to 4 pounds of boneless Beef roasts ( I use London broil) or Pork Tenderloin ( you can also use the Pork shoulder or Pork butt just be careful of the bones) use 4 boneless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup whiskey (we use Jack Daniels) (for nonalcohol users, add beef broth)
- 1 can root beer, coke, or cherry coke (you can also use diet or beef broth if preferred)
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and salt
- Optional: a pinch of cayenne pepper if you like spicy, for more of a smoked flavor use 2 tablespoons liquid smoke
- Olive Oil (need for brushing on the buns) or melted butter if you prefer
- Cooking Spray
- Cast Iron grooved skillet or grill pan
- For Garnishing:
- Regular sized hard rolls or slider buns (smaller than the regular-sized buns)
- Jack Daniels Homemade Sauce Recipe
- Minced Garlic (1/2 teaspoon per sandwich)
- Dried Parsley Flakes
- pickle slices are optional
instructions:
How to cook Jack Daniels Pulled Pork Sandwich
- Place the meat in an instant pot and sear the pork or beef on both sides for 3 minutes in 3 tablespoons of butter or oil. Drain.
- Note: if using just a regular slow cooker, sear the meat on top of the stove first then proceed the same in the slow cooker your using.
- Add 1/4 cup of Jack Daniels and 1 can of cocoa cola, black pepper, salt, granulated garlic, ( liquid smoke if using) and cayenne pepper and place on the slow cooker on low 6 to 8 hours or on high 4 to 6 hours.
- Drain off most of the juice.
- Shred the meat with two forks or use a meat claw shredder.
- Add the homemade sauce recipe for Jack Daniels or barbecue sauce your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce.
- Toasting the buns: I use a cast-iron skillet with groves or griddle pan to grill the buns.
- Sliced the buns open, brush them lightly with olive oil or butter
- Grill until lightly toasted then brush the tops with minced fresh garlic or granulated garlic powder with dried parsley on top.
- Fill the buns with the meat, adding more sauce if needed and top with pickles if using.
- Note for Cooking Methods
- Instant pot: sear the meat first 3 minutes on each side then place the instant pot on slow cooker mode to manual instructions.
- Regular slow cooker/crockpot: sear meat on top of the stove first for 3 minutes on each side then place in the slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 6 hours on high.
- Oven-roasted on 250 covered with foil in a roasting pan for around 6 hours.
- Smoker: place in a smoker using apple chips on 225 low heat for 12 hours.
Calories
375
375
Fat (grams)
26
26
Sat. Fat (grams)
12
12
Carbs (grams)
22
22
Net carbs
11
11
Sugar (grams)
3
3
Pin for later Jack Daniels Pulled Pork Sandwich
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2012. It was edited and re-published in 2020.
