Grills We Love

Back to Basics: Crispy Pulled Pork Bacon Sliders

By Daniel Hale

Presented by Wildfire Outdoor Living

Pulled pork is one of those foods that may be even better the second time around.

For this installment of Back to Basics, we’re turning leftover pulled pork into a quick griddle meal that works just as well at home as it does at a tailgate.

Of course, here at BarbecueBible, we’re happy to smoke a pork shoulder from scratch. But if you already have pulled pork in the refrigerator—or pick some up from your favorite barbecue joint—you’re most of the way there.

For this recipe, I used the Wildfire Ranch Pro 30″ Griddle to turn the pork into crispy little slider patties. Think of them as pulled pork burgers, with bacon doing double duty as both topping and flavor.

Start With the Bacon

I started by cooking strips of bacon directly on the Wildfire griddle.

Once the bacon was crisp, I removed it from the griddle and set it aside for the sliders. More importantly, I left the rendered bacon fat right where it was.

That fat becomes the base for crisping the pulled pork.

You could certainly use butter or olive oil instead, but if bacon is going on the finished slider anyway, why not? Also: it’s bacon.

Turn Pulled Pork Into Crispy Patties

Instead of simply piling the pulled pork onto the griddle, I formed it into small patties about the size of the slider buns.

The patties don’t need to be packed tightly like hamburgers. Press them together just enough to hold their shape.

Place them directly in the hot bacon fat and let them cook without moving them around too much. You want the pork making solid contact with the griddle so the bottom develops a crisp, browned crust.

Flip the patties and crisp the second side.

The result is still tender pulled pork in the center, but with deeply browned edges and a crunchy exterior.

That contrast is what makes these different from simply reheating leftover barbecue.

Keep the Sliders Simple

Once the pork patties are crisp, the rest comes together quickly.

Chop the cooked bacon and pile it onto the pork. Add your favorite barbecue sauce if you like, then sandwich everything between slider buns.

Coleslaw makes a good topping, particularly if you want something cool and crunchy against the hot pork. Pickles would work, too.

But you don’t need much. The crispy pork and bacon should stay at the center of the slider.

A big thank you to Wildfire Outdoor Living for sponsoring this post.

Wildfire Outdoor Living is an Arizona-based company specializing in high-performance gas grills and premium outdoor kitchen solutions. Wildfire brings a commitment to cutting-edge technology and industry-leading innovation. Their 304 stainless steel design and illuminated LED knobs, cast stainless steel burners, and laser-cut stainless steel cooking grates create products that will provide peak performance. They also allow you to customize your outdoor kitchen with designer finish knobs and handles to meet the growing demand for designer outdoor kitchens.