Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Mini Twice Baked Loaded Red Potatoes
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Mini Twice Baked Loaded Red Potatoes
Twice-baked potatoes are already worth eating. Stuff the filling with sharp cheddar and sour cream, top with slow cooker pulled pork, drizzle BBQ sauce over everything, then run it under the broiler until the cheese bubbles, now you’re in different territory.
Handheld potatoes for a crowd standing in a yard, which is our summer grilling lineup in one dish.
These mini loaded red potatoes are built around two components that come together at the end. The pulled pork goes in the slow cooker first: a 4-pound pork shoulder seasoned with garlic salt and black pepper, layered on sliced onion with six garlic cloves stuffed directly into the roast, then covered with beer. Low and slow for 8-10 hours. When it comes out, it shreds with two forks, gets mixed with chopped onion and BBQ sauce, and goes back in the cooker for another 1-3 hours to tighten up.
The potatoes follow a straightforward process. Small red potatoes tossed in vegetable oil, garlic salt, and pepper, roasted at 425°F for 20-25 minutes until the skins have crisped up. Let them cool, slice in half, and scoop the flesh out with a melon baller, leaving a 1/4-inch wall. That scooped flesh becomes the filling: mixed with sour cream, sharp cheddar, and fresh chives, then piped back into the skins.
Assembly is where both components land. Pulled pork on top. BBQ sauce drizzle. A sprinkle of sharp cheddar. Then into the broiler for 2-4 minutes, just long enough for the cheese to melt, bubble, and take on color at the edges.
Because the pulled pork and the potatoes can each be prepped separately, this works cleanly for a cookout or a game day spread without standing over a stove. Make the pork a day ahead. Roast and fill the potatoes up to four hours out. Broil to order.
The result: crispy red potato skins with a creamy cheddar-sour cream center, shredded BBQ pork on top, and enough heat from the broiler to pull it all together.
Flavor First.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Mini Twice Baked Loaded Red Potatoes
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pulled Pork — Place half of the sliced onion at the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Pulled Pork — Stuff the pork shoulder with garlic cloves.
- Pulled Pork — Season the entire pork shoulder with 2 tsp. garlic salt and 2 tsp. black pepper.
- Pulled Pork — Place the seasoned pork in the slow cooker on top of the sliced onion.
- Pulled Pork — Cover the pork with the remaining sliced onion.
- Pulled Pork — Pour the beer (or broth/water) around the pork. Ideally, the liquid should fill the slow cooker 2/3 of the way.
- Pulled Pork — Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-6 hours.
- Pulled Pork — When done, carefully remove the pork from the slow cooker with tongs and place in a large bowl.
- Pulled Pork — Discard the cloves, bone, fat, and any remaining liquid, onions, and grease from the pot.
- Pulled Pork — Allow the pork to cool until comfortable to handle (about 10 minutes).
- Pulled Pork — Using two forks, shred the pork apart until the entire roast is pulled.
- Pulled Pork — Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker.
- Pulled Pork — Mix the chopped onion and 3/4 cup of the BBQ sauce into the pork.
- Pulled Pork — Cover and heat on high for 1-3 hours until onions are soft (or keep warm on low until potatoes are ready).
- Mini Loaded Potatoes — Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Mini Loaded Potatoes — Place potatoes in a bowl or large freezer bag and toss with vegetable oil, 1 tsp. garlic salt, and 1 tsp. black pepper until evenly coated.
- Mini Loaded Potatoes — Spread potatoes on a baking sheet and place in the preheated oven.
- Mini Loaded Potatoes — Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping and rotating potatoes halfway through, until tender when pierced with a fork.
- Mini Loaded Potatoes — Remove from oven and let cool until comfortable to handle.
- Mini Loaded Potatoes — Slice each potato in half (or slice off the top for smaller potatoes).
- Mini Loaded Potatoes — Using a melon baller or small spoon, scoop out the cooked potato flesh, leaving 1/4-inch thickness of skin to hold the shape.
- Mini Loaded Potatoes — Place the scooped potato flesh into a mixing bowl.
- Mini Loaded Potatoes — Add sour cream, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, and 2 tablespoons of chopped chives to the bowl and mix thoroughly until combined.
- Mini Loaded Potatoes — Transfer the potato filling to a pastry bag or large freezer bag with the corner cut off.
- Mini Loaded Potatoes — Pipe the filling into the potato skins, filling generously.
- Mini Loaded Potatoes — Top each filled potato with pulled pork, a drizzle of BBQ sauce, and a sprinkle of remaining cheddar cheese.
- Mini Loaded Potatoes — Broil in the oven for 2-4 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Assembly — Transfer filled potatoes to a serving platter.
- Assembly — Serve warm topped with additional sour cream and a drizzle of BBQ sauce.
Nutrition
Notes
- Cook the pork a day ahead — Pulled pork improves overnight. The fat redistributes and the BBQ sauce soaks deeper into the meat. Refrigerate it with the sauce, then reheat gently on the stovetop or in the slow cooker on warm before loading the potatoes.
- Don’t rush the second cook — After shredding, returning the pork to the slow cooker with chopped onion and BBQ sauce for 1-3 hours on high matters. It binds the sauce into the meat and softens the onion. Skipping it means wetter, looser pork that slides off the potato.
- Leave the potato wall intact — When scooping, stop at 1/4 inch of skin and flesh. Go too thin and the skins buckle under the filling. A melon baller gives the most control — work the edges first, then scoop toward the center.
- Pipe the filling — A large freezer bag with the corner cut off works fine. Piping distributes the filling evenly and keeps the potato skins from cracking the way spooning can. Fill each skin generously.
- Stay at the broiler — The cheese goes from bubbly to burnt in under a minute. Set your rack about 6 inches from the broiler element and check at the 2-minute mark. Pull them when you see the first golden spots on the cheddar.
- Serve alongside a vinaigrette-dressed coleslaw — the acidity cuts through the richness of the pork and cheddar. Avoid creamy coleslaw here; it doubles down on dairy instead of balancing it.
- Grilled corn on the cob fits the BBQ spread naturally, especially when the potatoes are going out as part of a larger outdoor setup. Baked beans work the same way — the smoky-sweet register ties back to the pulled pork.
- For a more composed plate, three to four mini potatoes per person with a simple green salad dressed in lemon and olive oil keeps the plate from getting heavy.
- If you’re setting these out for a crowd, put extra BBQ sauce and sour cream on the side so people can adjust to taste.
- Store the pulled pork and the assembled potatoes separately. The pork keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months — store it with the BBQ sauce to prevent it from drying out.
- The assembled potatoes are best eaten the same day. The skins soften in the refrigerator, and the crispy edges from the broiler won’t come back after sitting. If you’re prepping ahead, keep the filled-but-unbroiled potatoes refrigerated for up to 4 hours and broil just before serving.
- To reheat the pork, add a splash of water or broth to the pan and warm over medium-low heat. High heat tightens the protein and makes it chew.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the pulled pork take in the slow cooker?
The pork shoulder cooks on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours. After shredding, it goes back in with BBQ sauce and chopped onion for 1-3 more hours on high to tighten the flavors into the meat.
Can I make the pulled pork ahead of time?
Yes, cook it the day before, refrigerate it in the BBQ sauce, and reheat gently before assembly. The pork holds better the next day.
How do I hollow out the potatoes without cracking the skin?
Let the potatoes cool until comfortable to handle before scooping. Use a melon baller and work around the edges first, leaving a 1/4-inch wall. Going too fast while the potato is still hot makes the skin more likely to tear.
What cut of pork works best for slow cooker pulled pork?
Pork shoulder (also labeled pork butt) is the right cut, the fat content keeps the meat moist through the long cook. A leaner cut like pork loin will dry out before it pulls apart.
Can I use something other than beer in the slow cooker?
Yes. Swap the beer for 2 cups of chicken or beef broth, or plain water. The beer adds a slight bitterness that rounds out the BBQ sauce, but the recipe works without it.
Can I air fry the potatoes instead of oven-roasting them?
Yes. Air fry at 400°F for 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway through. For the broiling step, run the air fryer on its broil setting at 400°F for 3-4 minutes. Air fryers brown faster, check at 3 minutes.
More like this: Pulled Pork Recipes · Kinder’s Recipes
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