Best Buns for Pulled Pork
Pulled Pork sandwiches are one of my favorites! You can do so many different flavors and spice it up in more ways than just heat.
The question is, what are the best buns for pulled pork sandwiches? Should it be soft? Crunchy? Chewy? It is a tough choice for sure but luckily there are so many good choices. Let’s dive into the best buns for pulled pork sandwiches!
5 Best buns for pulled pork sandwiches
When deciding what bun you should use for your barbecue pulled pork sandwich you want to think of a few factors.
Pulled pork is heavy and messy, so you want to make sure that the bun can hold up to the weight. If you’re looking to make sliders the potato rolls come in a slider size sometimes.
Do you prefer a soft bite or more of a crunchy bite with your pulled pork? You can add sweetness or a buttery flavor to your sandwich by the bun you choose. So let’s go over the best options.
Also, check out my post on what the best buns for burgers are!
Most people will cook the pulled pork in a slow cooker and then lather the pork in bbq sauce.
1. Brioche bun
Brioche buns are a popular choice for pulled pork. They are like a French pastry. The outer crust is tender but soft and the inside is fluffy with a slight sweetness.
These work especially well because of their rich, tender, buttery crust. It is firm enough to hold the weight of the pulled pork but the inside is soft and soaks up sauces and flavors.
Some say these are the only choice when choosing buns for pulled pork sandwiches. If you haven’t tried them you definitely should.
If your having a party it’s a good idea to figure out how much pulled pork per person is needed.
2. Ciabatta bread
An Italian bread with a chewy exterior yet a soft airy middle makes for a delicious pulled pork sandwich.
The holes on the interior of the bread allow for the flavors of your pulled pork to meld together with the bread. The sauce gets intertwined with the bread and it melts in your mouth.
The chewy crust holds it all together nicely and keeps the sandwich together for less mess.
3. Naan bread
Think a little bit outside of the box. Pulled pork is great on Naan bread which is similar to flatbread. It has a chewy crisp bottom with big air bubbles on the inside.
When serving pulled pork on naan bread you will eat it more like a taco or a pita wrap.
Put your pulled pork in the middle, add in whatever else you want like coleslaw and some sweet bbq sauce, and then fold the naan in half like a taco.
It is also delicious when you rip off bite-size pieces of naan bread and put a little pulled pork on it and enjoy it bite by bite.
4. Kaiser roll
Kaiser rolls are German rolls, also known as an Emperor roll. These are larger round rolls with a hard crust on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.
You will notice the pinwheel design on the tops of these rolls which are supposed to look like a crown. Like a lot of the rolls, we have talked about these go great with pulled pork because they are sturdy and soft.
The neutral flavor of the Kaiser rolls make it easy to serve with any flavor of pulled pork you are having.
5. Potato buns
Sometimes you don’t want the bread to be the star of the show. Potato buns are nice and light and sweet and marry well with pulled pork.
Much like a hamburger bun but sweeter, the potato bun is soft inside and out. This will make for a messier pulled pork sandwich but the softness of the bread and the saucy juiciness of the pulled pork go together and become one.
I like to add in some crunch with pickles or coleslaw so that it isn’t too mushy. Keeping it simple with a nice soft potato bun works great too.
Conclusion
Using a good sturdy bun is key to a great pulled pork sandwich. Having a tender crust whether it be crusty or tough helps hold together the sandwich well and the soft inside allows for the flavors to soak up in the bread and expand the flavors.
