BBQ Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese
If you’ve made the slow cooker pulled pork on this site, you have leftover pork in your fridge right now. Or you should. The recipe makes enough for six people and there are two of you. This sandwich is what the leftovers are actually for.
A BBQ pulled pork grilled cheese is exactly what it sounds like, and it is better than it has any right to be given the effort involved. Leftover pulled pork, sharp cheddar cheese, pickled jalapeños, a swipe of BBQ sauce, thick-cut sourdough toasted in butter. Ten minutes. Cross-section photograph looks like it came from a restaurant. It didn’t.
The Cheese Matters More Than You Think
Most pulled pork grilled cheese recipes use whatever cheese is in the fridge. That’s fine. But sharp cheddar specifically is the right call here — it’s strong enough to hold its flavor against the smokiness of the BBQ sauce and the richness of the pork. Mild cheddar or American cheese disappears into the background.
Shred it fresh from the block. Pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking coating that prevents clean melting. For a grilled cheese where the melt is the entire point, this matters.
Cheese goes on both sides of the sandwich — a layer directly on each slice of bread before the pork goes in. The bottom layer melts into the bread and adheres everything together. The top layer seals the pork filling. It’s the same technique from the quesadilla recipes and it works equally well here.
The Jalapeño Addition
The pickled jalapeños are not on every BBQ pulled pork grilled cheese recipe you’ll find online. They should be. The pork is sweet, the cheese is rich, the BBQ sauce adds more sweetness and smoke. Without something acidic and sharp, the whole thing becomes one-note. The jalapeños fix that.
Two tablespoons from a jar, drained, layered over the pork. That’s all. You won’t taste jalapeño specifically — you’ll taste a sandwich that’s more interesting than you expected.
The Heat Question
Medium to medium-low heat, same rule as always for grilled cheese. The bread needs time to toast slowly while the cheese melts from the inside out. High heat browns the crust in two minutes and leaves cold cheese in the center.
Press down gently with a spatula while it cooks to improve contact. Four minutes on the first side until deeply golden — not lightly toasted, properly golden. Two to three on the second side. One minute rest before cutting.
What to Serve With It
This sandwich is a full meal on its own. If you want something alongside, a bag of chips or a simple green salad. The sandwich doesn’t need competition.
Leftovers
Reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat, two minutes per side. It comes back well. Don’t microwave it — the bread goes from crispy to wet in 30 seconds.
The pulled pork itself keeps in the fridge for four days. Make the sandwich fresh each time from the leftover pork.
BBQ Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
Meat & Protein
- 1 cup pulled pork leftover from Slow Cooker Pulled Pork or Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas, warmed slightly
Dairy
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter softened, for spreading on bread
Pantry & Canned Goods
- 4 slices sourdough bread thick-cut — about 3/4 inch, from a bakery loaf if possible
- 3 tbsp BBQ sauce your favorite — Sweet Baby Ray’s or Stubb’s recommended
- 2 tbsp dill pickles thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp pickled jalapeños from a jar, drained — optional but recommended
Instructions
- Warm the pulled pork in a small skillet or microwave until just heated through — not hot, just warm enough to not be cold in the center. Toss with the BBQ sauce until evenly coated. Set aside.
- Butter one side of each slice of sourdough generously, spreading all the way to the edges. This is what creates even browning — thin or uneven butter leaves pale spots.
- Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Place two slices of bread butter-side down. Add a layer of shredded cheddar on each slice, covering the bread fully. The cheese goes on the bread, not just in the middle, so the edges melt and crisp.
- Pile the BBQ pulled pork evenly over the cheese on one slice. Add the pickle slices and jalapeños if using over the pork. Top with a second layer of cheddar, then press the remaining bread slices on top, butter-side up.
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, pressing down gently with a spatula. The bottom should be deeply golden before you flip. Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the second side matches. Transfer to a cutting board, rest for 1 minute, then cut diagonally. Serve immediately.
