BBQ Sundae
intro
A fun, portable savory layered BBQ treat stacked with smoky pulled pork, baked beans, cornbread, and coleslaw, served in clear cups for mess-free outdoor enjoyment.
Ingredients
Steps
Warm the pulled pork
Place 450 grams of shredded pre-smoked pulled pork in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat (135°C/275°F stovetop surface temp). Stir in 60 ml (1/4 cup) of hickory BBQ sauce, cover, and heat for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork reaches a food-safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F. Set aside and keep warm.
Heat baked beans
Pour 390 grams of BBQ baked beans into a small saucepan over medium heat (160°C/320°F stovetop surface temp). Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring once per minute, until the beans are bubbly and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Prep serving cups
Set out four 470 ml (16 oz) clear glass or plastic tumblers on a clean work surface. Portion 240 grams of crumbled day-old cornbread, 300 grams of drained creamy coleslaw, and 113 grams of shredded sharp cheddar into separate small prep bowls to streamline layering.
Build base layers
For each cup, add a 60 gram (1/2 cup) even layer of crumbled cornbread to the bottom, pressing lightly with the back of a spoon to create a flat surface. Top the cornbread with a 97.5 gram (heaping 1/2 cup) layer of warm baked beans, followed by a 28 gram (1/4 cup) sprinkle of shredded cheddar, which will melt slightly from the beans’ residual heat.
Add pulled pork layer
Scoop a 112.5 gram (1/2 cup) layer of warm sauced pulled pork over the cheddar layer in each cup, pressing gently to eliminate trapped air gaps. Drizzle 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of the remaining hickory BBQ sauce evenly over the top of the pulled pork layer in each cup.
Add cold topping layers
Top the pulled pork in each cup with a 75 gram (1/2 cup) even layer of well-drained creamy coleslaw, spread gently to fully cover the pork. Add 15 grams (1 tablespoon) of drained pickled jalapeño slices over the coleslaw for a bright, tangy, spicy kick.
Garnish and serve
Sprinkle 7.5 grams (1 tablespoon) of crispy fried onions over the top of each sundae for a crunchy textural finish. Serve immediately with long iced-tea spoons, while the bottom savory layers remain warm and the coleslaw stays chilled.
Tips
2.Day-old cornbread works best for this recipe, as fresh soft cornbread will break down into mush when pressed into layers.
3.Customize layers to match your favorite BBQ sides: swap cornbread for creamy mac and cheese, add a dill pickle slice layer, or skip jalapeños for a kid-friendly mild version.
OMG y’all, I made this for our college football tailgate last weekend and people went CRAZY for it? Who knew a savory sundae with BBQ layers would slap this hard. I layered pulled pork, baked beans, coleslaw, cornbread crumbles, and a drizzle of extra sauce, just like the recipe said, and folks were coming back for thirds. Total game changer for potluck season. 10/10 no notes.
My kids were so confused when I said we were having BBQ sundaes for dinner, but they DEVOURED it. Even my super picky 7 year old who turns his nose up at anything with veggies asked for seconds. It was so easy to throw together on a school night too, only took 25 minutes like the recipe says, no fancy steps. Will be adding this to our regular weeknight rotation for sure.
Wait this is perfect for my dorm? I don’t have a full kitchen, so I just used pre-made pulled pork from the grocery store deli, microwaved the baked beans, crushed up a couple cornbread muffins from the dining hall, and layered it in a solo cup. Tasted like a full fancy BBQ meal for like $3 total. SO good, no fancy equipment needed. 10/10 for broke college students.
Super easy to make gluten free! I swapped the regular cornbread for my go-to GF cornbread mix, used GF BBQ sauce, and it worked perfectly. I brought it to my friend’s backyard BBQ and no one even realized it was GF. The only note I have is I wish I’d made a double batch, it was gone in 10 minutes flat.
I’ve been making BBQ layered dishes for church potlucks for 40 years, and this version is the easiest one I’ve ever tried! I added a layer of my homemade potato salad in between the pulled pork and coleslaw, and everyone was asking for the recipe. It’s nice to see fun, approachable recipes that don’t require a million weird ingredients. Perfect for us old folks who don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen.
Made this for our post-hike potluck in the Rockies last weekend, and it was the perfect hearty meal after 6 miles on the trail. I pre-portioned the layers into mason jars the night before so they were easy to toss in our cooler, no mess, no serving utensils needed. Will absolutely be making these for all our car camping trips this summer.
First time cooking for my in-laws and I panicked because I forgot to plan a main dish, threw this together with random BBQ leftovers we had in the fridge, and my father-in-law said it was the best thing I’ve ever made. Total lifesaver. I didn’t even follow exact measurements, just layered what we had, and it still turned out chef’s kiss. Easy enough for total cooking newbies like me.
Brought this to our office potluck today and I won the ‘best dish’ award, beat out Karen’s famous 7-layer dip which I’ve been trying to do for 3 years. Layers I used: slow cooker brisket, baked beans, creamy coleslaw, cornbread crumbles, pickled red onions, a drizzle of spicy BBQ sauce, and a little crispy bacon on top. *Chef’s kiss* Will be making this for every potluck from now on, sorry Karen.
Meal prepped these for the week on Sunday, layered in glass containers, kept the cornbread crumbles in a separate little container to add right before eating, and they held up perfectly for 4 days of lunches. High protein, super filling, way more exciting than my usual sad desk salad. Total meal prep game changer, I’m already thinking of swapping in different proteins each week like shredded chicken or smoked sausage.
I made a vegetarian version for my meat-free partner, used jackfruit tossed in BBQ sauce instead of pulled pork, layered with vegetarian baked beans, coleslaw, cornbread, and a little vegan ranch drizzle, and even I (a total meat lover) thought it was incredible. It’s so easy to adapt for different diets, that’s my favorite part of this recipe. We’re having it again for our date night this Friday.
Tried this recipe last night after seeing it pop up on my feed, used my hickory smoked pulled pork that I smoked for 8 hours, added a layer of mac and cheese per one of the other comments, and my son said it’s better than the BBQ we get at our favorite local spot. Only gripe? I made way too little, my whole family polished off a whole 9x13 pan in one sitting.
This was so straightforward I was able to make it while helping my daughter with her math homework, no complicated steps, no fancy equipment. I used store-bought coleslaw and pre-made cornbread to cut down on prep time, and it still tasted totally homemade. Perfect for chaotic weeknights when you don’t have time to spend an hour in the kitchen.
I added a layer of pickled jalapeños and a drizzle of hot honey on top of mine, and the sweet-spicy-savory combo was absolutely unreal. I was worried the layers would get soggy and slosh around when I served them, but if you stack the heartier, wetter layers (pulled pork, beans) on the bottom and save the crunchier, drier layers (cornbread crumbles, slaw, toppings) for closer to the top, it holds up perfectly. No sad mushy bites here! Already texted the recipe to all my friends.