Pulled Pork Sandwich

For all my years in Texas, this Yankee girl knows very little about making barbecue.  My grilling repertoire consists mainly of vegetables, hamburgers and an occasional steak.  I don't own a smoker and have no idea how to even approach that method of cooking.  So when I came across Linda's (How to Cook a Wolf) crockpot version of pulled pork, not to mention the gorgeous accompanying photographs, I had to try it.  Truth is, I've had this on my to-try list for quite some time now.  Well, the temperatures are cooling down and it just feels like pulled pork sandwich weather!  I got out the recipe and dusted off my crockpot.

Let me tell you - the meat comes out juicy and tender.  I also made the BBQ sauce (also very good, though I'm sure your favorite pre-made BBQ sauce would work well here), and since Linda put the thought in my head to add coleslaw to the sandwich (as she did in hers), I also made the slaw to top off the sandwich.

I had some kaiser rolls I purchased this week from a local bakery - they worked perfectly!  After splitting one and lightly toasting it under the broiler, I spread a little of the homemade sauce on the bottom, layered plenty of pulled pork over the sauce (with a little more sauce on the meat), then topped with a generous helping of coleslaw.

I'm in pulled pork heaven.  *sigh*  Trust me on this - you won't be disappointed in this recipe!  Many thanks to you, Linda!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2-1/2 to 3 pound pork sirloin roast or boneless pork shoulder roast
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin or chili powder
1/2 cup water

1 recipe homemade BBQ sauce (recipe follows) or 3-1/2 cups bottled BBQ sauce

Hamburger buns (makes 10 generous servings)

Trim fat from roast. Cut roast, if necessary to fit in a 3-1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker. Season meat with salt and pepper. In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and cumin. Pour over meat in cooker. Cover; cook on low-heat setting 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting 4 to 5 hours. Remove meat; discard liquid. (Note: I didn't discard the liquid, but mixed it in with the shredded meat as there was virtually no fat on the meat I used.)

Using two forks shred meat; return it to cooker. Stir in 2 cups homemade BBQ sauce or bottled BBQ sauce. Cover and cook on high setting for 30 to 45 minutes or until heated through.

Serve meat mixture in split hamburger buns. Pass remaining sauce.

Homemade BBQ Sauce

Combine 2-1/2 cups ketchup; 1 cup finely chopped onion; 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, 3 tablespoons bottled Pickapeppa or Worcestershire sauce; 3 tablespoons cider vinegar; 3 cloves garlic, minced; and 1/4 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce in a medium saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use immediately or let cool; cover and chill up to 3 days. Makes 3-1/2 cups.

Source: Country Living Magazine via Linda (How To Cook a Wolf)

Note:  Per Linda's suggestion, I used the recipe on the back of the pre-packaged coleslaw mix, adding in about 1/2 teaspoon of celery seed.  Delicious! 


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Lori