Father's Day Pulled Pork with Man Slaw
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Ingredients:
For the Pulled Pork:
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced, about 2 cups
4 cloves garlic. peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup stout beer
3- 3 1/2 pound pork shoulder
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
1 Tablespoon brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1-2 cups homemade or store-bought barbecue sauce, I like Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Barbecue Sauce
8-12 sandwich buns
For the Man Slaw:
1-2 jalapenos, stem and seeds removed, finely diced, to taste (1 teaspoon up to 2 Tablespoons)
5 cups cabbage, green, purple or a combination of both, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons-¼ cup cilantro, chopped, to taste
½ cup sour cream
½ cup stout beer
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon light honey
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon chili powder
Make the pulled pork:
Place the sliced onions and garlic in an even layer in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour the beer into the pot. In a small bowl, combine the salt, brown sugar, pepper, paprika and chili powder. Rub the mixture all over both sides of the pork, and place in the slow cooker. Secure the lid and cook on high for 6-8 hours or low for 8-10 hours.
When done, remove from the pork from the pot, and shred using two forks. Discard any large pieces of fat and the bone, if there is one. Strain the onion pan juices into a heatproof bowl, and if you like, add the onions to the meat or save for another use. Remove the fat that has risen to the top and pour ¼ cup of the defatted cooking juices into the shredded meat. Add one cup of the barbecue sauce, and gently toss to evenly coat. Taste and add more barbecue sauce if desired.
Make the Man Slaw:
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium-size bowl, toss to coat. The slaw can be used immediately, or made ahead of time to let the flavors meld.
If desired, brush each bun with butter and in a hot skillet, buttered side down, cook until browned and crisp. Fill each bun with the pork and top with the slaw.
Makes 8-12 servings. YUM!
LESSONS Learned:
1. Make sure to get Pork butt or shoulder.
2. I like a stronger more flavorful beer, a good stout or high quality IPA will work great.
3. For the slaw, I like to slice the cabbage as thinly as possible and very finely dice the jalapeno.
4. Turns out that the cilantro and beer in the slaw go amazingly well together. But, if you are one of those cilantro averse people, you can just leave it out, or use scallions or parsley instead.
5. Any sturdy bread or rolls will work. My fave is a buttery brioche bun. It’s not necessary, but I like to butter them and cook buttered side down on a hot frying pan until browned and crispy.
6. Use any leftovers for tacos, loaded nachos, or sliders.