Pulled Pork Sandwiches (Good Housekeeping October 2009)

I have a love/hate relationship with the crock pot. I love the idea of it, but I dislike the fact that almost everything you cook in it has the same mushy texture and sometimes overcooked flavor. So, when I do find something that works well in the crock, I rejoice. This was just the case the with the Good Housekeeping recipe I found this month. I pretty much made it as is, but I reinvented the coleslaw to be more like what they put on the fried chicken sandwiches at Bakesale Betty in Oakland.

SIDE NOTE: If you are EVER in Oakland for any reason, you must must must make a stop at Bakesale Betty for this fried chicken sandwich - or anything, really. They make them so fast and put this crazy jalapeno coleslaw on them that I swear I dream about. Their desserts are also divine, as is their frozen lemonade.

But I digress...back to the task at hand. Try the pulled pork, with my coleslaw substitution. It's great on a Monday. You can prepare the meat with spices and the sauce the night before, so all you have to do is throw the sauce in and turn it on in the morning. Come home from work on Monday night and voila...dinner (not to mention enough leftovers for a second meal!)

Pulled Pork Sandwiches (adapted from Good Housekeeping Magazine, October
2009)

Timing - 10 hours and 30 minutes (30 minutes prep time)

Ingredients -
2 T smoked paprika
1 T mustard powder
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 T packed dark brown sugar
Salt and pepper
4 lbs boneless, untrimmed pork shoulder blade roast (Boston butt)
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1 small head napa cabbage, sliced thinly
1 large jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
16 soft white hamburger buns, lightly toasted

How to Make

In 5- to 6-quart slow-cooker bowl, combine paprika, mustard powder, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper. Add pork and rub mixture all over meat. Arrange pork in single layer in slow-cooker bowl, fat side up.

In medium bowl, whisk vinegar, ketchup, red pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Pour 1/3 cup sauce into large bowl; cover and refrigerate. Pour 1 cup water and remaining sauce into slow-cooker bowl. Cover slow cooker with lid, and cook 8 to 10 hours, or until meat is fork-tender.

Carefully transfer meat to large bowl; remove fat and skin and discard. Using two forks, shred meat into small pieces. Carefully pour sauce from slow cooker into fat separator. Pour half of sauce over meat and pour remaining sauce into gravy boat. Discard fat.

When ready to serve, remove reserved sauce from refrigerator; with fork, whisk in mayonnaise. Add to cabbage and jalapeno, and toss until well combined. Divide meat among bottoms of buns; top with coleslaw, then tops of buns. Serve with reserved sauce on the side.

Serves 16 (or so it says...I think more like 10-12)