Yay for the Super Bowl! Whether or not you’re a football fan, this Sunday is definitely one of the biggest eating days of the year. In fact, I think it rivals Thanksgiving for that title, purely because there is almost nothing healthy consumed during the Super Bowl, and Thanksgiving pies are at least balanced out by all the vegetables. While I didn’t go crazy and ban “junk” food from our small gathering this year, I did try to make semi-healthy versions of things. I’ve wanted to make pulled pork for a long time now, so I dug the CrockPot out of my closet, threw a bunch of random ingredients in, and crossed my fingers for good luck. Six hours later…success!
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
What You’ll Need
- 2 lb lean boneless pork roast
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, crushed and finely minced
- 1 tbsp butter
- 4 cups water
- 1 tbsp smoked or sweet paprika
- 1 tsp powdered chipotle pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
For Sandwiches
- Soft sandwich rolls or Kaiser buns
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- Hickory smoked BBQ sauce
- Cheddar cheese slices
Trim the visible fat from your pork loin and cut it into large (1 inch) cubes. Heat a cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until it is very hot. Melt the butter and add the pork.
Coat the pork with the paprika, chipotle powder, salt, and pepper. Sear the cubes until all sides are browned, but not until they are cooked all the way through. Transfer the pork into the slow cooker.
Return the pan to the stove and turn the heat down to medium low. Saute the onion and garlic for 2 minutes, or until they are slightly softened. Add the water and bring to a slow simmer. Scrape any of the browned pork from the skillet into the water.
Pour the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker. Add the tomato paste, then mix until it is fully dissolved and the ingredients are evenly distributed. Add the apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and sugar, giving the pot one good final stir.
Cover the CrockPot and cook on high heat for 5-6 hours, or until the pork is falling apart. I stirred this 3 or 4 times during the cooking process so that the edges, which were boiling, wouldn’t get overdone compared to the rest of the pot. After the pork is tender and fully cooked, you can turn the heat setting down to warm until you are ready to eat. Once that time comes (and boy, will it be fast – this will literally make your house smell amazing), scoop the pork out using a slotted spoon, drain, and transfer to a large bowl. It’s okay to get the onions with the pork, you’re just trying to avoid getting too much extra liquid.
Using two forks, pull (hence the name!) the pork apart until there are no large chunks and it is uniformly shredded. Pile a large amount onto a soft bun, top with your desired amount of BBQ sauce and red onion, add a slice of cheddar cheese, and enjoy!
Not to pat myself on the back, but this was pretty freaking delicious. The pork was moist and flavorful on its own, having absorbed all of the different flavors from the cooking juices. It’s important to remove as much of the juice as possible when you’re draining it from the CrockPot, because otherwise the bun will get soggy, and no one likes wet bread. I used slightly less BBQ sauce on my sandwich than the one in the picture, simply because I liked the taste of the meat on its own, but that’s a matter of personal preference. The onions provide a crisp, refreshing contrast to the softness of the meat and bread and are, in my opinion, a non-negotiable part of any pulled pork sandwich. All in all, this took about 20 minutes total for preparation time, not including the afternoon hours of cooking when I basically ignored it. This is a great recipe for any party, future football Sundays, or weekdays when you want to come home from work to a simple yet tasty meal.
P.S.: This will easily feed 6 people for a total cost of about $7, not including pantry staples – it doesn’t get much more affordable than that!
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