Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Sometimes even the most predictable people can fool you big time. You could have picked me up off the floor the day Miss Picky came home from a friend's house, and wanted pulled pork. They were having pulled pork for dinner and she insisted that I make pulled pork for her. WHAT? Did I hear right? Pulled pork? I love that stuff. But I've only had it at BBQ joints. Never homemade. I thought it might be difficult, but for my Miss Picky, I'd find a good recipe. I knew everyone else would like it, but Miss Picky is a definite challenge when it comes to food.

I looked through tons and tons of recipes. Some had too many steps, some involved smoking. I wanted easy. I needed easy, really easy! Martha Stewart had just what I wanted. I could do this. And so can anyone. Miss Picky loved it. We all did. Except for one little thing, next time she wants the all the sauce mixed in with the pork, not poured over it! Still, we're making progress!  If only she'll come home one day and insist on a piece of grilled salmon or something!

Pulled Pork with a side of Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries and Cole Slaw.

Someone couldn't wait to eat before the picture was taken. Snuck a bite! It was that good!

I used Head Country BBQ Sauce. Best sauce in the whole wide world. No kidding.

Pulled Pork
Source: Martha Stewart Living, January 2007
adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

3 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon packed dark-brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
1 pork roast (shoulder or rump; about 5 pounds)
Barbecue sauce, any kind you like
6 brioche, challah, egg rolls or hamburger buns, split
   
Stir together paprika, garlic, sugar, ground mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over pork. You can refrigerate and marinate at least 3 hours (up to overnight). Or not, I put the rub on, but didn't have time to marinate, it still tasted fine!

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Transfer pork to a roasting pan. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of the meat registers 170 degrees and pork pulls away easily with a fork, about 6 hours, or less for smaller roasts. Transfer pork to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes.

Using two forks, shred warm pork into a large bowl. Add some of the barbecue sauce, and stir to coat. Spoon pork onto bottom halves of rolls; top with more sauce, and top with the roll. Serve.

Join Beth at Beth Fish Reads for her fun Weekend Cooking Party. Every weekend. So stop by Beth Fish Reads and join in on the fun! On weekend's she's reading about food and cooking, and so can you!

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs.