Pulled Pork & Srirachi-Herb Sandiches

Growing up in North and South Carolina you learn a thing or two about barbeque. I prefer mine with a vinegar & red pepper based sauce, and the below recipes reflect that taste combination. 

Making pulled pork is actually quite easy. There are two main keys to a perfect barbequed pork roast every time. 1 - Cooking Temperature. Keep it in a consistent 215-225 F environment. Slow & steady definitely wins the race here. 2 - Use a thermometer that you can read without opening the grill or oven door. You'll be cooking the roast until it hits 200 degrees (yes, 200 degrees). It's going to take a while, and it'll take even longer if you keep opening the door to check the temperature. We'll save the door-opening-temperature-loss for mopping the roast.

This beauty was a 8.9 lb bone-in picnic roast for under $11. If you want an affordable way to feed a passel of people, you can't beat the flavor and value of pulled pork. A "picnic" roast is the whole shoulder of the pig. It includes the "butt" section that you can buy separately at the store. The butt is a fattier piece than the shoulder, so pulling them together results in a less fatty end result. Don't worry though, there is still plenty there.

Low and slow. I keep my roast between 215-225 F (100-120 C).

I do my smoking in a Traeger, which is an electric smoker that burns wood pellets to create the smoke and heat. Any grill, smoker or oven will work, as long as you can maintain temperature (remember - key number one!)

200 degrees at last! For my 8.9 pounder, this took 16 hours, which breaks down to about an hour and forty minutes per pound. Generally, it's about 1.5-2 hours per pound, depending on the thickness, not the weight.

At 200 degrees, the pork will be falling of the bone and super juicy. Simply use a fork (or two) to pull it apart. No knives required for this!

Now that the pork is pulled - simply add your favorite sauce. It's great by itself, served with stone-ground butter grits and toast. Always make enough to have leftovers - it freezes exceptionally well and can be used in a multitude of different ways as a leftover - such as the below Srirachi-herb sandwich.

Sriracha is an Asian hot sauce made of chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, sugar and salt. The mixture of sriracha and mayonnaise, combined with fresh mint and basil, is a fantastic flavor combination.The spicy-freshness pairs extremely well with the vinegary bite of the rich pulled pork.

This sandwich needs a hearty, chewy bread that can stand up to the bold flavors of its contents. I like using an entire baguette to make a giant sub-sandwich for picnics and boat trips. Besides being visually stunning, it wins you extra-cool points when you show up with a sandwich-sword.

Extra bonus! Any furry friends of yours will be extra excited when the pork hits 200, and the bones slide right out. This is my new kitten Mam, experiencing her first pork bone. I think she likes it.

Elizabeth’s Pulled Pork

Pork Roast (Whole Picnic, Boston Butt, Shoulder)

Dry Rub (optional)

BBQ Sauce

(Easy enough, right?)

If your pork roast has skin on it, carefully remove it with a sharp knife. Skin cooked this low-and-slow will be edible, but more chewy than crispy. Save it for flavoring another dish, or making fried pork skins later. If you choose to leave the skin, make sure to score it lightly. Trim the fat cap as necessary, but leave it up to ¼” thick. You’ll cook the roast fat cap up, making the fat slowly render down into the meat (flavor, flavor, flavor). Coat with dry rub (optional). Insert a thermometer into the middle of the roast, careful to not touch a bone. Place the roast into smoker, grill or oven that has been heated to 215-225 degrees F. Occasionally mop the pork with the barbeque sauce (also a good time to steal a quick nibble of crust). Remove the pork when the internal temperature reads 200 degrees F, about 1.5-2 hours per pound. Let the pork rest, covered, for 10-15 minutes. Then pull away! Liberally douse with barbeque sauce and serve.

Dry Rub

The pork will be flavorful enough on it’s own, and especially after the addition of the barbeque sauce at the end. However, if you’re like me and love a good crust to nibble on, go ahead and add the dry rub to the roast.

1 part salt

1 part garlic powder

1 part hot paprika

2 parts sugar (preferably unrefined)

½ part black pepper, freshly ground

½ part of ground ginger (trust me)

Mix well, and coat roast.

Barbeque Sauce

1 cup of apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar
1 T hot sauce

2 T sugar (again, preferably unrefined)
1 T salt
2 T crushed red pepper flakes

2 t black pepper, freshly ground

1 T butter, softened (optional)

Place all of the ingredients into a jar and give them a good shaking. Let the sauce sit for at least three days prior to use, for optimal flavor. The sauce will be good for months in the refrigerator. The butter, if added, will congeal in the fridge. If that makes you squeamish, let the sauce sit out a while prior to use. This recipe makes about 1.5 cups of sauce. I generally make a couple quarts at a time.

Pulled Pork Sriracha-Herb Sandwiches

Bread

Sriracha

Mayonnaise

2 parts fresh basil, minced

1 part fresh mint, minced

Pulled pork leftovers (vinegar sauced)

Mix sriracha and mayonnaise in a bowl together until you achieve the heat level you desire. My general ratio is about 1:4, but I like it pretty spicy. Liberally apply the sriracha-mayo to the bread of your choice. Add finely minced and mixed fresh herbs (the more the better – you can hardly see the mayo through the herbs on my sandwiches). Add the pork and enjoy!

The vinegar in the sauce is a crucial balancing point in the sandwich. If the barbeque sauce wasn’t your style, you can add some finely sliced pickled radishes or cabbage to help balance the flavors.

The End!

This was my first post ever. I think I may have gone a little overboard. It took me 3 hours. Let me know what you thought if you made it all the way through!