Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Many of us love our slow cookers, but even if you don’t own one, don’t let that stop you from making pulled pork sandwiches. It turns out that a Dutch oven and an oven set to 300 degrees make a fantastic stand in for a slow cooker. But if you have one, by all means, use it! If it didn’t taste so darned awesome, I would say the best part of slow roasting this herb-infused meat is that the house smells heavenly all day.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. allspice
- 3 lbs. boneless pork loin roast or use pork butt or shoulder
- 3 sweet yellow onions such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, halved top to bottom and thinly sliced
- 12 soft whole wheat rolls or use buns, use wheat/gluten-free, if needed, sliced open
- 3/4 cup barbecue sauce for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Heat a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium to medium-high heat.
- In a small bowl, combine all the dry spices, and rub the mixture all over the outside of the roast (don’t trim the fat off of the roast before cooking it).
- When the pot is hot, sear the meat for 2 – 3 minutes per side until the outside is browned, then sear it for about 1 minute on each of the shorter sides to brown them.
- Put the onions on top of the roast (some will slide off), cover the pot, and transfer it to the bottom rack of the oven.
- Cook it for 3 hours, then remove it from the oven to flip it, baste it with the onions and accumulated liquid, and return it to the oven, covered, for 1 more hour until the meat easily pulls apart (you should be able to easily shred it with a spoon).
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer all of the meat and onions to a serving bowl, and discard the remaining liquid. Shred the meat into smaller pieces, and serve it immediately on top of the rolls topped with a little barbecue sauce, if desired, or refrigerate for up to 3 days and serve warm or cold.
Slow Cooker Directions
- Follow the directions above to sear the meat. Transfer it and the onions to the slow cooker and cook it on low for 7 – 8 hours or on high for 3 – 4 hours. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—Get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Combine the dry seasonings, rub seasonings over the pork and refrigerate, slice the onions, or fully prepare and refrigerate the dish.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Add ½ tsp. black or red pepper to the spice rub.
Tip: If your meat is very lean there may not be as much liquid in the pan while cooking. If the bottom of the pan is dry after 3 hours, add 1 cup of water for the remaining hour of cooking.
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Nutrition
Calories: 630kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 61gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 1148mgPotassium: 1199mgFiber: 6gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 337IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 139mgIron: 6mg
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