Helloooo Summer!

Pulled pork is the quintessential summer party staple.  It feeds a crowd,  your guests can dress it up however they like, it can be served on a bun (or not!), and it is the perfect dish to prepare in the slow cooker, which means no fuss and all the cleaning is done before your guests arrive!  My go-to pulled pork preparation is to serve it on a bun with quick-pickled red onions (my favorite summer condiment - I put them on EVERYTHING) and coleslaw.  My coleslaw recipe is adapted from the one served at my favorite barbeque restaurant in my hometown, KT's Barbeque, and it is delicious!  Instead of thick, gloppy dressing that smothers the life out of each little thread of cabbage, this dressing is slightly sweet, tangy, and packs a bit of a kick from the cayenne pepper!  It is a perfect accompaniment to this pulled pork - whether on your sandwich, on the side, or both!

Mess or masterpiece?  You be the judge.

For the Pork

1 3-3 1/2 lb. pork shoulder
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder (NOT garlic salt)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons liquid smoke

Barbeque sauce of your choosing
Buns  (I'm partial to a pretzel bun, although I'm told that two bratwurst buns sandwiched together works pretty well too!)

Although I'm not disputing that pulled pork was virtually made for the slow cooker, I find that this recipe really benefits from giving the pork shoulder a good sear before tossing it into the slow cooker to melt into porky heaven.  While not essential, I recommend not skipping this step!  To brown the pork, heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add about a tablespoon of olive oil.  While your pan is heating up (you want it HOT), season the pork liberally with salt, pepper, and garlic powder on all sides - don't forget those ends! 

Once you've seasoned the pork (don't be afraid to give it a little rub-down), brown it on all sides.  This will take 4-5 minutes per side.  Don't be afraid to get some serious color on that pork shoulder, it means more flavor later!

Once the pork is nicely browned, add it to the slow cooker along with any accumulated juices.  Add the liquid smoke, close the lid, and cook the pork shoulder on "low" for 8 hours.  Voila!  That's it!  The seasoning is simple, but packs a punch!  This pork has so much flavor, I sometimes even skip the barbeque sauce!  If you remember (I sometimes don't), turn the pork every two hours or so while it's cooking.

You'll know the pork is done when it is so tender it starts to fall apart when you turn it.  Shred it with two forks right in the slow cooker and let it hang out in the accumulated juices.  If your slow cooker has a "keep warm" setting, switch to this and wait for your guests to arrive. 

While the pork is cooking, you will have time to make:

Quick-Pickled Red Onions

1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

Sometimes I make a double-batch of these because they are just so good on EVERYTHING!  Tacos, burgers, salads, you name it!  First, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl or plastic storage container.  Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.   Next, thinly slice your red onion.

Pre-pickles!

Add the red onion to the vinegar mixture, cover, and refrigerate for at least two hours.  They will be crisp and lightly pickle-fied within a couple of hours, but these puppies get even better the longer they sit.  I'd say for best results, leave them overnight. 

The Best Damn Slaw You've Ever Had

1 head green cabbage, shredded
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
1 medium shallot, finely diced
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 cup mayonnaise (In a pinch, I've used light mayo in this recipe and it is still good!  I have yet to try substituting greek yogurt - if anyone is brave enough, let me know how it turns out!)

First, prepare the dressing by combining the diced shallots, black pepper, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, cider vinegar, mustard, and mayo in a small mixing bowl.  Whisk to combine, making sure that the brown sugar is fully incorporated. 

Next, shred the coleslaw and carrot.  I used the grater attachment on my food processor, but a box grater would work well too. 

 

Toss the cabbage mixture with the dressing, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours.  Have you noticed that all the components to this meal are make-ahead??  This way, everything is prepped and ready ahead of time, so when your guests arrive, your kitchen is clean and you can enjoy a cocktail instead of being trapped in the kitchen grating cabbage.  Because cocktails > shredding cabbage.

This dish comes together very easily: put the pickled onions and coleslaw on the table, along with an assortment of barbeque sauces.  I let guests serve the pork themselves right out of the slow cooker.  Enjoy with some juicy watermelon, a cold cocktail, and friends!

Happy Memorial Day!