pulled pork sandwiches with Coleslaw

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Coleslaw Recipe (Mustard Carolina Sauce & Black Cherry Cola)

Ingredients:

For the Pulled Pork:

    •    3-4 lbs pork shoulder (or Boston butt)

    •    1 onion, quartered

    •    1 tbsp smoked paprika

    •    1 tbsp garlic powder

    •    1 tbsp onion powder

    •    1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

    •    Salt and black pepper to taste

    •    1 cup black cherry cola

    •    ½ cup chicken broth

For the Mustard Carolina Sauce:

    •    1 cup yellow mustard

    •    ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar

    •    ¼ cup brown sugar

    •    1 tbsp honey

    •    1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

    •    1 tsp smoked paprika

    •    ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

    •    Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Coleslaw:

    •    4 cups shredded cabbage (green or a mix of green and purple)

    •    1 cup shredded carrots

    •    ½ cup mayonnaise

    •    2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

    •    1 tbsp sugar

    •    Salt and black pepper to taste

For Serving:

    •    8 sandwich buns

    •    Pickles (optional)

Instructions:

    1.    Prepare the Pork:

    •    Rub the pork shoulder with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne (if using), salt, and black pepper.

    •    Place the pork in a slow cooker along with the onion, black cherry cola, and chicken broth.

    •    Cook on low for 10 hours or until the pork is fall-apart tender.

    •    Remove the pork and shred it using two forks. Discard excess fat. Skim the fat from the cooking liquid and set aside about ½ cup of it.

    2.    Make the Mustard Carolina Sauce:

    •    In a small saucepan, combine the mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, cayenne (if using), salt, and black pepper.

    •    Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, and cook for 5-7 minutes until slightly thickened.

    •    Stir in the reserved cooking liquid for added flavor, then remove from heat.

    3.    Mix the Coleslaw:

    •    In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper.

    •    Add the shredded cabbage and carrots, tossing until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.

    4.    Assemble the Sandwiches:

    •    Toss the shredded pork with the mustard Carolina sauce.

    •    Pile the pulled pork onto the bottom half of each sandwich bun.

    •    Top with a generous scoop of coleslaw. Add pickles if desired.

    •    Close the sandwich with the top bun and serve warm.