Apple-Braised Pulled Pork Sandwiches
with fresh & tangy coleslaw
To me, summer means trying tanning by the pool, drinking copious amounts of aperol spritz, going to the beach with friends, and hosting barbecues. And what pairs perfectly with all of these? Juicy pulled pork inside a buttered and toasted bun, with crunchy and tangy coleslaw (of course!).
This pulled pork recipe is my favorite because it’s incredibly flavorful, juicy and so easy to make. It may seem like an intimidating project –the kind you watch Ina make on the Food Network and think, “Looks good… but takeout will do”– but I can assure you it’s not hard to make. You basically chuck everything into a big pot and let it do it’s thing on the stove while you prep the slaw, buns and sauce.
Trust me, these sandwiches will be the star of the summer.
As always, I’d love to see if you make this! So send me a picture at @vanillabeandiaries on Instagram :)
Happy summer!
Xoxo,
Dani
Apple-Braised Pulled Pork Sandwiches
*Serves 10-12
Ingredients
For the rub:
3 tbsp brown sugar
3 tsp paprika
1 ½ tsp onion powder
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
¾ tsp cumin
1 tsp mustard powder
1 ½ tsp salt
¾ tsp black pepper
For braising the pork + serving:
2 to 2.3 kg bone-in pork shoulder, skinless and at room temperature
5 cups apple cider or apple juice
3 cups water
4 cups barbecue sauce, homemade or store bought
10 to 12 freshly baked brioche buns
4 tbsp salted butter, for toasting the buns
For the coleslaw:
4 cups thinly shredded purple (or green) cabbage, from about 1/2 a head
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
The zest of one lemon
1/2 cup good quality mayo
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt, divided
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
1) Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) with a rack in the middle, making sure there is enough space for a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot to fit with the lid on.
2) In a small bowl, mix together all the rub ingredients until evenly combined. Place your room-temperature pork shoulder on a cutting board or tray, and sprinkle the rub evenly all over. Use your hands to gently pat the rub into the meat, so that it sticks well. Make sure the pork is completely covered in the rub.
3) Transfer the pork to your Dutch oven. Then, pour 2 cups of the apple cider or juice over it. Cover your Dutch oven with its lid, and place in the oven for 4 hours. In a large bowl, mix together the remaining 3 cups of apple cider or juice with 3 cups of water. After every full hour that the pork is in the oven, add 1 ½ cups of the apple water into the Dutch oven and cover again, for a total of 4 additions. This will help baste the pork and keep it juicy. Once ready, the internal temperature of the pork should be between 195–205°F (90–96°C) at the thickest part.
Tip! Another way to know if it’s done is if you can easily slide a fork into the thickest part of the pork and twist it.
4) While the pork bakes, make the coleslaw. To a large bowl, add the shredded cabbage and sprinkle ½ tsp of the salt on top. Massage it with your hands and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then, squeeze out any excess water that the salt drew out. Add in all the remaining ingredients, including the remaining ½ tsp of salt, and use clean hands to mix them into the cabbage, until everything is thoroughly coated. Taste and adjust salt amounts as needed. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
5) Remove the pork from the oven once it reaches the necessary internal temperature, uncover, and let the finished pork cool for 25 minutes. Then, carefully remove the bone and shred the pork using two forks.
6) While the pork cools, slice your buns and toast each half in a large skillet with the butter over low heat, until a light golden brown.
7) Add 3 cups of the barbecue sauce to the shredded pork and toss to evenly coat. Taste and add more if you like it juicer. Save any extra sauce for serving.
8) To plate the sandwiches, slice your buns in half, add a generous amount of pork and coleslaw, then top with the other half of the bun.
