Yum

I’ve never been much of a fan of pulled pork, not sure why, just didn’t seem to ever find it had much flavour.  It was always a meal I could take or leave.  The only recipe I ever liked was this one I found in my Simply HeartSmart Cooking by Bonnie Stern.  I changed it up a little bit but it pretty much the same and it is by far my favourite.

It is definitely one of the best make ahead recipes I have, the stuff freezes and warms up like a dream.  I love those kinds of dishes where you can make enough and freeze half for another time.

If it’s cold outside and you’d rather read a book by the fire than make dinner, get this stuff going in a crock pot and have relaxing day.

I pair this with a coleslaw recipe I found many, many years ago in a magazine.  It’s a simple vinaigrette that pours hot over the coleslaw and is amazing.  It has always been my  ‘go to’.  One I’ve only occasionally veered from and only by using celery seed instead of caraway seeds for those in my life who seem to dislike caraway seeds.  Not sure how anyone does but alas it is apparently true…. so I adjust. 🙂

Lastly a word about these buns.  Though I love bread I have tried to stay away from it most of the time in the last few years.  I just find that it seems to sit in my guts and just doesn’t feel good.  Because of this when I do indulge I want it to be for some REALLY good bread and these buns or rohliky are the only ones I just cannot resist.  Topped with coarse salt and caraway seeds they are just as good with a smather of butter and warm from the oven… but I digress… I bought these at a local bakery and freeze them…. otherwise they would ALL get eaten by ME…. and I gently heat them in the oven at 350 degrees until they are soft…. just like freshly baked.

But really … any buns will do!

Southern Barbecued Pork Roast 

(adapted slightly from Bonnie Stern’s Simply HeartSmart Cooking)

• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 4 garlic cloves chopped or minced
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 cup vinegar (she uses cider but I’ve used white)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 tbs worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbs hot red pepper sauce (she says 1 tsp and optional… I like more… way more)
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 cup water
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 3 lbs boneless lean pork (I’ve used tenderloin)

Make the BBQ sauce by heating oil in a saucepan and adding garlic and onion, cooking until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add rest of the ingredients and simmer until sauce thickens to the consistency of ketchup.

Rub pork with 1/2 cup of the sauce and place in slow cooker, add 1 cup water and cook on  high for 8 hours or low for 4 hours.  Remove roast from pan, skim fat off and add the rest of bbq sauce and bake for another hour, until heated through.

Coleslaw

• 1/2 large or 1 small cabbage sliced
• 2 small or 1 large carrot grated
• 1/2 large or 1 small onion halved and sliced very thin
• 2 celery stalks, sliced very thin
• 2 tsp of caraway seeds or 1 tsp of celery salt
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• pinch of salt
• pinch of pepper

I use a mandolin to grate slice the cabbage, onion and celery and grate the carrots.  Mix cabbage, carrots, onions and celery in a large bowl.  Mix the rest of the ingredients in a heat resistant bowl or small saucepan.  Mix and simmer until bubbly and the sugar is dissolved and then quickly pour over the salad and stir.  Coleslaw will stay in the refrigerator for several days.