Pulled Pork Sandwiches

For the pork, I covered a large pork shoulder with a homemade rub (some combination of salt, pepper, sugar/brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and paprika) and let it sit in a refrigerator for about 12 hours.  When coals are nice and hot, I browned the shoulder over direct heat, moved it to the other side of the grill over indirect heat, and cooked it for about 3.5 hours, until the meat was fully cooked and starting to fall off the bone.

For the sauce, I used a store bought BBQ sauce and added sauteed shallot, garlic, honey and a couple chipotle peppers for some spice.

Once the sauce reached the right consistency and flavor and the pork had cooled enough to “pull,” I added it to the simmering sauce and let everything get nice for about 10 or 15 minutes.

Simple store bought buns and a homemade slaw are all you need for what I consider the perfect summer sandwich.

American
Summer

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Pork and Tomatillo Stew

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 3-inch chunks
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 large celery ribs, finely diced
  • 1 small red onion, finely diced
  • 1 Anaheim chile, seeded and finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons mild chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • Pinch of dried oregano
  • 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
  • 1 cup 1/2-inch-diced carrots
  • Two 6-ounce russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
  • One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 pound tomatillos—husked, rinsed and cut into 1-inch dice
  • Hot sauce
  • Chopped cilantro, for garnish
  • Corn tortilla chips, for serving

1. In a medium casserole or Dutch oven, heat the oil. Season the pork with salt and pepper and cook over high heat until browned on 2 sides, about 2 minutes per side. Add the celery and onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the diced chile, garlic, chile powder, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and tomatillos, cover and simmer over low heat until the pork is cooked through, about 25 minutes.

2. Transfer the pork to a plate and shred with two forks. Meanwhile, simmer the stew over moderate heat until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir the shredded pork into the stew and season with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Ladle the stew into bowls, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with a few tortilla chips.

WINE Côte-Rôtie (“roasted slope”) is also the name of Andrew Murray’s peppery 2005 blend of Syrah and Viognier, an excellent match with spicy pork stew.

Serves 4.

Mexican
Winter

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