Dorm Dash: Oven-roasted pulled pork sandwiches with homemade BBQ sauce
A few weeks ago, I cooked oven-roasted pulled pork sandwiches with homemade barbeque sauce for my partner and me. It was to die for. The recipe made enough for four hungry people. This recipe is an adaptation for people like myself who do not own a Dutch oven and prefer sweet barbeque sauce to complement pulled pork.
Ingredients
4 pounds boneless pork shoulder
1/2 cup and 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 ounces lager or chicken/beef broth
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Trim excess fat from pork and cut it into large pieces.
In a small bowl, combine three tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder and cumin, then season with 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Rub all over pork.
Heat oil in the bottom of a cast-iron pan. Working in batches, sear pork on all sides on the stove. Do not let the spices burn!
Put the pork in a pot and pour in lager or broth. Transfer to oven and cook until pork becomes tender, about three hours. Remove the lid and cook until the pork is very tender and pulls apart easily with a fork, 1 to 2 hours more.
Remove pork from the oven and let rest.
Whisk together ketchup, apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Allow to bubble, then reduce the heat to low to simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Place buns on a sheet pan and place them in the oven while finishing up the sauce.
Shred pork using two forks. Toss shredded meat with about half the barbecue sauce. Serve with warm buns and remaining sauce.
