Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwich with Purple Slaw
Try this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwich with Purple Slaw recipe
Try this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwich with Purple Slaw recipe
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1/4 cup paprika
- 5 lbs boneless shoulder
- 1 can root beer
- 4 cups (about 1/2 head) purple cabbage finely shredded
- 2 large carrots grated
- Carbohydrate 27.3086435742338 g
- Cholesterol 4.20000000355047 mg
- Fat 5.46185762983736 g
- Fiber 1.68848795372634 g
- Protein 0.977351334658978 g
- Saturated Fat 0.812949754892483 g
- Serving Size 1 1 -12 (297g)
- Sodium 139.282425142642 mg
- Sugar 25.6201556205075 g
- Trans Fat 3.43253987793694 g
- Calories 156 calories
Step-by-step
- For Pulled Pork: Add chopped onions and root beer to slow cooker.
- in separate bowl, mix salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, brown sugar, paprika and olive oil until well combined.
- Coat pork shoulder with mixture and place in slow cooker. Set to low heat and cover for 8 hours
- For Purple Slaw: Set shredded cabbage and grated carrots aside.
- In separate bowl combine remaining ingredients until mixed well.
- Add in cabbage and carrots until fully combined. Refrigerate until served.
- After 8 hours pork should "pull apart" easily with a fork. Pull apart remaining chunks to create shredded pieces. Serve pork on sandwich buns with favorite BBQ sauce. Top with spoonful of slaw.
Tender slow-cooked pork shoulder relies entirely on the breakdown of connective tissue rather than internal temperature targets. Patience matters more than a thermometer when dealing with a five-pound cut because collagen melts slowly between 160 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Chopping the yellow onion and pouring the root beer into the slow cooker base first creates a protective moisture barrier that prevents the meat from scorching during the long cooking cycle. Mixing the brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and garlic with olive oil forms a thick paste that adheres tightly to the meat surfaces instead of sliding off immediately into the liquid. Coating the pork thoroughly with this spice paste before submerging it ensures deep seasoning throughout the dense muscle fibers. Long-cooked barbecue preparations of this style draw on American southern traditions where tough cuts were transformed through indirect heat and extended cooking times. Checking the meat at the eight-hour mark requires a simple fork test: if the tines meet any mechanical resistance when twisted, the protein strands remain tight and need another hour of covered heat. Shredding the meat directly into the accumulated pan juices keeps the pork moist while absorbing the rendered flavor compounds. Shredding purple cabbage and grating carrots finely for the accompanying slaw provides a crisp, acidic contrast that cuts through the rich pork fat. Combining mayonnaise, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, celery salt, and black pepper creates a punchy dressing that must coat the vegetables uniformly without pooling at the bottom of the mixing bowl.
