Pulled Pork Burger or Sandwich
The meat is packed with flavor and served with coleslaw, caramelized onions, pickles, and the rich sauce from the cooking juices. Make the pulled pork in a slow cooker or braise it in the oven; both work well. Adjust the seasonings to taste and serve on brioche or classic burger buns.
Servings 4 sandwiches
Ingredients
For the pork:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup beer
- 3 onions sliced
Herb garlic butter:
- 2 tablespoons salted butter softened
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley or dill loosely packed, optional
- 2 garlic cloves minced
Cabbage mix:
- 1 ½ cups coleslaw mix dressed with oil and apple cider vinegar
- large pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or to taste
To assemble the sandwich:
- 4 brioche or hamburger buns store-bought or homemade burger buns
- pickled cucumbers or pickles
Instructions
Prepare the pulled pork:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Heat a large skillet with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
- If the meat is not sliced, cut it into large pieces. Sear 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder in the hot skillet for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown, turning a few times but letting it brown nicely. The inside will be raw.
- Meanwhile, place the onion on the bottom of an ovenproof pot if braising the meat. If using the slow cooker, add 3 onions, sliced thin, to the skillet and cook to soften while searing the pork. Or remove the pork and cook the onions for a few minutes over medium heat. Then transfer to the slow cooker pot.
- Remove the pork pieces from the skillet and place them in the designated pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, ½ tablespoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon mustard and 1 cup BBQ sauce, spreading the sauce well over the meat.
- Pour ¼ cup apple cider vinegar and ½ cup beer, cover with aluminum foil or the lid. Roast until the meat is tender and starting to fall apart, about 2 hours. If the pork is cut into chunks, check them at 1 and 1 ½ hours to make sure they're not drying out.
- Remove the aluminum foil for 10 minutes and roast the meat until golden.
- Remove the pork and shred it with two forks. Mix the pulled pork with the cooking juices.
Make the garlic butter:
- While the meat is cooking, mix 2 tablespoons salted butter in a small bowl with ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley or dill and 2 garlic cloves, minced. Set aside.
Prepare the slaw:
- Toss 1 ½ cups coleslaw mix with some extra fresh parsley if you want to, a large pinch of salt, 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until the meat is cooked.
- Cut pickled cucumbers or pickles into slices. Set aside.
Toast the buns:
- Brush each half of 4 brioche or hamburger buns with some of the garlic butter.
- Lightly toast in the oven for a few minutes or until golden. Be careful they don’t burn.
Assemble the sandwich:
- Put the open buns on a flat surface.
- Place some of the cooked onion and a tablespoon of the sauce from the meat.
- Add a generous mound of pulled pork on top, distributing so it’s not all in the middle. Spoon some additional sauce. Add the pickles and coleslaw.
- Close with the top part of the bun and serve warm.
Notes
Pork meat: I always use pork shoulder as it's the one that's readily available and I know how to work with. Pork butt is another popular choice but I don't think I ever used it. Look for cuts with some fat; lean meat is not recommended as it lacks flavor and will dry too soon before it's tender enough to pull apart.
Balance the flavors of each component: it's important that the pork, the coleslaw, the pickles and a condiment you might use have flavors that complement each other and not clash. For example, if I use the Mexican-style coleslaw, I use carnitas for the pork part, as their flavors (cumin, chili powder, lime juice, etc.) pair better.
If, for whatever reason, you're not a fan of using the onions and sauce from the meat, add some sliced red onion to the coleslaw and use a store-bought or homemade barbecue sauce instead.
