In honor of the Muscadine wine festival that’s taking place this weekend, we decided to post a YUMMY recipe that features one of our southern favorites: BBQ!
Come on out this weekend and enjoy some local BBQ with the annual BBQ competition and stop by our boutique for sales and new items we’ve been saving just for the beginning of fall. We’ll also be selling our new bbq rubs which make perfect gifts for just $5!
Here’s the recipe for gourmet pulled pork sandwiches:
Gourmet pulled pork sandwiches? Does such a thing exist? Yes, friends, it really, really does. And it goes a little something like this: tender, rich, melt-in-your-mouth pork seasoned with a perfectly balanced Memphis-style rub, on a toasted bun slathered with spicy sweet red onion chutney (in place of plain old bbq sauce), jalapeño popper pimento cheese spread, and topped off with a fresh cilantro slaw that’s tangy enough to cut through the richness of the meat.
The pimento cheese might sound like overkill, but it really keeps the heat in check and adds a wonderful dimension when mixed with the red onion chutney.
I like to add all my fixin’s in layers, and this sandwich is ALL about the layers of flavors that hit your palate one, delicious bite at a time. First, I slather on a healthy amount of red onion chutney to the bottom of a lightly toasted bun. Next comes the pulled pork, followed quickly by the slaw. On the top part of the bun, I smear a big dollop of the pimento cheese and then give a little prayer of thanks.
God is so very good. Especially to those with the patience to sit at home and smell the meat roasted to butter-like perfection all afternoon.
Both the jalapeño popper pimento cheese spread and the cilantro and green onion slaw are from my personal recipes, but the Memphis rub is directly from Central BBQ itself. The recipe can be found by clicking HERE.
Now, the only tweak I make to the yummy rub is this: I hold back on both the cayenne pepper and the white pepper since I use cayenne in my liquid basting and the condiments add plenty of heat to the dish. If you prefer to keep it as close to the original recipe as possible, then be prepared for a slow, peppery finish after each bite.
The second recipe that I came across one afternoon was for the red onion chutney. It is SO tasty as is and I cannot think of one thing I’d change about it. To make the red onion chutney please check out this link HERE.
Once you’ve got the spices all ready for your pork rub (I use a tenderloin when making my sandwiches) and the onions are sliced and ready to go for your chutney, it’s time to dive in and start cooking.
Cooking tip: I usually make the red onion chutney after I get the pork in the oven – that way it’s got time to slowly cook and the onions are ready and waiting for the sandwiches. Don’t forget to grab the full red onion chutney recipe before hitting the grocery store, it really adds that gourmet quality to the sandwiches!
Recipe:
For the pork:
2 lbs pork tenderloin
Central BBQ rub spice blend
1/2 c carrots
2 celery stalks
3-5 cloves garlic, smashed (depending on how big the garlic is)
2.5 c water
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1 TBSP seasoned salt
For the slaw:
2 green onions, sliced
1 16 oz. bag of shredded cabbage
1 TBSP pickled jalapeños (about 5 sliced jalapeños from a jar)
1 tsp lime juice
1 TBSP vinegar from the jalapeño jar
1 TBSP white vinegar
1.5 c fresh cilantro
1/2 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP mayo
salt and pepper to taste
For the pimento cheese spread:
1/2 tsp Hungarian paprika
1/2 tsp regular paprika
1.5 TBSP onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 TBSP pickled jalapeños, diced
4 oz. pimentos, drained
8 oz. dairy free cream cheese, softened (or regular if you don’t have dietary restrictions)
2 c shredded low-moisture mozzarella (or 1 cup mozzarella and 1 cup cheddar if you don’t have a dairy allergy)
1/2 c mayo
1 green onion, sliced for garnish
Instructions:
Generously season both sides of pork tenderloins with Central BBQ rub, then wrap meat tightly in saran wrap and set aside for 30 minutes. (This infuses the meat with the spices. You want each tenderloin to be in its own sausage-like casing.)
Mix all ingredients for pimento cheese spread together and stir until completely blended, set aside in refrigerator to keep chilled.
Preheat skillet with a little oil over medium heat.
In a food processor combine mayo, olive oil, lime, vinegars, cilantro, and jalapeños for the slaw.
Pulse until it’s a dressing-like consistency.
Add shredded cabbage and green onions to a bowl and toss with the cilantro dressing.
Salt and pepper the slaw to taste, set aside in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove plastic wrap and sear all sides of pork tenderloins quickly in the hot skillet then place in an oven safe baking dish.
Add the carrots, onions, celery, and garlic to the pan you seared the pork in and cook until fragrant.
Add water and remaining seasoning to the mirepoix, cook for an additional minute, then pour over pork.
Cover pork tightly and cook on 350 for 2 hours, then uncover and cook for an additional 30 minutes at 305 degrees.
When the pork comes out of the oven, shred and serve with your choice of bun and sides.
Bonus tip: to keep the meat nice and juicy, I add some of the basting liquid after I’ve shredded it all.
Happy cooking and eating!
dLb lifestyle 