Pulled Pork Sandwiches on Toasted Garlic Buns

Ever since I went to Sweet Cheeks and was disappointed that the “Texas toast” my pulled pork sandwich was served on was simply white sandwich bread, I’ve been dreaming about pulled pork piled high between pieces of garlic bread. So, I recently headed to our local meat shop, McKinnon’s, and picked up a nice pork butt roast. Pulled pork is so easy and inexpensive to make at home that I wish I would have put this plan into action sooner!

I coated the pork butt in brown sugar, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt, and then let it bubble away in my Dutch oven in a delicious homemade BBQ sauce. I shredded the meat and mixed it with the sauce left in the pan and then served it up on toasted buns spread with a nice layer of garlic butter.

While I’m always excited for leftovers, I usually like to have something different for lunch and dinner, but both Apolinaras and I enjoyed these sandwiches for four meals in a row. The baby loved them too – I got lot of strong kicks after eating! She must take after her BBQ loving daddy.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches on Toasted Garlic Buns
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Pulled Pork:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon salt
6 pound bone-in pork butt roast
1 yellow onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup ketchup
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons brown mustard
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water

For assembly:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 garlic cloves, minced
10 high quality sandwich rolls, split

Directions:
Mix brown sugar, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Rub into the pork butt roast, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours up to overnight.

Heat oven to 325°F. Place onion, garlic, ketchup, vinegar, tomato paste, brown mustard, honey, Worcestershire sauce, espresso powder, and salt in a food processor and pulse 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Place sauce in a large Dutch oven and stir in water. Place pork butt roast into the Dutch oven and cover. Bake at 325°F for 4 to 4 1/2 hours, basting the meat every hour with the sauce, or until pork is tender and shreds easily. Remove pork from the Dutch oven, and let rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, spoon fat off the sauce in the Dutch oven. Shred meat with a fork and return shredded pork to the Dutch oven with the sauce and mix well.

To assemble the sandwiches, heat oven broiler. Place butter and garlic in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Spread garlic butter evenly on the cut side of the sandwich rolls, place butter side up on a large baking sheet, and broil for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. Evenly distribute pulled pork on the bottom buns and place the top halves on top. Makes 10 sandwiches.

Nutrition: 654 calories, 37.2g fat, 1.3g fiber, 34.4g protein per sandwich
Cost: $1.81 per serving