Dinner that made my boy go "Oh my gosh, Mom!"

PULLED PORK SANDWICHES WITH BARBECUE SAUCE (Bonnie Stern, in National Post, February 5, 2011)

Even if you don't need this much pulled pork, it makes sense to braise a whole pork shoulder (a. k.a. pork butt) because you can use the leftovers for poutine, on pasta or in grilled cheese sandwiches and macand cheese. Or freeze the leftovers for future meals. The trick to braising a pork shoulder is to cook it until it is fork tender. It can easily be made a day ahead. Ask for Canadian pork at your butchers, or look for the Canadian flag on the package at the supermarket.

Paste:

- 2 tbsp brown sugar

- 1 tbsp kosher salt

- 1 tsp each paprika, pepper and cumin

- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 4 lb boneless pork shoulder (pork butt roast)

Cooking liquid:

- 2 cups apple juice

- ½cup maple syrup

- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

- 6 whole cloves garlic

- 2 onions, thickly sliced

Maple barbecue sauce:

- 2 cups favourite barbecue sauce

- ½cup maple syrup

- 2 tbsp each Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar

- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Sandwiches:

- 12 soft buns

- coleslaw (see recipe below)

- chipotle mayo (see recipe below)

- guacamole -your favourite, optional

1. Combine brown sugar, salt, paprika, pepper, cumin, mustard and garlic. Rub into roast. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

2. Combine apple juice, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Place garlic and onions in the bottom of a Dutch oven and set roast on top. Add liquid. Cover roast with a piece of parchment paper and then cover pan tightly. Cook in a preheated 325F/160C oven for 3 to 4 hours or longer, until pork is so tender it falls apart when pierced with a fork.

3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan whisk barbecue sauce with maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and mustard. Bring to a boil. Cook gently 5 minutes. Reserve.

4. When roast is ready, remove from pan. Slice thickly and chop. Combine with half the barbecue sauce, adding some of the strained cooking juices if meat is too dry. Reheat meat just before serving in a 325F oven for about 30 minutes.

5. Make sandwiches on the soft buns with meat, extra barbecue sauce, coleslaw, chipotle mayo and guacamole (if using).

Makes 12 sandwiches

CREAMY-STYLE COLESLAW

This creamy coleslaw tastes great either in a sandwich or on the side.

- 4 cups shredded green cabbage

- 1 tbsp kosher salt

- 1 carrot, grated

Dressing:

- ¾cup mayonnaise

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 1 tbsp vinegar

- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper or to taste

1. Make coleslaw by combining shredded cabbage with salt. Place in a colander set over a bowl, with a plate on top, pressing down on the cabbage to extract excess moisture. After about one hour, rinse cabbage and pat dry, pressing again firmly. Combine with carrots.

2. For dressing, combine mayonnaise with garlic, sugar, vinegar and pepper.

3. Combine dressing with cabbage mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Makes 12 servings

CHIPOTLE MAYO

Chipotle chilis are smoked jalapenos -- hot and delicious. When I buy a tin of chipotles, I open it up and puree it all, transfer to a Ziploc bag, flatten the bag so that the mixture isn't too thick and freeze it. That way you can just break off any amount you need and it will defrost quickly. If the sauce is too spicy, add more mayo or some thick yogourt or sour cream. This mayo is also great on grilled chicken sandwiches or burgers.

- 1 cup mayonnaise (I like Hellman's)

- 1 tbsp chipotle chili puree or to taste

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1 tbsp lemon juice

1. Place mayonnaise in a bowl and stir in chipotle puree, minced garlic and lemon juice to taste. Keep in the refrigerator.

Makes 1 cup/250ml

via nationalpost.com

This is seriously good eating. It looks long and complicated, but the only things I had to buy were the pork roast and some BBQ sauce (I used Diana's traditional). Everything else I had on hand.

I made the pulled pork and chipotle mayo but decided to forgo the coleslaw for sauerkraut that we had in the fridge. I tweeted Bonnie Stern the day before to see if I could make this in my slow-cooker and she gave me the thumbs up.

It is all I can do to not take leftovers out of the fridge and scarf them down cold.  Some went (cold) in lunch bags today. And the house smelled fantastic!