B. Smith's Memorial Day Recipe

Memorial Day is coming up this weekend, and what better way to celebrate the kick off of summer than with some pulled pork sliders! This recipe comes from my third cookbook, B.Smith Cooks Southern Style, and has been a crowd favorite! These are the perfect picnic food, or hor d’oerve for your summer barbecue!

Pulled Pork Sliders:

Root Beer Barbequed Pulled Pork (see recipe)

20 3-inch store-bought buns

Cole slaw, optional

1. Prepare Root Beer Barbequed Pulled Pork according to directions.
2. Slice the rolls and place 1½ Tablespoons pulled pork and a dollop of cole slaw, if desired, on each. Serve immediately.

ROOT BEER BARBECUED PULLED PORK

Yields 4 to 6 servings

2 pounds fresh boneless pork butt

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1¼ cups root beer

1¼ cups barbecue sauce

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Trim excess fat from pork butt. In a small bowl, mix together the pepper, kosher salt, cumin, thyme, sage, chili powder, paprika, mustard, and garlic powder. Rub the pork with an even coating of the seasoning mix.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy ovenproof pot or small Dutch oven (the pork should fit snuggly in the pan). Over medium heat, sear the meat, browning well on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Add the root beer (the liquid should come about 1/3 of the way up the meat), and cover the pot with a lid.

3. Place the pot in the oven and bake for 1 hour, then turn the meat over. Cover and continue baking until the meat is tender enough to shred, about 1 more hour.

4. Remove the pot from the oven, and in a large bowl shred the pork using 2 forks (you should have about 4 cups of shredded meat). Skim the fat from the pan juices, and stir in the pork and the barbecue sauce. Place pan uncovered in the oven, and bake until the juices thicken, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

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