One of my favorite things to throw on the smoker is a pork butt. Pulled pork is well worth the time it takes to make. I made a big batch of BBQ the other day. Now, usually, I’ll throw it on a bun with some BBQ sauce. Or I’ll even put it in a baked potato (soooo good!). This time, I went with a smoked pulled pork po boy.
I Have To Have Slaw
You can pretty much throw anything on a smoked pulled pork po boy and it’ll be good, but start with good BBQ and you end up with a fantastic sandwich! And don’t forget the slaw. That coolness, that crunchiness, that’s what makes a good sandwich great. As does the messiness. A great sandwich makes a mess when you pick it up and take a bite. The juices have to run down your arm and onto your plate. Or into your lap. An ingredient here, an ingredient there will fall out onto your lap. You pick those up, get some of that juices from your plate on them, and into your mouth they go. Hey, I know it’s not pretty. It’s not supposed to me.
There’s no reason to make so-so pulled pork in your slow cooker. Give it some kick. Like my slow cooker fire-eater pulled pork. It’s got some kick. Fire-eater rub and hot sauce will wake up your taste buds, that’s for sure. Tender, moist pork makes for the perfect sandwich on a cold day.
Not Just For Sandwiches
I also ended up using this slow cooker fire-eater pulled pork in homemade hot pockets and on nachos. It’s great stuff, and can be used as just about any dish. Also try it on baked potatoes! Yummy! And baked potatoes? One of my favorites. Just heap on some of pork. Add sour cream. Black olives. Maybe a little chopped onion. A couple of jalapeno slices. Now that’s a baked potato!
I prefer Cholula original hot sauce in dishes like this fire-eater pulled pork. It’s spicy, but it’s not so overwhelmingly hot that you can’t still taste the dish.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of rub around all sides of the pork.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add pork and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate.
Turn off the heat to the skillet and let cool slightly.
Slowly (keep your arms, hands and face back as it may splatter!) add 3/4 cup of water to the skillet and whisk.
Pour mixture into a slow cooker on low.
Add the vinegar, tomato paste, remaining 3 tablespoons of the Fire-Eater rub, and 2 cups of water to the slow cooker and whisk to combine.
Add the meat and cover.
Cook for at least 8 hours or until the meat is falling apart. If the liquid does not completely cover the pork you may want to turn it every few hours.
Remove the pork to a cutting board and chop.
Transfer the slow cooker liquid to a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the hot sauce. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer until reduced by half, stirring occasionally.
Return the meat to the slow cooker and add the reduced liquid.
Notes
Serve on buns, on nachos, on baked potatoes… however you prefer!
Pulled pork is a popular dish around our house. Normally I make it on the smoker, low and slow. It may take most of the day (or night) but it is well worth the time. Specially when the end result are some slow cooker balsamic pork sliders. These little morsels of goodness disappear in no time. They’re like eating popcorn.
Now, I don’t believe in a grilling or smoking ‘season’, but the other day it was flat out cold and windy here and there was no way I was going to babysit the smoker. Call me wimpy. So, it was time for Plan B. And Plan B was good. Very good.
It’s All About The Sauce!
This slow cooked tender balsamic pork has tremendous flavor. It’s sweet. It’s savory. The sauce is so delicious. And the Asian slaw? Fantastic. I was scared (really) of using fish sauce. I mean that stuff has an ‘aroma’. But it was great. I’m not afraid of it at all any more. It adds an amazing and new (to me) flavor that is quite intriguing.
These slow cooker balsamic pork sliders will definitely become a go-to winter-time recipe for us. Also try my crazy-good bold Ranch slow cooker pork chops.
I usually have a little pulled pork leftover after I smoked a pork butt on my Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker. It usually ends up on baked potatoes. Or in stromboli. Or in nachos, like these pulled pork tater tot nachos. Like any nachos, you can go pretty much nuts and put whatever you want on these. I really like the combination of red onion, green chiles, peppadews, black olives, and pinto beans. You get a mix of crunch, heat and salt. The smoked provolone sauce and spicy BBQ sauce really bring it all together.
Over-The-Top Nachos
I actually prefer tater tots (or crispy crowns) in my pulled pork tater tot nachos nachos over tortillas if I’m serving them as a main dish. Tortilla chips work better in an appetizer since they turn the nachos into easy-to-eat finger foods.
If I’m reaching for a bottled BBQ sauce, I often go for Sweet Baby Ray’s.
Like any nachos, you can go pretty much nuts and put whatever you want on these. I really like the combination of red onion, green chiles, peppadews, black olives, and pinto beans.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword nachos, pulled pork, tater tots
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Total Time 10 minutesminutes
Servings 8
Calories 167kcal
Author Mike
Ingredients
½bagtater totscooked per package instructions (don’t be afraid to let them cook a little longer to get them extra crispy)
Note: This recipe was developed using the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer. If you are cooking using the Char-Broil Smoker-Roaster Grill you should cook with the lid open and the temperature set to High. You might also need to adjust the cooking time.
I’m a huge fan of pulled pork cooked on a smoker. Of course, the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer is not a smoker, so I was a bit skeptical when I set out to make pulled pork on it. Well, color me un-skeptical now. Cooking a pork butt on the Big Easy was not only easy and quick (compared to a 10-12 hour cook time on my smoker), but the end product came out super moist and tender. The meat shreds very easily, perfect for BBQ sandwiches or my favorite, BBQ pulled pork baked potatoes.
You Want A Bit Of Smokiness
I started with an 8 pound bone-in pork butt that I trimmed just slightly. I injected the butt with a mix of apple juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and adobo sauce. Then I let it get happy in the fridge overnight. Why adobo sauce? I was wanting a hint of smoky flavor to the meat, and adobo gives you that. You could substitute a few drops liquid smoke instead but I like the flavor of adobo better.
The next morning I patted the butt dry on the outside and then rubbed it with a simple spice mix that had smoked paprika added in for more smoky flavor. Onto the Big Easy for 4ish hours until the meat hit 195 F, mopping the last 15 degrees of cooking.
Foiled, rested, and shredded. For a little extra smoky flavor, mix the meat with a smoky flavored BBQ sauce. If you end up with any leftovers, use it to make my pulled pork mac-and-cheese.
Cooking a pork butt on the Big Easy was not only easy and quick (compared to a 10-12 hour cook time on my smoker), but the end product came out super moist and tender. The meat shreds very easily, perfect for BBQ sandwiches or my favorite, BBQ pulled pork baked potatoes.
Whenever I fire up my smoker to make pulled pork I make sure to make plenty extra. Sure, I love a big ole heapin’ mound of pulled pork on a bun with some slaw and pickles. But pulled pork is also great in mac-and-cheese. It adds such a wonderful smokiness to the dish. I didn’t go overboard on the pork. You want enough so that you get a bit in each bite. But you don’t want to have so much that you think you’re eating a pulled pork casserole.
Any Smoked Meat Will Do
I think you could probably get away with making this same recipe for pulled pork mac-and-cheese using smoked brisket or chicken. Just make sure the meats are chopped small. And if you prefer more heat, don’t be afraid to add in some chopped seeded jalapenos or more hot sauce. Or jump up a level and use serrano or habanero peppers instead.
I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff.
Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with non-stick spray.
Cook the pasta until al dente, normally 6 minutes for dried pasta. Rinse with cold water and rain.
Melt the butter in large sauce pan over medium heat.
Combine the flour and salt and slowly whisk into the melted butter. Keep whisking until the butter begins to bubble.
While whisking, add the milk and cream. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Keep whisking for 10 minutes. The mixture should be nice and creamy thick.
Stir in the hot sauce.
Add the cheese and stir until melted.
Remove from heat and stir in the macaroni and pulled pork.
Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and spread out evenly.
Sprinkle with the crushed crackers and bake for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly and the topping has turned golden.
Looking for the best way (well, one of the best ways) to use leftover BBQ pulled pork? Make hot pockets! They’re crazy easy. Just about as easy as making a pulled pork sandwich. Light crispy dough. Hot oozing filling. You can even pick these pulled pork hot pockets up and devour them like little meat pies if you want.
Almost Any Dough Will Do
Just about any dough can be used, from homemade to pizza to even crescent roll dough (pinch two triangles of the dough together to form one ‘pocket’). These also freeze well, making them great for a quick lunch. Just pop them into the microwave until hot (beware of the hot filling!) and it’s time to eat! Of course you can substitute smoked brisket or chicken instead. Just shred fine and you’re good to go!
I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff.
There was a time when I purchased many of the rubs I used for cooking. Specially when it came to smoking pork butt or ribs. Now, I just use this simple but very tasty version of a Memphis rib rub. This fantastic seasoning mix is based on a recipe from Myron Mixon.
Sweet Heat
A little sweet, and a little heat (add more cayenne if you like) makes this Memphis rib rub perfect. It made my St. Louis-style ribs (and tips) something great. This recipe makes a nice big batch. Just store any extra in an air-tight container out of the light and away from heat.
I keep my homemade spice mixes in resealable containers. To identify them I write the name of the mix and the date on painter’s blue tape. The tape comes off easily when I’m done with the mix so I can re-use the containers for other things.
There was a time when I purchased many of the rubs I used for cooking, specially when it came to smoking pork butt or ribs. Now, I just use this simple but very tasty version of a Memphis rib rub based on a recipe from Myron Mixon.
Maximus Minimus is a food truck based out of Seattle, Washington. I’ve never been to the truck. I caught it on an episode of Eat Street a while back. Sadly, that show is no longer available on the Cooking Channel. I just had to make their pulled pork. It is a different take on the slow smoked pulled pork than I am used to. Instead, the pork is first seared on a grill and then roasted in the oven until done and fall-apart tender. The result is a fantastic crusted meat festival that is perfect on everything from BBQ sandwiches…
to Cuban sandwiches.
Never Pass Up A Food Truck
If you live somewhere where there are food trucks, I encourage you to venture out and give them a visit if you haven’t already. Here in Indy we have a number of great trucks, offering everything from Cajun to Caribbean to donuts and cupcakes.
I like to use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make this pulled pork and pretty much darned near anything like it on my stovetop. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!
This is a different take on the slow smoked pulled pork than I am used to. Instead, the pork is first seared on a grill and then roasted in the oven until done and fall-apart tender.
I’m a low-and-slow smoking kind of guy. Well, usually. Sometimes, I don’t have 12-14 hours to get a cook done. I gotta roll. This high-heat smoked pork butt approach that cuts the time to 5-6 hours and still produces tasty, tender pulled pork . Although its not quite as good as the low-and-slow approach as the fat doesn’t have as much time to truly render. It is still a fantastic technique.
This approach also calls for an injection, which I don’t usually do when I cook low-and-slow. It’s easy, helps tenderize the meat, and adds a nice flavor. I used my stainless steel injector. It totally rocks. It’s heavy-duty enough to handle serious injecting. I wouldn’t get any other kind. Admittedly, I had a El Cheapo Plastico injector before and it lasted three or four uses. The Bayou Classic Injector is the real deal.
I ended up with plenty of pulled pork (using my bear claws) from an 8 pound butt. This high-heat smoked pork butt does not disappoint. We had it on sliders the first night, some topped with slaw and others topped with red onions. All sauced with Weber Original BBQ sauce. I also made pulled pork stromboli and nachos, among other yummy things!
Combine all of the injection ingredients and whisk until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
Inject marinade into pork butt every inch or so. Don’t worry if some squirts out. It will. Just get the needle down deep into the meat and inject away.
Pat outside of butt dry with a paper towel. You don’t have to go crazy, just get the worst of the leaking marinade off.
Cover the butt in the rub. Don’t be shy.
Place onto a smoker that is cooking at 325 F – 350 F. Use a light smoking wood, such as hickory or apple. If you are using a Weber Smokey Mountain smoker do NOT add water to the water pan or you’ll never reach the temperatures you need. Just foil the water pan to make cleanup easier.
Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
Wrap the butt tightly in foil and continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches 195 F for 30 minutes.
Remove the butt and let rest 30 minutes (still foiled) before pulling. Add any juices that have accumulated in the foil to the pulled pork. You don’t want to waste any of that great flavor.
Notes
Since you’re cooking over high heat, try to stay away from a rub that contains a lot of sugar.
