Apple Cider Pulled Pork Sliders from The Pretty Dish

Dust off your slow cooker.  This is a great after Thanksgiving recipe.  No turkey! Great for weekends of college football.  These pulled pork sliders are delicious and easy to make.  Besides pork, the sliders also include barbecue sauce and slaw.

Apple Cider Pulled Pork Sliders--Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients for Pork:

• 1 pork shoulder roast (4 pounds)
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil (I used olive oil.)
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (You can leave this out.)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup apple cider (I suggest an apple cider that has no added sugar, such as White House Fresh Pressed.  Check the labels.  Or, you can make your own apple cider the day before in your slow cooker.)

Ingredients for Slaw:

• 1 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup shredded Napa cabbage
• 1/3 cup shredded carrots
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• Juice of 1 lime
• Pinch of salt and ground black pepper

Ingredients for Apple Cider Barbecue Sauce:

• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 2/3 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• Note:  The above recipe is from The Pretty Dish.  I made it, and it is delicious!  However, it doesn't quite follow the Candida diet because of the vinegar found in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard, as well as the honey.  You may substitute this barbecue sauce that follows the Candida diet more closely.  Good Barbecue Sauce for Candida Diet  I actually used it on a previous blog entry.  Blackened Barbecue Salmon with Mango Salsa

For serving:

• Slider buns or dinner rolls (I used Udi's gluten free sandwich buns.  However, they do contain yeast.)
• 8 slices Havarti cheese (I did not use cheese.  However, Follow Your Heart has six types of vegan cheese.)

To Make the Pork:

Season the pork with the salt and pepper.  In a large skillet or pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  (If you have a slow cooker that sears meat for you, do it in the slow cooker!)  Add the pork and sear on all sides until deeply golden brown.

Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker and cover it with the liquid smoke, turning a few times to coat.  Add the garlic and apple cider.  Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.  After 8 to 10 hours, the pork will easily shred with a fork.

To Make the Slaw:

In a bowl, combine the cabbages, carrots, and cilantro and toss.  Drizzle the olive oil and vinegar over the top.  Add the lime juice.  Toss well.  Season with the salt and pepper and toss again.

To Make the Apple Cider Barbecue Sauce:

In a saucepan, whisk together the ketchup, apple cider, honey, garlic, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire, onion powder, paprika, and pepper until combined.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 60 minutes, or until thickened.  Let sit at room temperature until it cools and thickens even more.

Store leftovers in a jar or sealed container in the refrigerator.

To assemble the sliders, top the bottom of the buns with the shredded pork.  Add a slice of cheese, barbecue sauce, and slaw.

So good!!

Pork cooking in the slow cooker!

Shredded Pork!

This pork would also be great as a hearty meal.  One evening, I roasted carrots, made a baked potato, and had it with the pork.  I used Follow Your Heart Parmesan cheese and sour cream with the carrots and baked potato.

Delicious as a meal, too!

I hope you will try Apple Cider Pulled Pork Sliders from The Pretty Dish, available at Amazon,  Barnes and Noble, and Target.