They big smiles came after the sliders…
There were pumpkin muffins, caramel apples, ‘Monster Mash’ ice cream floats and A LOT of sprinkles… like, everywhere… in wigs, masks, winter coats… But the stand-out favorite didn’t include any sugar (well, refined sugar) at all. Instead, pork shoulder, apple cider, smoked Spanish paprika, onions & garlic were the hit of the day. Pulled pork, folks. First graders go nuts for pork shoulder that has been braised for 8 hours in a bath of savory & spice and everything nice. Who knew?
Served on soft, warm potato slider rolls after a day at the pumpkin patch or apple-picking, our pulled pork is just how you and the kids want to end the day. For those of you who have emailed asking for the recipe, here it is!
(Below, Parker Lee and I with matching ‘anchor hair!’)
- 3 pounds pork shoulder (butt), cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 12fl oz apple cider
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- Place the pork cubes in a bowl, add the brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, kosher salt and apple cider vinegar. Toss well to evenly coat the meat. Wrap tightly and refrigerate
- overnight.
- The next day, transfer the pork to a slow cooker. Add the apple cider, onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Cook covered on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Shred the cooked meat with forks.
- Serve in slider buns, in soft tortillas, on a hoagie roll or with a green salad. Enjoy!
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