Dr Pepper Pulled Pork

Last weekend Robert and I hosted some friends that we hadn't seen in a while for dinner. I wanted to cook dinner but also wanted to ensure that I chose a menu that wouldn't have me cooking all the way up to when it was time to sit and eat, like I usually do. So I settled on pulled pork cooked all day in the crock pot.

My mentor at worked had mentioned that he and his wife like to make their pulled pork with Dr Pepper and I was immediately intrigued. The last several times I made pulled pork, I used a boneless pork shoulder and this time I decided to try pork shoulder with the bone in. Both ways are delicious, but there definitely is a richness that the bone provides. Serve the pork on hawaiian bread rolls as sliders and this would be a great addition to a Super Bowl Party spread.

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Dr Pepper Pulled Pork


Ingredients
3 lb pork shoulder
pork spice rub
1 yellow onion, quartered
3-4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 mini cans or one normal can of Dr Pepper
Hamburger Buns

Instructions
Place the onion quarters and smashed garlic cloves in the bottom of the crock pot.

For the spice rub, I used McKormick's Grillmasters Pork Spice rub but feel free to use whatever rub or spice combo you think is best. Rub about 1-2 tablespoons all over the pork shoulder.

Heat a dry skillet over high heat and sear the pork shoulder on all sides.

After searing, place the pork in the crock pot on top of the onions and garlic.

Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the pork.

Pour in the Dr Pepper on top.

Stir up the contents then cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

After 8 hours is up, carefully remove the meat from the crock pot and shred with two forks discarding any fat and bone.

While the meat is out of the crock pot, blend the liquid, onions, and garlic using an immersion blender or by transferring to a blender and pureeing until smooth.

Put the shredded pork back in the crock pot with the liquid and let sit on "keep warm" for about an hour to soak up the juices.

When ready, serve on toasted buns with your favorite BBQ sauce and sides and enjoy.

Bunker Sliders

My husband makes the best burgers. They are always so flavorful and juicy, nicely balanced, and especially fun because he loves making them. So I call his burgers "Bunker Burgers" as they are so special and unique! He spent many tailgating years at Notre Dame perfecting his technique and recipe, and since then, he has tried out all kinds of new combinations, often to meet the tastes of his wife, a self proclaimed picky eater.

Happy 4th of July!

These sliders were born from our nostalgia for the Little Leaguers from "Ball's Hamburgers," a mainstay in the lives of anyone who grew up in Dallas, Texas. The one in our neighborhood (in Snider Plaza) closed a few years ago, and was replaced by, of all things, a Dunkin' Doughnuts Shop. I was unhappy for quite a few reasons, and very pleased when Dunkin' Doughnuts left that location after about a year. Ball's Hamburgers is still open on Northwest Highway and Midway, the burgers are still yummy, but the atmosphere is just not the same. Anyways, Bunker and I grew up eating these sliders after soccer games, during birthday parties, and for off-campus high school lunches. It is a sweet memory and an easy one to recreate at home!

These have a sweet twist by featuring Hawaiian Sweet Rolls!

My husband did ALL of the cooking on this one!

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Ingredients:
-We purchased .6 pounds of ground meat which equals .1 pounds of ground meat per burger (we used rather lean meat...98% lean...but you can use whatever you like).
-1 Tablespoon BBQ Sauces of your choice
-1 Tablespoon Ranch Dressing
-1/2 Tablespoon Horseradish
-Jack's Burger House Seasoned Salt to taste, at least 1 to 2 teaspoons (or your seasoning of choice...Jack's Burger House is another local burger joint that is just delicious! I think it is just called Burger House now, but people that have lived in Dallas for a long time remember it as Jack's...it is one of those places you could carve your name into the tables and write on the walls...those walls actually can tell a lot of stories!)
-Sliced cheeses of your choice, cut into four pieces each. Bunker used Muenster on his and he used Cheddar on mine.
-6 Hawaiian Sweet Rolls cut in half

Steps:
1. Mix together the ground meat, Tablespoon of BBQ sauce, Tablespoon of Ranch Dressing, 1/2 Tablespoon of Horseradish, and seasoned salt.
2. Form the mixture into 1/4 cup sized patties.

3. On your outside or inside grill, cook the burgers for about 2 minutes per side.

4. Add the sliced cheese to the burgers and cook for another 2 minutes. We covered the burgers to let them steam.

5. Stack on top of your sliced Hawaiian rolls and enjoy!

 Cort was on the move!

Puppies cooperated far better than we expected!!