Ted’s Bull’s-Eye BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich

BBQ is a traditional American meal, and there are many cities that lay claim to the best BBQ. Though American-style BBQ is traditionally smoked, this BBQ recipe doesn’t call for complicated smoking tools; instead, it’s made in a Dutch oven and baked for a long time with low heat. The resulting pulled pork is moist, tender, and tangy. It’s great as a stand-alone meal or used for sandwiches, and it’s versatile enough to be paired with different sides. You’ll hit a bull’s-eye with this awesome recipe, but whatever you do, remember this: it’s all about the BBQ sauce.

SERVES 6 TO 8, PLUS MORE FOR LEFTOVERS

Pulled Pork

• 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 4 to 5 pounds boneless Boston butt or pork shoulder, cut into 3 × 3-inch cubes
• High-smoke-point oil, such as canola or avocado
• 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
• 1½ cups ale
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1½ cups beef broth

For Serving

• Burger buns
• BBQ Sauce (recipe follows)
• Southern Slaw (optional)

Equipment

• 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or oven-safe heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid (or pressure cooker; see Note)
• Tongs

1. Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 300ºF.
2. Make the pulled pork: Combine the white pepper, chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, ground mustard, coriander, and onion and garlic powders to make the dry rub.
3. Massage the rub over the pork cubes, making sure to coat it evenly on all sides. Save any extra dry rub for later.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the Dutch oven over high heat and brown the pork in small batches. Once the pork has browned on all sides, remove with the tongs and set aside before adding more pork to brown. Continue until all the pork has been browned, adding more oil as necessary.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the Dutch oven and sauté the onion until soft, about 5 minutes.
6. Deglaze the pan by adding the ale, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and broth. Bring the liquid to a boil, then turn off the heat. Carefully add the pork with the tongs and any extra dry rub to the hot liquid and stir to ensure the pork and dry rub are well mixed in.
7. Cover the Dutch oven and place in the oven for 3 hours.
8. Remove the lid and cook for an additional hour, or until the pork is fork tender, easy to shred, and falls apart easily.
9. Drain the excess liquid and shred the pork.
10. To assemble the sandwiches, top the buns with the pulled pork, BBQ sauce, and, if desired, slaw. Store leftover pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Note: Alternative pressure cooker method: If there’s no available Dutch oven, or if you’re short on time, cooking the pork in a pressure cooker gets equally amazing results. To do this, follow steps 1 to 6 using the sauté function. Then pressure cook on high for 40 minutes, followed by natural release for 10 minutes and then quick release. Finish by draining any excess liquid and shredding the pork.