Pulled Pork Sliders & Pickled Onions
By : Aron Duty @tbsq.co
It’s really hard to beat a pulled pork bbq sandwich, it’s what most people think of when BBQ comes to mind. Piled high, sauced ( I’ll let you fight amongst yourselves what sauce goes on a sandwich), with or without coleslaw, a messy heap of tender shredded pork. But what if, what if… I told you, there is a way to enjoy this southern delicacy on a much smaller, guilt-free scale. SLIDERS! - they’re a wonderful thing, you get to enjoy all of the wonderful flavors - the “bark”, the sauce, the tender low-and-slow pork on a handheld, bite sized bun. It’s AMAZING!
Now this is where BBQ meets Boujee, kinda. Over the years of trying bbq from around the country and making my own, I’ve become tired of just coleslaw, which seems to drown the pork as well as just meat on a bun. I was in the search for the perfect topping, something that would compliment the flavor of the pork but add something you knew was special when you tasted it. Pickled onions, red onions to be exact. You’ll typically find these served on the side of a brisket platter or with a turkey sandwich depending on what part of the country you are in. But why not on a pork sandwich? They add a nice crunch to the slider and add an explosion of flavor without overpowering the bbq you worked hard on.
I’m not going to talk about sauces or rubs in this recipe, to each their own and there are a TON of them to choose from. Experiment, play with different mixes of rubs and sauces to figure out what you like. These are great for a party, you can feed a lot of people without everyone feeling overly full. Use whatever smoker you have and the wood of your choosing. I really like fruit woods for pork, i.e. apple or cherry.
Pulled Pork :
Boston Butt approx. 10 pounder
Bbq Rub ( pick whatever one you want )
Mustard ( keep reading you’ll find out why )
Instant read meat thermometer
Sauce ( again choose what you want )
Buns
Pickled Red Onions :
1 1/2 Large red onions
1/2 Cup of water
1/2 Cup of white vinegar
1/4 Cup of salt
1/4 Cup of whole or slightly crushed peppercorns
3 Large garlic cloves
Extremely sharp knife or mandolin
Large mason jar
The Process:
Get your smoker fired up, I typically run mine between 250 to 275 degrees. While waiting for your smoker to get to cooking temperature start prepping your pork.
If your cut of pork has the skin on, you’ll need to remove it prior to cooking. A lot of recipes will also tell you to cut the fat cap but I like to score it in a cross hatch pattern. Take your mustard and cover the entire pork with a light coating. This doesn’t add any flavor just helps the rub stick to the meat. Liberally coat the meat with rub, let sit for 10 - 15 min before putting on the smoker. This allows the rub to “set it”, your smoker should be ready for you to put your meat on. Now is the time to make your pickled onions, you’re going to have a lot of time on your hands, seriously 12-15 hours. So use this time and go ahead and get the onions out of the way.
Slice your onions fairly thin, having a mandolin makes this a breeze. If you don’t have one, use an extremely sharp knife; a dull knife is the most dangerous tool you can have. The amount of onions should leave you with just enough room to shove the garlic cloves and pour the peppercorns in.
In a pot on the stove, pour in the vinegar, water, and salt. Bring to a boil and make sure the salt dissolves completely. Pour the mixture over the onions while it’s still hot, this blanches the onions and softens them up so they aren’t overly crunchy. Let this sit over night, either in the fridge or out on the counter. Now when you look at it a few hours later don’t panic, the cloves of garlic are going to turn blue, why? Because science. I honestly don’t know but it does and it’s normal.
Let’s fast forward 12-15 hours and check in on that pork. I can go on about time and temp, but in all reality we are looking for probe tender meat and a good bark. When you stick the probe in the meat it should feel like butter, this typically occurs when the internal temp. reaches 200-205 degrees. Don’t let it go too much past this point or the meat will take on a funky texture. If you feel it’s tender, double check the temp. If it’s done pull it off and let it rest. If you have found that its done way before you’re ready to serve don’t worry. Wrap it in heavy duty foil, place in a cooler and cover with a towel. I’ve had bbq stay hot for 6 hours doing this.
For bun choice this is actually important. Hawaiian rolls are delicious, I know, but they make horrible bbq slider buns, they are to soft and won’t hold up well. I like to use these buns I find at Sam’s that are like mini kaiser buns. They have a “tough” outside but a super soft inside and don’t become soggy ( nothing worse than biting into wet bread).
Once the pork is pulled, it’s time to build. Slice the buns, pile the pork on and top with the onions. I go light on the sauce, I like to taste everything and let the flavors compliment each other.
