Father’s Day is just around the corner, but you needn’t worry if you haven’t planned a big party or picked the perfect gift. After all, they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and this epic pulled pork grilled cheese sandwich is sure to wow him. The pork is slowly cooked in your crockpot, which gives you plenty of time to sneakily print an awesome last-minute card. Just make sure you make at least a couple of these sandwiches, as your dad will definitely want seconds!
Ingredients:
For the pulled pork
- 2 pounds pork shoulder steaks
- 1 1/3 cups Dr Pepper (not diet)
- 1/2 cup spiced rum (or replace with chicken stock)
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon soft brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion granules
- salt and freshly ground pepper to season
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and place the rack on the lower shelf.
- Combine the flour, chili, and onion powders in a large bowl. Season the pork liberally with salt and pepper. Toss the steaks in the powders to coat on all sides.
- Heat the oil in a dutch oven and sear the pork on all sides. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- Pour the rum into the pot to deglaze and scrape any browned bits.
- Add the Dr Pepper, minced garlic, tomato paste, and sugar, and return the pork to the pot. Bring to a rolling simmer and cover.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and cook the pork for 2 1/2 – 3 hours.
- Remove from the oven and leave for 10 minutes. Place the steaks in a large bowl or platter and shred, using two forks. Add a bit of the cooking liquid to keep the pork moist and set aside.
Ingredients:
For the grilled cheese sandwiches
- softened butter
- crusty white bread, sliced
- strong cheddar cheese, grated
- pickles to serve (optional)
Instructions:
- Spread butter on two slices of crusty white bread, covering all the way to edges.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan and then fry the bread, buttered side down, until golden. Remove from the pan onto a plate and spread butter on the other side.
- Add a generous amount of pulled pork on the grilled side of the bread and top with plenty of grated cheese. Top with the other bread slice, grilled side in.
- Pan fry the sandwich over medium-high heat, pressing down with a spatula, until the underside is golden.
- Carefully flip over to cook the other side until the bread is golden and cheese starts to melt. If the cheese doesn’t melt completely while frying the sandwich, microwave for 10-second bursts until the cheese melts. Be careful though, as the line between perfectly melted and a puddle is a fine one!
- Serve immediately with a few pickles on the side.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and place the rack on the lower shelf. Combine the flour, chili, and onion powders in a large bowl. Season the pork liberally with salt and pepper. Toss the steaks in the powders to coat on all sides.
Heat the oil in a dutch oven and sear the pork on all sides. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Pour the rum into the pot to deglaze and scrape any browned bits. Add the Dr Pepper, minced garlic, tomato paste, and sugar, and return the pork to the pot. Bring to a rolling simmer and cover. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and cook the pork for 2 1/2 – 3 hours.
Remove from the oven and leave for 10 minutes. Place the steaks in a large bowl or platter and shred using two forks. Add a bit of the cooking liquid to keep the pork moist and set aside.
Spread butter on two slices of crusty white bread, covering all the way to edges.
Heat a non-stick frying pan and then fry the bread, buttered side down, until golden. Remove from the pan onto a plate and spread butter on the other side.
Add a generous amount of pulled pork on the grilled side of the bread and top with plenty of grated cheese. Top with the other bread slice, grilled side in.
Pan fry the sandwich over medium-high heat, pressing down with a spatula, until the underside is golden.
Carefully flip over to cook the other side until the bread is golden and cheese starts to melt. If the cheese doesn’t melt completely while frying the sandwich, microwave for 10-second bursts until the cheese melts. Be careful though, as the line between perfectly melted and a puddle is a fine one!
Serve immediately with a few pickles on the side.
Now I know this looks drool-worthy, but remember to serve your dad first before digging in! There’s plenty of pulled pork to make a big batch of grilled cheese sandwiches.
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