So these sliders were a culmination of many things. But what was most exciting was a chance to use my new slow cooker and finally cook with pork shoulder. Let me tell you, I was not disappointed by either of these two things. On Super Bowl Sunday, I woke up early, put the easy ingredients in the slow cooker, disappeared for hours of coffee, doughnuts, and girl talk, and then came back to something that looked and smelled amazing. I served these with a blue cheese coleslaw and chocolate cupcakes with a salted caramel filling and peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Oh and lots of beer. Um, hello perfect all-day lazy comfort food!
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork (adapted from BHG)
-
3.5 pound boneless pork shoulder roast
- 1 large sweet onion, cut into thin wedges
- 1 bottle of beer
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Trim fat from meat. If necessary, cut meat to fit in your slow cooker. Place onion in slow cooker; top with meat. In a medium bowl, combine beer, ketchup, mustard, chili powder, vinegar, garlic, paprika, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper; pour over meat.
- Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 12 to 13 hours or on high-heat setting for 6 to 6 1/2 hours.
- Transfer meat to a cutting board and thinly slice meat or pull apart with two forks; combine meat with onion.
- Return pork mixture to the cooker and combine with the cooking liquid. Cover and cook on high-heat setting for 15 minutes more to heat through. Serve on potato slider rolls, topped with coleslaw.
Blue Cheese Coleslaw
- 1 package shredded coleslaw mix
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 5 oz container crumbled blue cheese
- 1/3 cup sweet onion dressing
I basically used whatever I found in my fridge, but I loved this combination. The blue cheese goes great with the pulled pork!
Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Filling and Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line 24 cupcake cups with papers.
- Mix all ingredients in one large bowl in order written above. Beat until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes (rotating pan half-way through). Let cool.
- Carve out small holes in each cupcake.
Salted Caramel Filling (From Martha Stewart)
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 Tbs light corn syrup
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- Heat sugar with the water and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan over high stirring occasionally, until syrup is clear; clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Stop stirring, and cook until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush as needed.
- Boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is caramelized and just reached 360°F. Remove from heat; slowly pour in cream (mixture will spatter) and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth.
- Spoon a little caramel into the holes in each cupcake. Top with a sprinkle of sea salt.
Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- Beat the cream cheese and the butter together. Add the peanut butter and vanilla and continue to mix well. Slowly add the sugar and beat until incorporated. Frost cupcakes with a spatula.
Oh seriously, this is the best trio.
