North Carolina-Style Spicy Pulled Pork Sandwiches

1st food pic with the new camera. Whatcha think?

So, there's this place called The Shed...not to far from where we live. Everyone around here knows what that is. If you don't, you've been living under a rock for quite some time. They have the BEST BBQ. Of course, that is just an opinion. But, ask just about anyone, and they'll tell you the Shed is AWESOME! When I first started going there, I would only get the baby back ribs (which are still my fave). After about the 3rd or 4th time, I decided to try something new. So, I tried the pulled pork, and I was NOT disappointed. It is the most delicious pulled pork I have EVER had. EVER. Since then, I have been a big pulled pork fan. Which leads me to this recipe. When I saw it I knew I wanted to try it. Only thing is, it is a North Carolina-style pulled pork, which means it has a vinegear-based sauce. Down here, we don't eat that on our BBQ. So, I was a little hesitant about that, but the flavor wasn't bad. It does have a good bit of heat, which I like. I don't know if I would try this again, only because of the amount of vinegar in the sauce, but it was a really juicy and flavorful pork. Other than the vinegar, I give it 2 thumbs up. So, here ya go!

INGREDIENTS


PORK:

• 1 tablespoon salt - I used kosher.
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• Pinch celery seeds
• 1 7-lb boneless pork shoulder, skin and fat left intact
• 10-12 soft buns

BASTING SAUCE:

• 3 cups cider vinegar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons dry mustard powder
• 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. For the pork, in a small bowl, stir together the salt, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and celery seeds. Using your fingers, rub the spice mixture all over the pork to coat evenly. Place pork in a large resealable bag or a covered bowl; refrigerate overnight.
2. For the basting sauce, in a large saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; simmer for 3 minutes. Let sauce cool; cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 300°F. Place a rack inside a large roasting pan; place the pork on the rack. Roast for 2 1/2 hours; pour ½ of the sauce over the pork. Bake for 1 to 2 hours more or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the roast registers 180°F, basting pork every 30 minutes with sauce and drippings from the bottom of the pan.
4. Remove pork from the oven and let stand on the rack until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, warm the remaining sauce in a saucepan over low heat. Transfer the warm pork to a cutting board and shred or chop the meat into bite-size pieces, mixing in some of the fat and skin. Transfer pork to a large bowl; add sauce to taste and mix well.
5. Serve the pork on buns, serving any of the remaining sauce on the side.

Source: Y'all Come Eat  by Jamie and Bobby Deen

Bennigan's Monte Cristo

There used to be this awesome 50's-ish diner in The Grand Casino in Biloxi called Roxy's. My mom took me there all the time when she worked there. I guess I was between the ages of 5 & 8, not really sure. I just remember I was little. Anyways, they had the best food, like their slides, and yummy onion strings. But, there was one thing that stood above the rest. It was the amazing tower of yummy-ness. This was a Monte Cristo; turkey & swiss piled high on bread and then deep fried, topped with powdered sugar and served with raspberry jam. For those of you who have never been able to indulge in this masterpiece, you may be thinking...turkey & jelly?? what the? But I can promise you, this sandwich is on my list of all-time favorite foods. No other Monte Cristo compares to this one. I promise you! Anyways...lol...I have been on the search for this sandwich for a couple years now, with no luck in finding this restaurant. So, about a week ago, I started searching for the perfect recipe when I came across this one. I have never been to a Bennigan's, so, needless to say, I didn't know they had a Monte Cristo on their menu. This is what theirs looks like:

Ok, here is the recipe. Enjoy!

 INGREDIENTS

• 9 slices whole wheat bread
• 3 slices cooked turkey
• 3 slices cooked ham
• 3 slices American cheese
• 3 slices Swiss cheese

Batter

• 1 egg
• 1 to 1 1/4 cup water - I used 1 1/4 cups.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour - I had to use what I had, so I used 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, and then 1 cup of a mixture of 1/2 AP & 1/2 whole wheat flour.
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• vegetable oil (for deep frying) - I didn't deep fry. I didn't have enough oil. So, I just put about an inch or so of oil in a skillet and pan fried. Turned out great!

DIRECTIONS

1. Place turkey & Swiss cheese on one slice of bread and ham & American cheese on another slice of bread. Place third slice in-between and secure the triple-decker sandwich in the corners with tooth picks.
2. Place egg in mixing bowl, add water and beat together.
3. Add salt, sugar, flour, and baking powder. Beat batter until smooth. 
4. Dip sandwich in batter and carefully cover all the sides and surface.  
5. Carefully place in hot oil and fry until golden. When sandwich has turned a warm gold color remove from hot oil and place on paper towel. Let cool for a few minutes before removing the tooth picks. 
6. Before serving, slice into fourths and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with raspberry jam. 
   
   
   
    So, this is how mine turned out...whatcha think?
    
   
   

As you can see, I didn't use 3 slices of bread per sandwich. I don't know why, I just didn't want to. It turned out just fine. I would suggest, though, using good quality bread. I will say, it was DELICIOUS!! Both of my parents liked it as well.