BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches (and Mini-Giveaway!)

Okay, so I think I'm about to be mocked here. I'm all Miss Foodiepants and everything, but up until about a year ago, it had never even dawned on me to put coleslaw and pickles on BBQ pork sandwiches. Seriously. I was at one of those roadhouse-style restaurants where you can pick your own steak and throw peanuts on the floor and I ordered the pulled pork sandwiches on a whim. And I nearly died of food happiness. I like BBQ pulled pork, I like coleslaw, I like pickles...but together, it was on a completely different plane of food awesomeness. Turns out I was kind of in the dark and that this is a common practice. I felt like I did in 4th grade when everyone else was singing "Step By Step" by New Kids on the Block while my parents made me listen to Judy Collins and Art Garfunkel.

Now...I've been on a hunt for the perfect BBQ pork recipe for even longer than I was hunting for the perfect coleslaw. With the exception of actually smoking it in a smoker (smoking meat is the final frontier for me), I had tried just about every method, just about every sauce, just about every cut of meat. I had become discouraged. I started to think that truly wonderful BBQ pork sandwiches wouldn't happen for me at home until I broke down and smoked my pork AND was able to get any and all recipes for BBQ sauce from Smokehouse Pizza and BBQ in Provo, Utah. Enter Country Bob. A little while back, Country Bob's contacted us and asked us if we'd like to try some of their All-Purpose Sauce. Now...we get lots of offers to try lots of different products and we don't get a chance to write about all of them, but this stuff is awesome. It's sweet, spicy, and tangy--kind of like a cross between steak sauce and barbecue sauce. On a whim, I decided to pour a bottle over some pulled pork to see how it turned out and guess what? It was exactly what my BBQ pulled pork sandwiches have been missing for all these years! Dead serious! Wanna try some? Country Bob's will send a bottle to 2 readers who leave comments--just make sure to comment by Sunday night so we can pick a winner! :)

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

3 lb. boneless pork shoulder

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Smoked paprika or liquid smoke

1-1 1/2 bottles BBQ Sauce (I obviously prefer Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce)

About 12 high-quality rolls

Memphis-Style Coleslaw

Thick-cut dill pickle slices

Rinse pork roast well in cold water and trim of excess fat. This is important because sometimes, boneless pork shoulder (and bone-in pork shoulder, for that matter) can take on kind of an icky fishy odor and a lot of that smell is in the juices and the fat. Pat dry. Sprinkle roast with seasonings and place in your slow cooker. Add about 1/2 inch of water and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

When the roast has cooked, drain liquid and then return to the slow cooker and shred. Pour enough sauce over the meat so it's well-incorporated but not soupy. Return the lid to the crockpot and heat through.

When ready to serve, slice rolls and add meat. Top with coleslaw and a few slices of dill pickle.

Nearly die of sheer happiness.

FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS: Prepare meat through the seasoning step. Instead of placing in the crockpot, place seasoned meat in a freezer-safe container. When ready, follow the same cooking instructions. Just make sure that you have BBQ sauce, pickles, and rolls on hand. Because coleslaw isn't freezer-friendly, if you're not up to making homemade coleslaw, just pick up a container from KFC or your favorite BBQ restaurant.

So who wants some Country Bob's?? Who loves BBQ pork with coleslaw?

P.S. If you're dying to try Country Bob's now, click here to find a store in your area that sells it. Personally, I have not found it at the swanky Walmart (who knew there was such a thing?!) in my area, but I have found it in the regular Walmart.

P.P.S. Returning to report that I just returned from Kroger (9/11/09) and while I've never seen Country Bob's there before, it was there today. Spread your wings and fly, Country Bob...

P.P.P.S. Speaking of saucy giveaways, be sure and leave a comment on this Facebook discussion to win a bottle of lime-chipotle marinade from Saucy Mama!