Sugar Free BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Yum.
Oh sorry, I mean YUM.
YUM.YUM.YUM.
Ok, you get the idea.
There is something so totally-not-healthy-in-any-way and majorly guilt-inducing in a completely delicious kind of way about BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. I almost didn’t touch them, because it doesn’t feel like the kind of thing that should be allowed to be made more healthy. Like if you take away the guilt and decadence factor, it might just be a bit blah.
Not so, my friends. Not so.
Turns out, taking the excessive amounts of sugar out of BBQ sauce and smothering melt-in-your-mouth slow-cooked pork shoulder in it before cramming it full-to-bursting into a wholemeal or sourdough bun and serving it with a fresh and zesty homemade coleslaw makes for an equally decadent yet somehow healthy dinner that you may well be talking about for days.
I may start making this every day. I wonder how much it costs to buy a whole pig so I can stock the freezer with enough of this to eat it for the rest of the year? Hmm, maybe I need to restrain myself. After all, part of the truly delightful yumminess of this dish is making it rarely enough that it retains its “special treat” status. So… maybe once a week then? 😉
Ok, I’m going to leave you with one more picture, because, well, come on…
YUM. An autumn classic made healthy-ish. And totally delicious. 🙂
- 1.5 kg pork shoulder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 2 tbsp xylitol or rice syrup*
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup (250ml) water or stock
- 1/2 batch sugar free BBQ sauce**
- 1/2 red cabbage, grated
- 1 large or 2 small carrots, grated
- 1 cored apple, grated
- 4 tbsp olive oil-based mayonnaise***
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- burger buns (wholemeal or sourdough are best)
- large bowl of salad leaves (rocket is great), optional
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Mix all the spices and sweetener together with the oil and seasoning to make a paste. Rub over the pork shoulder. Place in a slow cooker and cover with water or stock. Cook for 6-8 hours on Low, or 3-4 hours on High (Low is best if you have the time).
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"Pull" the pork by shredding with two forks, discarding any large bits of fat you find.
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Make the coleslaw by mixing the grated vegetables and apple (I like to grate them in a food processor which takes seconds) with the mayonnaise. Squeeze the lime over the top and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Mix and set aside.
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Smother the pulled pork in the barbecue sauce and serve stuffed inside burger buns with the coleslaw.
* although rice syrup is counted as the WHO as a "free sugar", we tend to prefer it over honey or maple syrup as a liquid sweetener since it is fructose free.
**here is the BBQ sauce recipe!
***avocado oil or butter based ones are also great.
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