How do you make slow-roasted, tender, flavorful barbecue pork at home? Let the sous vide do all the work for you and finish it off in the oven to get that delicious outer layer of bark. I used to make pulled pork in a slow cooker, but I found that it got too tender and stringy (aka mushy). This method gives you that fall-off-the-bone tender pork, while still having that craveable pulled pork consistency you get from a bbq joint.

The recipe makes a big ol’ hunk of pulled pork, so use it for sandwiches, enchiladas, burritos – the options are endless. My favorite sandwich recipe is included below.

Pork adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients

For the pulled pork:

• 1/4 cup hot paprika
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 tbsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp Prague Powder #1 (optional; I bought it on Amazon)
• 1 tbsp whole yellow mustard seed
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp granulated garlic powder
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp whole coriander seed
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
• 1 whole boneless or bone-in pork butt, 4-5 lbs total
• 1 tsp liquid smoke

For the sandwich:

• 1/2 cup cabbage slaw
• Juice from 1/2 a lime
• 1 tbsp mayo
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp butter, softened
• 2 large pieces of bread (sourdough, buckwheat, etc)
• 2 slices thinly sliced deli ham
• 3/4 cup pulled pork
• Swiss cheese
• 1/2 jalapeno, thinly sliced (optional)
• Sliced dill pickle

Directions

Make the pulled pork:

1. Make the spice rub. Working in batches, combine paprika, brown sugar, salt, prague powder, mustard seed, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano, coriander seed, and red pepper flakes in a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.
2. Divide the spice mixture in half. Firmly rub half of mixture all over pork shoulder. Place pork shoulder in a large sous vide vacuum-sealed bag. Add liquid smoke and seal bag.
3. Set the sous vide to 155°F. Add the pork and cover the top of the water bath with a lid or aluminum foil. Cook for 18-24 hours, adding additional water as needed.
4. Preheat the oven to 300°F and place one of the racks in the lower-middle portion of the oven. Take the pork out of the sous vide bag and gently blot dry with paper towels. Rub the remaining spice mixture on the pork. Place the pork on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and roast until a deep, dark bark has formed (approx 1-1 1/2 hours).
5. Remove pork from the oven. Let cool slightly and shred.

To assemble the sandwich:

1. In a small bowl, toss together the slaw and the lime juice. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, mustard, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
3. Heat a nonstick pan or grill pan over medium heat. Spread the butter on one side of each of the slices of bread and place the slices in the pan, butter side down. Cook until toasted and golden brown, about 2 minutes.
4. Assemble the sandwich by spreading the mayo mixture on each slices of bread (untoasted sides). Add the swiss cheese, ham, pork, jalapenos, pickles, and slaw. Cut the sandwich in half and enjoy.