Memphis Pork and Coleslaw Sandwich

Memphis, Tennessee

Meat: Pulled pork and ribs

Sauce: Medium-bodied, tangy, tomato-based

As the center of Southern barbecue, Memphis offers a style of sauce somewhere between the thin, tangy Carolina version and the sweet, thick variety typical of Kansas City.

If you've never eaten slaw on, rather than with, a sandwich, you're in for a treat. Locals enjoy premier pork sandwiches topped with a mustard-laced slaw.

If you've never eaten slaw on rather than with a sandwich, you're in for a treat. You'll need to start the pork and soak the wood chunks a day ahead; you can make the mustard-laced slaw a day in advance as well. If you'd rather not have sandwiches, serve the meat as is or use it to flavor baked beans.

Yield: 13 servings (serving size: 1 bun, 3 ounces pork, about 1/3 cup slaw, and about 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce)

Ingredients

• Pork:
• 8 hickory wood chunks (about 4 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 (5-pound) bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt) 
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 (12-ounce) can beer 
• 2 cups water
• Cooking spray
• Slaw:
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups chopped green cabbage
• Remaining ingredients:
• 13 hamburger buns 
• 1 2/3 cups Memphis Barbecue Sauce

Preparation

1. To prepare pork, soak wood chunks in water about 16 hours; drain.
2. Combine paprika and next 6 ingredients (through dry mustard); reserve 1 tablespoon paprika mixture. Rub half of remaining paprika mixture onto pork. Place in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and refrigerate overnight.
3. Remove pork from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Rub remaining half of paprika mixture onto pork.
4. Combine reserved 1 tablespoon paprika mixture, 1/3 cup vinegar, Worcestershire, oil, and beer in a small saucepan; cook over low heat 5 minutes or until warm.
5. Remove grill rack; set aside. Prepare grill for indirect grilling, heating one side to medium-low and leaving one side with no heat. Maintain temperature at 225°. Pierce bottom of a disposable aluminum foil pan several times with the tip of a knife. Place pan on heated side of grill; add half of wood chunks to pan. Place another disposable aluminum foil pan (do not pierce pan) on unheated side of grill. Pour 2 cups water in pan. Coat grill rack with cooking spray; place grill rack on grill.
6. Place pork on grill rack over foil pan on unheated side. Close lid; cook 4 1/2 hours or until a thermometer registers 170°, gently brushing pork with beer mixture every hour (avoid brushing off sugar mixture). Add additional wood chunks halfway during cooking time. Discard any remaining beer mixture.
7. Preheat oven to 250°.
8. Remove pork from grill. Wrap pork in several layers of aluminum foil, and place in a baking pan. Bake at 250° for 2 hours or until a thermometer registers 195°. Remove from oven. Let stand, still wrapped, 1 hour or until pork easily pulls apart. Unwrap pork; trim and discard fat. Shred pork with 2 forks.
9. While pork bakes, prepare slaw. Combine onion and next 5 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon salt) in a large bowl. Add cabbage, and toss to coat. Cover and chill 3 hours before serving. Serve pork and slaw on buns with Memphis Barbecue Sauce.

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