Pulled Pork Sliders with Hass Avocado and Caramelized Onion
- Yield 16 pieces
- Prep 30 mins
- Cook 115 mins
Avocado and Gouda cheese top these pull-pork sandwiches.
Ingredients
- -- Pulled Pork:
- 1 pound boneless pork shoulder roast, well trimmed of visible fat
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 1/3 cups apple juice
- 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped
- Sliders:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced into rings
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 -- ripe Hass avocados, seeded, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 16 small dinner rolls, sliced in half
- 16 slices Gouda cheese, thin sliced, cut to fit rolls
Instructions
-
Up to 5 days before serving, combine paprika, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Lightly sprinkle some of the seasoning on the pork roast. Keep pork roast covered and refrigerated until cook time.
-
Heat oil in a 2-quart pot with tightly covered lid over medium-high heat. Place pork roast in pan. Cook pork roast for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned. Turn and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until browned; remove from pan.
-
Add onion and garlic to pan, stir and cook until golden brown. Stir in apple juice and remaining seasonings. Return pork roast to pan. Bring liquid to a boil; then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover tightly and simmer over low or medium-low heat for 1 1/2 – to 2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 160F. The meat should be very tender.
-
Remove pork roast from pan and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Pour pan juices into a bowl; cover and refrigerate. Shred pork roast, removing small amounts of fat as needed; cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
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On the day the sliders are to be served, remove pan juices from refrigerator and skim off fat. Pour into small pot; bring to a boil. Stir in barbecue sauce and chipotle peppers. Mix in shredded pork meat and heat through. Keep warm until sliders are assembled.
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For sliders, in a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and stir, cooking for 6 minutes. Mix in vinegar and salt. Cook and stir an additional 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Cut each avocado slice in half and toss with lemon juice.
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To prepare sliders, top the bottom half of a roll with 1 heaping tablespoon of Pulled Pork, a slice of cheese, several cooked onions and four half slices of avocado. Add the roll top. Repeat process with all sliders. Makes 8 (16 sliders) servings
Note: Alternative cooking method using slow-cooker is also suggested. Prepare recipe as directed, except once pork has been browned, transfer pork to a 4- to 6-quart electric slow cooker. Add onion and garlic to pan drippings in skillet. Cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Add apple juice; bring to boil. Remove from heat and pour juice-onion mixture over pork in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until meat is very tender and falling apart. Continue recipe as directed.
Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.
