Ingredients
Pork
1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 tablespoon Onion Powder
2 teaspoons hot or sweet Smoked Paprika
1 (12oz.) can Dark Soda, like Dr Pepper, Root Beer, Cola or Birch Beer
½ to 1 ½ cups homemade (see ingredients) or store-bought Barbecue Sauce
1 yellow Onion, chopped (optional)
3 to 4 pound Boneless Pork Shoulder or Pork Butt, trimmed of most of its excess fat
Hot sauce , (optional)
Hamburger Buns
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil, plus additional for greasing
1 teaspoon Black Pepper, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons Salt, plus more to taste
BBQ Sauce
1 ½ cups Ketchup
¼ cup packed Dark Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Molasses
2 Garlic Cloves, minced or grated
¼ cup Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 teaspoons Sweet or Hot Paprika
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard Powder
Pinch of Cayenne
Dash of Hot Sauce, more to taste
Slaw
1 small head green Cabbage, outer leaves removed, shredded (about 1½ pounds)
½ small Red Onion, thinly sliced
1 large Jalapeño, seeded if desired, thinly sliced
¾ cup Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
BBQ Sauce
Combine ingredients in a medium pot. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce has deepened in color. Season with more hot sauce if you like. Add two-thirds of the sauce to meat and toss to coat, adding more sauce as needed. (Any leftover sauce will keep for at least 2 weeks in the refrigerator.)
Pulled Pork
In a small bowl, combine the garlic and onion powders, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork. If you have time, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight.
Lightly grease the crock of a slow cooker. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear the pork until golden brown on all sides, about 2 minutes each side. Add onion, if using, to the slow cooker. Add the pork on top of the onion. Pour soda over the pork and set the slow cooker to low for 6 to 8 hours, until the meat has collapsed and shreds easily.
Drain most of the liquid from the slow cooker and shred the meat directly in the pot. Add about ½ cup of the barbecue sauce and stir to combine. (At this point, if you like crisp bits in your pulled pork, you can spread the shredded pork on a sheet pan and place under a broiler for a couple minutes then return to the slow cooker.) Taste and add more barbecue sauce, hot sauce, salt or pepper, if desired. Serve with soft rolls and extra sauce on the side.
Slaw
Combine cabbage, onion and jalapeño in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add dressing to cabbage and toss well.