Barbecue Pulled Pork Sliders

What was your Super Bowl dish?

This was mine:

This is somewhat of a tedious recipe, but it really is easy. And it is so worth it!

Homemade Barbecue Sauce
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
4 cloves chopped garlic
2 1/4 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons Emeril's Essence
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 ounces tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup cider vinegar
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar

In a medium non-reactive saucepan set over medium-high heat, add butter and melt. Then cook onions until they are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, Essence, ground mustard, salt, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until tomato paste begins to brown. Add the water, cider vinegar, and dark brown sugar, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the sauce has thickened and the flavors come together, about 15-20 minutes.

Set aside to cool before using. Can be made up to 1 week in advance and refrigerate an airtight, non-reactive container.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
1 pork shoulder roast (Boston butt or Picnic roast), about 6-8 pounds
4 teaspoons Essence
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 cup water

Season pork roast with Essence and salt. Place in slow cooker and add the water. Cook on low for 10-12 hours. Remove roast from slow cooker and "pull" with forks.

Discard the juices leftover in the slow cooker and place pulled pork back in along with the barbecue sauce. The amount of sauce is a preference. You can always add more later. Set on low for 2 hours.

Homemade Cole Slaw
1 head green cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, grated
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
2 green onions (white and green), chopped
2 Granny Smith apples, sliced into matchsticks
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Combine cabbage, carrots, apples red and green onions in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together mayo, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, celery seed and salt and pepper. Pour dressing over cabbage mix and gently toss to mix. Chill for at least 2 hours. Tastes even better if made the day before : )

Barbecue sauce and pulled pork recipes adapted from Emeril
Cole slaw adapted from Tyler Florence