BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders

From Better Homes and Gardens Skinny Slow Cooker (2012), page 23.

Prep: 30 min / Cook: 9-10 hours (low) or 4.5-5 hours (high), plus 1 hour (low)

1 (2 1/2-3 lb) boneless pork shoulder roast, trimmed
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
20 cocktail-size whole grain hamburger buns or small round dinner rolls, split and toasted
Deli coleslaw
Coarsely chopped sweet or dill pickles

If necessary, cut meat to fit in a 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker.  In cooker, combine onion and bell pepper.  Add meat; sprinkle with thyme and rosemary.  Pour broth over meat.  Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 9 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 1/2 to 5 hours.

Meanwhile, for the barbecue sauce, in a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, black pepper, and salt.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat.  Simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Transfer meat to a cutting board.  Using two forks, pull meat apart into shreds, discarding fat.  Strain vegetable mixture, discarding liquid.  Return shredded meat and strained vegetables to cooker.  Stir in barbecue sauce.  Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 1 hour.

To serve, spoon meat mixture onto bun bottoms.  Top with coleslaw and chopped pickles.  Add bun tops.

Notes:
- The only "pork shoulder" I could find was a boneless pork shoulder butt roast, which ended up being about half fat (I'm serious).  I may try this with a different cut of pork next time so I actually get a decent amount of meat.  As my husband pointed out, really fatty cuts of meat like that are great for slow barbecuing, but I had to cut off so much of it so it wasn't drowning our food in so much grease.
- We bought 10 medium-sized Telera rolls, which were a little chewier than regular buns, but not too chewy.  We'll probably only use 7 or 8 by the time we finish the leftovers.
- This is terrible, but I don't really know how many quarts my slow cooker holds.  Ha!
- I have something against buying coleslaw and other mayo-based products at the grocery store deli.  I bought a bag of shredded coleslaw vegetables (cabbage and carrots) from the produce section and mixed up the following sauce, combining a Bobby Flay recipe with an Emeril recipe: 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 Tbs. sugar, 1 tsp. celery seed, 3 Tbs. apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbs. Dijon, dash cayenne pepper, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Nutrition Facts (if making 20 sliders):
1 slider = 320 calories, 14 g total fat (4 g saturated fat), 44 mg cholesterol, 487 mg sodium, 34 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 13 g protein

Mango Barbecued Jerk Chicken Thighs

From Healthy Cooking (June/July 2011), page 56.

Prep: 20 min + marinating / Cook: 20 min
Yield: 4-6 servings

This chicken is absolutely delicious!  It is so tender and full of bold, yummy flavors, even without adding the extra barbecue sauce.  My two-year old (who doesn't typically devour meat) asked for seconds.

2 Tbs. orange juice
1 1/2 tsp. lime juice
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
1 Tbs. Caribbean jerk seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs

Barbecue Sauce:
3 Tbs. mango chutney
1 1/2 tsp. lime juice
1 1/2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 tsp. minced fresh ginger root
1 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted
1 tsp. grated orange peel

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, jerk seasoning, and garlic; add the chicken.  Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

For barbecue sauce, combine chutney, lime juice, honey, mustard, five-spice powder, and ginger; set aside.  In another small bowl, combine cilantro, sesame seeds, and orange peel; set aside.

Drain and discard marinade.  Broil chicken 4-6" from heat for 7  minutes.  Turn and broil for 6 minutes.  Divide barbecue sauce, using half to baste chicken and saving the rest for serving.  Broil 3-5 minutes longer or until chicken juices run clear.  Place on a serving dish and sprinkle with cilantro mixture.  Serve with remaining sauce.

Notes:
- I used Jamaican jerk seasoning; I'm not sure if there's a difference.

Nutrition Facts:
- 1 chicken thigh = 232 calories, 9 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 76 mg cholesterol, 297 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 21 g protein

BBQ Chicken Marinade

1/4 cup Jack Daniels BBQ sauce
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
3 Tbs. brown sugar
3 Tbs. ketchup
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/8 tsp. (or dash) cayenne pepper
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dry minced onion
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 Tbs. canola oil

Mix all ingredients together.

To marinate chicken, place in a Ziplock bag.  Add 2 Tbs. marinade for each chicken breast or 1 Tbs. for each drumstick.  Seal bag, pushing out air, and place in a bowl.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Reserve 1/2 remaining marinade for serving.  Use the rest for basting chicken on the grill.

Salmon Burger with Hoisin Barbecue Sauce and Pickled Ginger and Napa Slaw

From Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes, page 71.

Serves 4.

This burger is possibly one of my favorites from Bobby Flay's cookbook.  It combines really great flavors for a unique and tasty Asian-style burger.

Hoisin Barbecue Sauce
2 Tbs. canola oil
2 large shallots, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 Tbs. ketchup
2 Tbs. honey
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. fish sauce
1 Tbs. rice wine vinegar

Salmon Burgers

1 1/2 lbs. fresh salmon

2 Tbs. canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 hamburger buns, split; toasted, if desired

Slaw
2 Tbs. canola oil
1/4 cup sliced pickled ginger, plus more for garnish if desired
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 small head of red cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 medium head of napa cabbage, finely shredded
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
3 Tbs. finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

To make the hoisin barbecue sauce, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the shallots and garlic and cook until soft, about 2 minutes.  Add the hoisin, ketchup, honey, soy sauce, fish sauce, and vinegar and cook until heated through and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.  Set aside to cool.  The sauce can be made 1 day in advance, covered, and refrigerated.  Bring to room temperature before using.

To form the burgers, cut the salmon into large pieces and then coarsely chop in a food processor.  Do not over-process.  (Alternatively, you can chop it by hand with a sharp knife.)  Divide the salmon into 4 equal portions.  Form each portion loosely into a 3/4"-thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb.  Place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Meanwhile, make the slaw by heating the oil in a large saute pan over high heat.  Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring once, until soft, about 1 minute.  Stir in the cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring once, until slightly wilted, 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar, sesame oil, and cilantro.  Let sit at room temperature.

To cook the burgers, heat the oil in a saute pan or griddle (nonstick or cast iron) until it begins to shimmer.  Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.  Cook the burgers until golden brown on the bottom sides, about 3 minutes.  Turn over, brush with some of the hoisin barbecue sauce, and continue cooking until medium-well, about 3 minutes longer.

Place the burgers on the bun bottoms, drizzle some hoisin barbecue sauce over them, and top with the slaw.  Garnish with pickled ginger, if desired.  Cover with burger tops and serve immediately.

Notes:
- I used frozen salmon, and it still tasted great.  So use what you've got!  If you're in a hurry and all you've got are frozen salmon patties, you could probably even use them (though I doubt it would be quite as good).
- Be very, very careful not to turn your salmon into paste.  If you use a food processor, I recommend looking over the instructions for chopping meat prior to doing it so you have an idea of how long to pulse the meat.
- I don't know how Bobby manages to keep the salmon firm enough to that deep depression with his thumb; it was all I could do to keep the patties together!  We set each one on an individual square of wax paper on the plate to make moving them into the pan easier when the time came.
- When recipes use a sauce to baste cooking meat and dip or drizzle later, I always separate the sauce into two bowls (one for basting and one for serving) to avoid contamination.

Carolina Burger

From Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes, page 36.

Serves 4.

Mustard Barbecue Sauce:

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

2 heaping Tbs. Dijon mustard

2 Tbs. honey

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

Blend the vinegar, mustard, honey, salt, and oil in a blender until emulsified.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in the black pepper.  The barbecue sauce can be made 1 day ahead, covered, and refrigerated.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

Green Onion Slaw:

1 cup coarsely chopped green onions, white and green parts

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 serrano chiles, stemmed and seeded

2 Tbs. mayonnaise

1/4 cup olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 head of purple cabbage, finely shredded (about 3 cups)

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Blend the green onions, vinegar, 1/4 cup cold water, chiles, mayonnaise, and oil in a blender until emulsified.  Season with salt and pepper.  Put the cabbage and red onion in a bowl, add the dressing, and stir until combined.  Fold in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving.  The slaw can be made 2 hours in advance and refrigerated.

Burgers:

1 1/2 lbs. ground chuck (80/20) or ground turkey (90/10)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 Tbs. canola oil

4 hamburger buns, split; toasted, if desired

Divide the meat into 4 equal portions.  Form each loosely into a 3/4" thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb.  Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.  Cook the burgers (click HERE for Bobby's burger cooking times), using the oil, and basting the burgers with some of the barbecue sauce during the last minute of cooking.

Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and top each one with more barbecue sauce and some of the slaw.  Cover with bun tops and serve immediately.

Notes:

- If you don't have rice wine vinegar, you can use rice vinegar.  If you don't have that, try white wine vinegar.  If you're desperate, use whatever vinegar you've got on hand.

- While I'm sure that the "extra-virgin" adds a slight bit more of the olive flavor, I'm satisfied with regular old olive oil.

- The barbecue sauce and coleslaw yield a LOT.

- Is it really necessary to bring the barbecue sauce to room temperature before serving?  I doubt it.

- I've learned from experience that coleslaw doesn't keep very well for more than a few hours.

- As usual, I used 1 lb. of 90/10 ground beef, which makes thinner burgers that aren't quite as juicy.  Oh well.  Sometimes we sacrifice flavor for taste, right?

Dallas Burger

From Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes, page 37.

Serves 4.

This is a spicy barbecue burger that Bobby Flay calls a compromise between his wife's love of beef brisket and his "need for speed."  I just call it yummy.

Coleslaw:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 small white onion, grated
1 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. celery seed
3 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1 small head of cabbage, cored and finely shredded
1 large carrot, finely shredded
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together the mayonnaise, onion, sugar, celery seed, and vinegar in a large bowl.  Add the cabbage and carrot, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.  Let sit for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour before serving.

Burgers:
1 Tbs. ancho chile powder
2 tsp. sweet Spanish paprika
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. chile de arbol powder or cayenne pepper
1 1/2 lbs. ground chuck (80/20) or ground turkey (90/10)
1 1/2 Tbs. canola oil
Barbecue Sauce
4 hamburger buns, split; toasted, if desired
Homemade Dill Pickles

Whisk together the ancho power, paprika, dried mustard powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, salt, black pepper, and chile de arbol powder in a small bowl.

Divide meat into 4 equal portions.  Form each portion loosely into a 3/4" thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb.  Season both sides of each burger with spice mixture.

Cook the burgers (click HERE for Bobby's burger cooking times), using the canola oil and brushing with some of the barbecue sauce after you flip them.

Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and spoon more barbecue sauce on top.  Top each one with some coleslaw and a few pickles.  Cover with bun tops and serve immediately.

Notes:
- The coleslaw recipe makes a LOT.
- I couldn't find sweet Spanish paprika, so I used smoked paprika.
- I'm not sure if ground coriander is sold anywhere, so I ground my own using a coffee grinder that we use for flax seed and whole spices.  If you have a spice rack, there's a good chance that one of the spices it came with was whole coriander.
- Our burgers weren't as thick as his--we used 1 lb. of 90/10 ground beef.

Barbecue Sauce

From Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes, page 107.

Supposedly makes 1 cup (we got at least 1 1/2 cups).

This sauce is used in both the Dallas and Cheyenne burgers, but Bobby recommends using it on chicken, steak, pork chops, and french fries, too.

2 Tbs. canola oil
1 medium Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 cup ketchup
1 heaping Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, chopped
2 Tbs. ancho chile powder
1 Tbs. sweet Spanish paprika
2 Tbs. packed dark brown sugar
1 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. molasses
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed medium nonreactive saucepan.  Add the onion and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the ketchup and 1/3 cup water and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, chipotle chile, ancho chile powder, paprika, brown sugar, honey, and molasses and bring to a simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for an additional 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Pour into a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.  The sauce will keep for 1 week in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature before using.

Notes:
- Again, we used smoked paprika because we couldn't find sweet Spanish paprika.
- I don't see a reason to bring barbecue sauce to room temperature from the fridge before using it.

Turkey Sloppy Joes

From Quick Cooking (July/August 1998), page 44.

Yield: 6 servings

1 pound ground turkey breast
¼ cup chopped onion
½ cup ketchup
3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon vinegar
1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon celery seed
¼ teaspoon pepper
6 whole wheat hamburger buns

In a nonstick skillet, cook the turkey and onion for 5 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink. Add the next seven ingredients; simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve on buns.

Nutrition Facts:
1 serving = 236 calories, 3 g fat, 37 mg cholesterol, 364 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 23 g protein.

Tangy BBQ Sandwiches

From Taste of Home (June/July 1997), page 33.

This is what Matt and I ate on our first date!  It's always a favorite in our house.

Yield: 14-18 servings.

3 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup ketchup
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup water
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 boneless chuck roast (3 to 4 pounds), trimmed
14 to 18 hamburger buns, split

In a slow cooker, combine the first twelve ingredients; mix well. Add roast. Cover and cook on high for 6-7 hours or until tender. Remove roast; cool. Shred meat and return to sauce; heat through. Use a slotted spoon to serve on buns.

Nutrition Facts:
1 serving = 262 calories, 9 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 49 mg cholesterol, 659 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 18 g protein.