Southern goodness!

Last Monday was reason for a real celebration - a day off from work! Tim and I both wanted to make a decadent and delicious dinner, and I was craving a slice of the south. We put together the following combination and it was AMAZING! And...the leftovers lasted all through the week. I highly recommend and, note to self, three pounds of meat is way more than enough. Even with our appetites. Oh my amazing - thank you, Martha S.!


Southern Pulled-Pork Sandwiches



Prep: 10 minutes Total: 2 hours 40 minutes

Pork shoulder, a well-marbled cut available at most supermarkets, turns fork-tender after long, slow cooking. Ours is especially succulent with a spice rub and vinegar.



INGREDIENTS

Serves 8.

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), cut into 4 equal pieces
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 soft sandwich rolls, split
Store-bought barbecue sauce, for serving (optional)
DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in lower and upper positions. In a small bowl, combine sugar, cayenne, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
Place pork in a 5-quart Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot; rub with spice mixture.
In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, garlic, and 1/2 cup water; pour over pork. Cover pot, and place in oven on lower rack. Bake until pork is very tender and separates easily when pulled with a fork, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Transfer pork to a work surface, reserving pan juices. With two forks, shred meat. Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with pan juices to moisten (you may not need all the juices). Pile pork on rolls, and top with barbecue sauce, if desired.


Classic Creamy Coleslaw

The classic slaw. This tangle of cabbage and carrot is dressed with a balance of tangy mustard, mayonnaise, and sour cream.



INGREDIENTS

Serves 6 to 8.

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 small green cabbage, (about 1 3/4 pounds), finely shredded
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks or coarsely grated
1 small onion, coarsely grated (optional)
DIRECTIONS

Whisk together mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt, mayonnaise, and sour cream in a small bowl. Refrigerate dressing, covered, until ready to use, or up to 2 days.
Put cabbage, carrots, and onion (if desired) in a large bowl. Pour in dressing, and toss thoroughly. Refrigerate, covered, until slaw begins to soften, 1 to 2 hours. If not using immediately, refrigerate, covered, up to 2 days. Just before serving, toss coleslaw again.






Cucumber and Sweet-Onion Salad

Prep: 10 min Total: 10 min



INGREDIENTS

Serves 8.

3 English cucumbers, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh dill, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
Coarse salt and ground pepper
DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, toss together cucumbers, onion, dill, oil, lemon juice, and vinegar; season with salt and pepper.