I’m ready to ring in the New Year.
I have champagne, glittery tights and, in a few hours, I’ll have huge hair. Really huge. I even have a $33 bottle of hairspray to prove it.
Oh, and I have pork. So, 2013, bring it on.
Could any recipe better wrap up the year on this little blog? I don’t think so. If I was obsessed with something this year (and yes, I’m obsessed with everything — again), it was grilled cheese sandwiches. It started with fruit and herb variations and eventually even became all about vegetables.
I must have had an off week.
People say pork is good luck on New Year’s, but I eat pork all the time. I wanted something a little different than ordinary sliders, so I paired melty beer cheese with buttery, crunchy, golden whole grain bread. What’s better than that? Not much.
The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility: use leftover pulled pork, the roast you grabbed from your parents, or any cheese you have on hand. Aside from bread and beer, you likely have everything you need.
That’s why we’re friends.
Crockpot Pulled Pork + Beer Cheese Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Ingredients
Pulled pork
- 1 (6 pound) pork butt or shoulder (bone-in or boneless)
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 ounces beer
- 32 ounces barbecue sauce, plus more for drizzling
Grilled cheese sandwiches
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2/3 cup beer
- 1/3 cup milk
- 6 ounces freshly grated white cheddar cheese
- 8 slices whole grain bread
- Softened butter for spreading
Instructions
For the pork:
- Optional but recommended: heat a large skillet over medium-high and add 1–2 tablespoons olive oil. Sear the pork on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown. This step adds flavor but can be skipped.
- Place the pork in the crockpot and season with onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Pour in the beer and add 24 ounces of barbecue sauce. Cook on low for 12 hours, tossing once or twice if desired. After about 8 hours, shred the pork with forks or tongs, add the remaining barbecue sauce, toss to coat, and let it sit for 20–30 minutes to absorb the sauce. Remove the bone if using a bone-in roast before serving.
- This makes a large batch of pulled pork that can be made ahead and frozen for later.
For the sandwiches:
- To make the beer cheese sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until golden and bubbly. Add the beer and milk, whisking to combine. Reduce heat to low, add the grated cheddar and stir until melted and smooth. Keep the sauce warm on low while assembling sandwiches.
- Heat a skillet or griddle over medium. Butter the outer sides of each slice of bread. Place four slices butter-side down on the skillet, top each with a generous handful of pulled pork and spoon on the beer cheese, then place the remaining bread slices on top, butter-side up. Because the cheese is already melted, these cook quickly—about 2–3 minutes per side—until deeply golden and crispy. Serve immediately with extra barbecue sauce if desired.
Notes
[Pork recipe adapted from a crockpot BBQ beer pulled pork concept]
Go big tonight: sweatpants, couches and all the cozy comforts.