Lazy Labor Day

Today will be a lazy one for me. I have cooked for the last two days and will enjoy leftovers today. Over the last few years I have watched several television chefs prepare pulled pork. There are several ways to prepare it; slow roasted or slow cooked in a crock pot. I chose the slow roasting method. Here is what is on my table:

Pulled Pork
Eastern and Western Carolina Sauces
Butternut Squash Slider Biscuits
Broccoli Cole Slaw
Butternut Squash Cole Slaw with Honey Goat Cheese Dressing

The pork shoulder was about 4 pounds. It is rubbed with a mixture of chili powder, cumin, light brown sugar, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Then wrapped in plastic and refrigerated overnight. Oven temperature is 275 degrees and the meat is placed on a rack and roasted for about 6 hours. The outside forms a very nice crust and the meat is easily pulled apart with 2 forks.

There are three Carolina barbecue sauces; all vinegar based. I prepared 2 of them. The Eastern Carolina sauce uses juices from the pork, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, dark brown sugar, sweet smoked paprika, a few dashes of hot sauce, salt and pepper. The Western Carolina sauce adds organic ketchup to the basic vinegar ingredients. Another variation uses prepared mustard in place of the ketchup.

The slider biscuits are a basic buttermilk biscuit with cinnamon and cooked butternut squash added. The size of the biscuit was a perfect way to try the two sauces over the shredded meat and slaw.

The broccoli slaw is very simple and very tasty. Put a bag of broccoli slaw in a large bowl. Crush a package of Ramen Noodles (Oriental variety) and saute the noodles in a skillet with butter and slivered almonds. The dressing is canola oil, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar and the seasoning packet from the noodles. Toss the sauteed noodles, dressing and broccoli slaw together. Serve with chopped green onions on top. This went very well with the pork and sauce on the biscuit.

The butternut squash slaw was new for me. Butternut squash is a favorite of mine, but I have never eaten it raw. Peeled the neck (I used the bottom cooked in the biscuits) and cut it in strips using a mandoline. The dressing is goat cheese, honey, EVOO, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice. A little salt and pepper and then tossed with the squash. Stir in dried cranberries and toasted walnuts. This slaw was better as a side rather than on the sandwich.

All in all a great table with leftovers for today and some dinners this week. For today it is book time. Later on a movie and a visit to the book store. A very labor less day for me.

Until next time, Bon Appetite or Happy Cooking or whatever works for you.