My sister-in-law, Miss Ellie, was raised in Charleston, SC....and after she married my brother she somehow managed to get him to move across country to live in her home state - those Southern gals know how to "work it"...and that's when "Southern" began to seep into our lives. This recipe is from Miss Ellie - who always uses a Boston Butt Pork Roast and now so do I....
Miss Ellie and my brother have 5 children, I had no idea they'd turn out to be such prolific breeders! Once, while visiting, one of their neighbors invited us to a pot-luck - Southern Style....I was so excited - couldn't wait to see what we would have to eat! We went over to Buddyjoe Cooper's house - there were chains attached to poles in the front yard - presumably to hold some vicious dogs but there were no dogs to be seen.....which did make me wonder what we were about to be served....we walked past the garage and there was a good ol' boy in there frying up fish - surrounded by tools and a truck on blocks....around the back of the house was a little pavillion of sorts - with picnic tables stacked with Pyrex dishes filled with Southern delicacies....deep fried pickles, fried green tomatoes, fried okra, fried catfish, fried chicken, fried hush-puppies, fried hotdogs, fried potatoes - they were all on the FRIED table....then there was the salad table....potato salad, sweet potato salad, coleslaw, pasta salad and frog-eye salad.....there was a table filled with only macaroni and cheese - all different looking but all made with Velveeta....and then there was the dessert table.....apple pie, pecan pie, coconut cake, and fried donuts! It was a sight to behold! Everyone was very welcoming and we ate and ate and ate and everything was washed down with the most glorious drink....I thought it was called sweetie - but once I figured out the accent I realized it was SWEET TEA....which is basically sugar with a tiny bit of water and an even tinier bit of tea. When Buddyjoe brought out the accordian I knew it was time to leave....but now, I wished we would have stayed - I think I would have loved seeing Buddyjoe's wife, Shirleen, cut a rug!
Shredded Pork Sandwiches - Ellen Wagner (Miss Ellie) A true Grits...Girl Raised In The South
Serves 8
4 to 5 pound Boston Butt Pork Roast, fat left on
1 large yellow onion, chopped
salt and pepper
1 cup favorite Barbeque sauce
8 regular size good, soft buns, or 12 small buns
In a crock pot, place half of the onion on the bottom, turn the setting to high. Season the roast on all sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the roast on top of the onions and sprinkle the remaining onions on top of and around the roast. Put lid on crock pot and do not remove for at least 6 hours, preferably 7. After that time, remove lid, and carefully drain any liquid. Using two forks, shred the pork roast into small pieces. Stir in barbeque sauce, taste, and adjust seasonings if needed. Slice rolls in half, place a generous portion of shredded pork on the rolls and enjoy!
(I have tried many different ways of making shredded pork sandwiches - using rubs and different spices and I always come back to this basic recipe....I love it because it's simple and easy and it's so dang good! We always use KC Masterpiece Barbeque Sauce - we love the taste. This is a great dish to make for weekend guests - it cooks while you're out playing tour guide and when you get home, exhausted, your dinner is ready.)