3768. PULLED PORK BACON CHEESEBURGERS

7½ lb. bone-in pork shoulder, also known as Boston butt

2/3 lb. each beef burgers

4 lbs. thick-cut bacon

mozzarella and cheddar cheese

pork rub

1/3 cup apple cider

Apply the rub to the pork shoulder, place it in a marinade bag, and add some apple cider. Let it marinade in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours. Place it in your smoker and then "low and slow" at 225-250ºF until the internal temperature of the shoulder reaches 195ºF. Note: 195ºF is the temperature required to melt the connective tissue and fibers in the roast and produce tender and juicy pulled pork. Remove from the smoker, wrap in foil and let rest for about an hour. Shred the roast.

bacon recipe source: BBQ Pit Boys (@BarbecueRecipes)

3582. CHEESY MAPLE BACON CAJUN PULLED PORK SANDWICH

makes 8 sandwiches


3 pounds boneless pork shoulder
1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 cup chicken stock, apple juice, or water
8 soft potato burger buns, split horizontally
8 thick slices extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
About 24 bread and butter pickles


Sriracha yogurt:
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce



Crispy potatoes:
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, 1 to 2 inches in diameter
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

2 small scallions, sliced

Maple bacon:
8 slices thick-cut bacon

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

To make the Cajun Pulled Pork: In a small bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and celery seed. Rub the mixture over all sides of the meat, pressing it to adhere. Transfer the meat to a slow cooker and add any of the spice mix that didn’t adhere. Add the broth, cover, and cook until the pork is very tender, 6 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.

Meanwhile, make the Sriracha Yogurt: In a small bowl, combine the yogurt and Sriracha. Set aside in the refrigerator.

About 1 3/4 hours before the pork is done, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Meanwhile, start the Crispy Potatoes: Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold, well-salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are very tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside.

While the potatoes are cooking, make the Maple Bacon: Arrange a wire rack over a large rimmed baking sheet and arrange the bacon on the rack. Bake until the bacon is beginning to brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove the bacon from the oven and brush it on both sides with the maple syrup. Continue baking until the bacon is nicely browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle, then transfer the bacon to a plate. Pour the bacon fat on the baking sheet into a measuring cup, about 3 tablespoons. Set the bacon, bacon fat, and baking sheet aside.

Increase the oven to 500 degrees F.

Arrange the potatoes on the baking sheet that had the bacon fat and use a spatula to smash each to about 1/2-inch thick. Add enough olive oil to the bacon fat to equal 1/3 cup, and then drizzle the mixture over the potatoes. Sprinkle generously with salt. Bake until well browned and crisp, about 35 to 40 minutes. Top with the scallions.

While the potatoes are baking, transfer the cooked pork to a cutting board and let rest 10 to 15 minutes. Use two forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Moisten/season with cooking juices to taste.

Break the bacon pieces in half and arrange on the bottom halves of the rolls. Top with the pork, cheese, and pickles and Sriracha yogurt if you’d like. Serve with the potatoes and Sriracha yogurt alongside.


bacon recipe source: The National Pork Board, 1776 NW 114th Street, Des Moines, IA 50325

3536. PULLED PORK, GREENS and BACON SANDWICH

yields 10 sandwiches


10 ciabatta rolls or other crusty, full-bodied bread rolls

For the pulled pork

1 (5 to 15 pound) pork roast

salt and pepper to taste

liquid smoke (optional) 

For the greens

2 pounds kale leaves, stems removed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1/2 pound bacon + 4 tablespoons reserved bacon grease

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

For the vinegar sauce

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons hot sauce

For the pulled pork:

If using a slow cooker: Season pork well with salt and pepper. Place in slow cooker. Drizzle with liquid smoke if desired. Set cooker on low for 8 - 10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Remove pork from bones (if any) and shred with forks. Keep warm.

If using an oven: Season pork well with salt and pepper. Rub with liquid smoke if desired. Wrap tightly in foil and bake at 220 degrees for 7 to 8 hours. Remove pork from bone (if any) and shred with forks. Keep warm. 

For the greens: Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, turning once. Set bacon aside and pour off bacon grease, reserving 4 tablespoons grease. Return reserved grease to pan. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent. (About 3 minutes.) Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add kale to the skillet by handfulls, turning constantly until all the kale is wilted. Crumble bacon into the greens and stir until well combined. Add chicken stock and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Putting it all together: Split ciabatta rolls in half. Plop a healthy amount of the pork on the roll and drizzle with vinegar mixture. top with greens and drizzle with vinegar mixture again. Cover with top of roll. Share and enjoy! 


bacon recipe source: Jerry, Cooking by the seat of our pants (@cbsop), April 26, 2013

3342. PULLED PORK NACHOS with PEPPER JACK and BACON

tortilla chips
1 1/2 cup (heaping) shredded pepper jack cheese
heaping 3/4 cup Kalua pork, chopped into bite size pieces
3-4 tablespoons drained and diced pepperoncini
2-3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
2-3 tablespoons chopped red onion
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
sour cream

Preheat oven to 350. Place a single layer of tortilla chips on an oven safe plate. Top with a heaping 3/4 cup cheese. Place pork over top and sprinkle with pepperoncini. Break up a handful of tortilla chips into large pieces and sprinkle on top. Add remaining cheese, top with crumbled bacon and onion. Bake in the oven until cheese is melted. Remove, and sprinkle on cilantro and dollops of sour cream. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe source: Sara Wells and Kate Jones, Our Best Bites, March 3, 2014

3293. PULLED PORK CUBAN SANDWICHES with BACON

serves four


2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
one loaf Cuban bread or 4 hoagie rolls
yellow or Dijon mustard
mayonnaise, optional

8 ounces thinly sliced cooked ham

8 pieces cooked bacon

8 ounces pulled pork or roasted pork
8 ounces Swiss cheese

12 thin dill pickle slices

Heat a panini press or sandwich maker. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter with the olive oil.

Cut the loaf of bread into quarters and slice each quarter in half lengthwise, leaving one edge in tact. Lay the bread open like a book. Flip the bread over and using a pastry brush, coat each side of the bread with some of the butter/olive oil mixture.

Flip the bread over again and generously spread the insides with mustard and some mayonnaise, if using. Divide the ingredients evenly among the slices of bread and build your sandwiches in this order: ham, bacon, pork, cheese and pickles.

Bring the tops and bottoms together and press slightly to compact.

Place a sandwich on the press and lower the lid, pressing down. Cook each sandwich until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Allow the sandwich to cool for 2 minutes before slicing in half to serve.


bacon recipe source: Cheryl Beverage Barnes, Picture Perfect Meals, September 27, 2012

3022. BBQ PULLED PORK SANDWICHES with STRAWBERRY BACON SALSA

makes eight servings


2 lb. pork shoulder or Boston butt
12 oz. ginger ale
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup strawberry jelly
2 tablespoons apple cider or balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chipotle hot sauce
1 1/4 cup diced strawberries
3 strips cooked and crumbled bacon
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped cucumber
1 tablespoon seeded and minced fresh jalapeño
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
8 sourdough of French sandwich rolls
8 tablespoons chive and onion cream cheese, or herbed boursin cheese

Place the pork in a slow cooker. Pour ginger ale over pork, cover & cook on high for 4 hours or until meat is tender. Drain & shred using 2 forks. Meanwhile, in the last few minutes of cooking add the barbecue sauce, jelly, vinegar & hot sauce to a sauce pan. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly. Keep warm. Stir into shredded pork. In a bowl, place the strawberries, bacon, onion, cucumber, jalapeño, cilantro, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Toss until combined. Split rolls. Spread roll tops with cheese. Spoon pork over bottom rolls. Top with salsa. Replace top rolls.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Thecatladycooks (member), BetterRecipes.com

3002. BEEF, BARBECUE PULLED PORK and BACON BURGERS (a.k.a. Filthy Burgers)

yields between 6 and 8 burgers, depending on size 

1/2 pound of bacon, cooked until crisp through, drained and crumbled

2 cups fully cooked barbecue pulled pork roughly chopped with a knife

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck

kosher salt

For serving:

toasted burger buns

tender lettuce (like mixed spring greens or butter lettuce)

slices of pepperjack or Monterey jack cheese

barbecue sauce

Mix together the ground chuck, pulled pork, and bacon until everything is evenly distributed. 

For the most uniform burgers, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add 5 ounces of the meat mixture to a ring mold and gently press it into the edges of the mold forming a uniformly thick burger patty. Gently pull the ring mold straight up and tap down any edges that come up with it. Replace the ring mold on the parchment next to the burger and form another until all the meat mixture has been pressed into patties.

Place the tray with the burgers in the refrigerator while you preheat the grill to MEDIUM HIGH heat. After cleaning the hot grill, gently place the burgers over direct heat and sprinkle with kosher salt. Keep a spray bottle of water handy for flare-ups. Do not move the burgers once you've placed them on the grill until the brown (cooked) area goes at least halfway up the burger and you can easily slide your spatula under them, about 4 minutes. If there are flames flaring up because of fat from the burger, give them a little spritz with water. That should help long enough to cook the burger to the point where it will turn more easily. Flip the burgers carefully and continue grilling over MEDIUM HIGH heat until there are grill marks on the underside of the burger. Transfer the burgers over to one side of the grill and shut off the burners immediately under the burgers, turning the remaining burners onto MEDIUM LOW heat. This means your burgers will finish over indirect heat. When the interior temperature of the beef is 5°F below the point you like it (RARE: 125-130°F. MEDIUM: 140-150. WELL: 160-212°F.), lay the slices of pepperjack cheese on the burgers and use a spatula to immediately transfer them to a sided tray. Let them rest, lightly tented with foil, until the cheese is melted. Serve on top of tender greens on a toasted bun with as much barbecue sauce as you fancy!

bacon recipe courtesy of: Rebecca Lindamood, Foodie with Family, May 31, 2013