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one thick golden Texas-toast grilled-cheese sandwich cut into two halves with coarse cooked pulled pork lightly coated in yellow mustard barbecue sauce and melted pale pepper Jack with tiny pepper flecks inside on an ordinary plate, with no red sauce, pickles or garnish
Rachel Kim

BBQ Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese

Mustard barbecue sauce and pepper Jack give this pulled-pork grilled cheese a sharper flavor than a cheddar-and-sweet-red-sauce version. The pork starts from a raw shoulder piece and braises in the oven, so this is a cooking-day sandwich rather than a fifteen-minute promise. Pull the meat coarsely and drain it well. Thick Texas toast can hold a generous filling, but extra braising liquid still makes it soggy, and the warm pork should heat the cheese from the inside as the bread browns.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb boneless pork shoulder cut into 3-inch chunks
  • 1 small yellow onion thickly sliced
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 cup water for braising
  • 1/4 cup yellow mustard
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 8 slices plain Texas toast bread about 3/4 inch thick
  • 8 oz pepper Jack grated
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Place onion in a small Dutch oven, add pork, salt, pepper and braising water, then cover tightly.
  2. Braise for 3 to 3 1/2 hours until the pork is fully fork-tender and pulls apart easily, well above the 145°F minimum. Rest covered for 10 minutes, then remove excess fat and pull meat into coarse shreds, discarding tough connective pieces.
  3. Whisk mustard, vinegar, brown sugar and Worcestershire in a saucepan and simmer for 3 minutes. Toss drained warm pork with the sauce without adding the watery braising liquid.
  4. Divide half the pepper Jack over 4 bread slices, add the sauced pork evenly and top with remaining cheese. Close with the other bread slices and spread mayonnaise over the outside faces.
  5. Cook 2 sandwiches at a time in a large skillet over medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side, covering for 2 minutes after turning, until the bread is golden and filling reaches 165°F. Repeat for the second batch.
  6. Rest each batch for 2 minutes before cutting and serve one sandwich per person.