This was another of those recipes that got me a side-eyed look from J when I told him what it was. Cherries?? Yes, dear. There are cherries in there. Along with the chipotle flavor that you love so much. Trust me! A lot of what I make is just as much of a surprise to me as it is to him, being that I’ve never made or eaten a majority of what we’re eating, before. Fortunately I know what we like so it’s rare that I choose something we won’t both like.
It’s also rare these days, that I’m cooking for anyone but J and me, but on this particular night, a friend of J’s came over for dinner as well. We’d all been to the gym and then home so the guys could discuss some business. I sat and watched TV while they chatted at the table and ate. Both guys loved the sliders (I told you so!!) and gobbled up a few of them while they talked. I sent the rest home with J since I would be out of town the next evening, and can’t let the man starve 😉
I’m not normally a coleslaw kinda gal, but this one didn’t have a lot of mayo in it and it had lime juice. I mean, come on…that’s about all I need to know. It was freaking delicious. And then the sweetness from the cherries combined with the heat of the chipotle made the pork so, so yummy. J is lucky that I love him and that I like to share…I could have eaten all of this myself!! And the fact that it’s made in the slow cooker is an added bonus. It is 100+ degrees these days, ya know? Turning on the oven less is definitely welcome!
Ingredients
Cherry Chipotle Pulled Pork
- 3 lb boneless pork shoulder roast
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp canola oil
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar
- 2 chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce
- 3 Tbsp adobo sauce, from chipotle pepper can
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup dried sweet cherries
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
- Sandwich or slider buns
Cilantro Lime Slaw
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise (I used light miracle whip)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 12 oz packaged coleslaw
Preparation
- Rub pork shoulder evenly with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat and brown all sides of the pork, about 3 minutes per side. Then place the pork in your slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and cinnamon. Mix well and pour over pork roast.
- Add the cherries and garlic, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- Meanwhile, make the Cilantro Lime Slaw by combining the canola oil, white wine vinegar, cilantro, lime juice, mayonnaise, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk to mix well. Add the coleslaw and toss to evenly coat coleslaw with dressing.
- When pork is finished cooking, shred with two forks or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Return pulled pork to slow cooker and stir to coat with remaining cooking juices.
- Serve on slider buns, topped with slaw.
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