Coca-Cola Pork Sandwiches with Fried Pickles

By Liliana Moyano for Shine Latina

Finished pulled pork sandwich in all its glory.
Finished pulled pork sandwich in all its glory.

My brother-in-law, David, makes a few trays of roasted pork for every major party, which eventually turn into amazing, pulled pork sandwiches. His recipe is simple and can easily be made a day or two in advance. He cooks the pork for six hours and then shreds the meat in its own cooking juices.

I've taken David's famous pork and kicked it up by topping with fried pickles and braising in a Coca-Cola sauce. The vinegar of the pickle balances the sweetness of the pork and adds some crunch to the sandwich.

Pork shoulder rubbed with spices, ready to roast.
Pork shoulder rubbed with spices, ready to roast.

Ingredients

1 pork shoulder (5 lbs)
¼ cup brown sugar
4 tbsp. all purpose seasoning
1 tbsp. salt
10 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups Coca-Cola
½ cup Merlot
½ cup canola oil
5 pickles in vinegar, sliced
¼ cup all purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
15 potato buns

Try my crispy chicharrones as an appetizer

Directions

Roasted pork, simmering in Coca-Cola and cooking liquid.
Roasted pork, simmering in Coca-Cola and cooking liquid.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Rub the pork shoulder with the brown sugar, garlic, all purpose seasoning and salt. Poke holes in the meat, and place it in a deep baking tray. Pour 1 cup of Coca-Cola over the pork, and cover the tray with aluminum foil. Cook for six hours.

Flip the meat every 1.5 hours, and baste with its own cooking liquid and a cup of soda. On the third hour, add the wine and continue cooking. Once the pork is ready, it will practically fall off the bone. Remove the meat from the bone using a fork, and place it back in the tray with its juices.

Shredded pork for the sandwiches.
Shredded pork for the sandwiches.

Separately preheat oil in a pan set at medium heat. In the meantime, dip the pickle slices in the egg and flour to create a batter. Fry them in the oil for three minutes on each side. Remove from the oil, and set aside.

To assemble the sandwiches, simply add a scoop of pork on each bun, and top with four to five slices of fried pickle. Close the sandwich, and add another two to three fried pickles on top for presentation.

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