Sloppy Pulled Pork Sliders with Jalapeños & Cheddar
Recipe Facts
Difficulty level:
medium ◉◉◉◎◎
Quantity for:
4–6 people
Preparation time:
⧗ Start one day in advance
Grilling time:
⧗ individual
Grill(s) & Equipment:
• Kettle grill , 4 Wood Chunks (2 x Hickory, 2 x Applewood), Butcher Paper
Ingredients
• 1 pork neck, approx. 2 ½ kg
• 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
• Pork Dust'n Crust BBQ Rub
• 6 mini slider buns
• 1 liter of apple juice
• 1 jar of mayonnaise
• 400 ml BBQ sauce
• 500 g sliced Cheddar
• Sloppy Onions
For the sloppy onions and jalapeños:
• 500 g red onions, sliced
• 6 jalapeños
• 4 tbsp BBQ jus (liquid collected from the heatproof dish of part 1, becomes jelly-like when cooled)
• 1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
• 2 tbsp BBQ sauce
• 1 tbsp Pork Dust'n Crust BBQ rub
• Salt & pepper to taste
For the Pork Dust'n Crust BBQ rub:
• 4 tbsp salt flakes
• ½ tbsp Tellicherry pepper, coarsely ground
• 2 tbsp light muscovado sugar
• 1 tbsp smoked mild paprika powder
• 1 tsp celery powder
• ½ tbsp thyme
• ½ tbsp oregano
• ½ tsp granulated garlic
Accessories are available in the FIRE&FOOD shop!
preparation
Trim the pork neck and cut it lengthwise into three pieces – this ensures a crispier crust and a shorter cooking time. Rub each piece lightly with rapeseed oil and set up the grill for indirect grilling or smoking: Fill two charcoal baskets with coals and position them to create an indirect grilling zone in the center of the grill. Light the coals and add four wood chunks to the embers. For pulled pork, I prefer a mixture of hickory and apple for a pleasant smoky aroma and a beautiful color.
Once the closed grill reaches a temperature of 125°C (250°F), place the pork neck steaks on the grill grate and smoke them at this temperature. Every 30-40 minutes (or when it looks dry), spray the meat with a little apple juice. Add more wood chunks if necessary. After about 3 hours, the meat will have developed a nice crust and absorbed enough smoke; it should have an internal temperature between 65 and 75°C (149-165°F). Now, mop the steaks with BBQ sauce and smoke them for another 15 minutes until the glaze has set. Then, transfer them to a heatproof dish and add 100 ml (3 fl oz) of apple juice. The bottom should be lightly covered. Cover the dish with butcher paper and continue cooking at the same temperature – there's no need to add more wood chunks to the coals now. Just top up the coals from time to time.
➋ When the meat reaches an internal temperature of 92 to 93 °C, remove the dish from the grill and discard the butcher paper. Let the meat steam for 10 minutes, then remove it from the dish, wrap it in butcher paper, and place it in a cooler equipped with a PET bottle filled with warm water instead of ice packs. Place a towel on top for insulation and close the cooler. Let the pork neck rest for at least 2 hours. Pour the remaining liquid from the dish into a cup and reserve it for the sloppy onions.
➌ After the resting time, pull the meat apart – i.e., shred it with two forks. Season with BBQ sauce and, if desired, BBQ rub.
Thomas' BBQ tip: This first part of the recipe can easily be prepared a day in advance, and the meat can be reheated the next day. Good pulled pork often tastes even better the next day – similar to a good stew. The meat is then pulled apart only after it has been gently reheated.
➍ For the sloppy onions and jalapeños, mix the onion rings in a cast-iron skillet with all the ingredients (except the jalapeños) and grill. At the same time, grill the jalapeños on all sides until cooked through. You can then place them on top of the onions and continue grilling for 5 minutes – this way they infuse the onions with extra flavor.
➎ Halve the buns and spread some BBQ sauce and mayonnaise on the bottom halves, then top each with half a slice of cheddar cheese. Add a generous portion of pulled pork and 1 tablespoon of sloppy onions. Top with another half slice of cheddar cheese and finally the top halves of the buns.
➏ Once all the buns are prepared, place them in a fireproof, round dish to form a ring. Place 600g of pulled pork and the remaining cheddar cheese in the center of the bun ring. Top with the grilled jalapeños and drizzle with BBQ sauce. Grill at 165°C for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is nicely melted.
➐ Serve the sloppy sliders with the baked pulled pork, the sloppy onions and the jalapeños.
Recipe by Thomas Eriksson-Fröhlich
Thomas Eriksson tours under the name "Flaming Pig BBQ"
He happily travels throughout Europe to share his knowledge about grilling and barbecue and to inspire people.
Recipe from FIRE&FOOD issue 02/2025
