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 apple juice
• 1 jar of mayonnaise
• 400 ml BBQ sauce
• 500 g sliced cheddar cheese
• Sloppy Onions
For the sloppy onions and jalapeños:
• 500 g red onions, sliced
• 6 jalapeños
• 4 tbsp BBQ juice (collected liquid from the ovenproof dish from 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
➊ Trim the pork neck and cut it lengthwise into three pieces – this ensures a better crust and a shorter cooking time. Lightly rub each piece with rapeseed oil and set up the grill for indirect grilling or smoking: Fill two charcoal baskets with coals and position them so that an indirect grilling zone is created in the center of the grill. Light the coals and add four wood chunks to the embers. I prefer a blend of hickory and apple for pulled pork for a pleasant smoky flavor and a beautiful color.
Once the closed grill has reached a temperature of 125°C, place the neck pieces on the grill grate and smoke at this temperature. Spray the meat with a little apple juice every 30–40 minutes (or whenever it looks dry). Add more Wood Chunks if necessary. After about 3 hours, the meat will have developed a nice crust and received enough smoke; it should have an internal temperature of between 65 and 75°C. Now mop the meat pieces with the BBQ sauce and smoke for another 15 minutes, until the glaze has set. Then transfer to an ovenproof dish and add 100 ml of apple juice. The base should be lightly coated. Cover the dish with butcher paper and continue cooking at the same temperature – there is no need to add more Wood Chunks to the embers at this point. Only the coals need to be topped up from time to time.
➋ When the meat has reached an internal temperature of 92 to 93°C, remove the pan from the grill and remove the butcher paper. Let the meat cool off for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan, wrap it in butcher paper, and place it in a cooler box. Instead of ice packs, place a PET bottle filled with warm water. Place a towel on top for insulation and close the box. Let the neck pieces rest for at least 2 hours. Pour the remaining liquid from the pan into a cup and reserve it for the sloppy onions.
➌ After the resting period, pull the meat apart with two forks. Season with BBQ sauce and, if desired, BBQ rub.
Thomas' BBQ tip: This first part of the recipe can be prepared the day before, and the meat can be reheated the next day. Good pulled pork usually tastes even better the next day—similar to a good stew. The meat is then pulled after it has been gently reheated.
➍ For the sloppy onions and jalapeños, combine the onion rings with all the ingredients (except the jalapeños) in a cast iron pan and sauté on the grill. Meanwhile, grill the jalapeños on all sides until cooked through. You can then place them on top of the onions and sauté for another 5 minutes—this will 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. Layer a generous portion of pulled pork and 1 tablespoon of sloppy onions on top. Then add another half slice of cheddar cheese to each half, and finally, the top halves of the buns.
➏ Once all the buns are prepared, place them in a round, ovenproof 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. Place in the grill at 165°C for 15 minutes, until the cheese is nicely melted.
➐ Serve the sloppy sliders with the baked pulled pork, sloppy onions and jalapeños.
Recipe by Thomas Eriksson-Fröhlich
Thomas Eriksson tours under the name “Flaming Pig BBQ”-
Happy traveling all over Europe to share his knowledge of grilling and barbecue and to inspire people.
Recipe from FIRE&FOOD issue 02/2025
