<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n15. Pico de Gallo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n This is a chunkier, crunchier take on the salsa, made from fresh tomatoes, lime juice, and red onion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I absolutely love topping up my pulled pork sandwich with pico de gallo in the summer. So fresh!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
16. Hot Sauce<\/h3>\n\n\n\n I love spicy foods, which is why I will frequently spike the BBQ sauce for my pulled pork sandwiches with some hot sauce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Give it a try! I\u2019m a Cholula fan, but use whatever hot sauce you like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
17. Red Gravy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Don’t get me wrong, I love my barbecue sauce as much as the next Southerner, but sometimes I am in the mood for something a little different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is where New Orleans-style red gravy comes into play. It is a type of tomato sauce that is spiced up with Cajun seasoning, peppers, garlic, onion, and celery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is easy to make and perfect for your sandwiches!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
18. Honey Mustard<\/h3>\n\n\n\n If you want to incorporate some new flavors with minimal fuss and don’t want to give up your traditional sauce, try honey mustard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is sweet and tangy and the ideal partner for your pulled pork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
19. Cheese<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Yes, cheese works really well with pulled pork. However, I would stick to something simple like mozzarella or provolone, as you don’t want to detract from the star of the show (smoked pulled pork).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For that added kick, toast the sandwich bread or buns for a few minutes so that the cheese gets nice and gooey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
20. Kimchi<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Did I save the best for last? Kimchi may be adventurous if you\u2019ve got a conventional Western diet, but I love the stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is essentially a tangier, spicier, (and tastier) version of coleslaw. It\u2019s fermented like saurkraut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I can guarantee it will elevate your sandwiches!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Make the Best Pulled Pork<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Before you can top your pulled pork sandwiches, you must understand how to make great pulled pork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are my top tips for making pulled pork:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use the Right Cut of Pork<\/h3>\n\n\n\n The most common cuts used for pulled pork are either pork shoulder or pork butt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think pork butt is slightly better for pulled pork than pork shoulder. The butt has more marbling throughout the cut. This means more moisture and flavor!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As an added bonus, this cut has a pretty uniform shape. This makes it easier to cook to perfection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Smoke the Pork<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Do yourself a favor and smoke the pork for the pulled pork sandwiches. You can thank me later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know that if you are like most people, you typically use your slow cooker or crock pot to make pulled pork. Fair enough, it is efficient, fuss-free, and makes pretty good pork.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nBut if you\u2019re looking to take your pulled pork to the next level, then you need to try smoking your chosen cut of pork. Not only do you get a delicious, smoky flavor that you just can’t mimic with a slow cooker, but you also get bark. The bark is the exterior of a piece of meat that gets smoked, and it\u2019s packed with flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I get that smoking pork can be daunting, but you will be surprised by how easy it is. It is the most forgiving cut of meat to smoke. In fact, you don’t even need a smoker – you can turn your grill into one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Besides classics like oak and hickory, you can use apple wood, cherry wood, or maple wood when smoking pork. The sweet smoke of these woods complements the flavor profile of the pork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even if you are a diehard fan of your slow cooker or crock pot, make it a point to smoke the meat at least once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inject the Pork<\/h3>\n\n\n\n I don\u2019t inject my pork, but lots of pit bosses do. You don’t have to get fancy, just use a liquid with flavor, like juice, cider, or beer. Use \u00bd ounce of liquid per pound of meat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, you will need an injector to do this. But injecting the pork meat can add moisture and richness to the finished product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dry Brine<\/h3>\n\n\n\n 2-24 hours before cooking, apply \u00bd tsp kosher salt per pound. If using table salt, use \u00bc tsp per pound. This is called dry brining, and it makes the meat juicier and more tender. Store the meat in the refrigerator until it\u2019s ready to go on the smoker. Use a rub with no salt (like my dry rub, coming up) if you dry brine the pork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Choose the Right Seasoning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Your seasonings should enhance and compliment the flavor of the pork. Use \u2153 cup per 5 pounds of meat. For my dry rub, I like to go with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u00bc cup brown sugar<\/li>\n\n\n\n 1 tablespoon smoked paprika<\/li>\n\n\n\n 1 tablespoon chili powder<\/li>\n\n\n\n 1 tablespoon garlic powder<\/li>\n\n\n\n 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder<\/li>\n\n\n\n 1 teaspoon cumin<\/li>\n\n\n\n 1 teaspoon onion powder<\/li>\n\n\n\n 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nThese spices bump the flavor of the pulled pork without overpowering the flavor of the meat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cook to Internal Temperature<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Use a meat thermometer to track the internal temperature – your pork has finished cooking when it registers an internal temp of 203\u00b0F and a probe slides in with little to no resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Letting the Meat Rest<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Rest your pork for 2-4 hours in an insulated cooler. Wrap it in aluminum foil before sticking it in the cooler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Collagen will continue to break down while it rests and will result in juicy meat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Choose a Good Quality Barbecue Sauce<\/h3>\n\n\n\n BBQ sauce puts the finishing touch on your pulled pork and pulled pork sandwiches!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re using sauce (sometimes I do, sometimes I don\u2019t), grab a good one. I have found that most commercial brands aren’t great – they are too sweet for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I prefer to make my own from scratch. I get to control exactly what goes into it so that it turns out just the way I like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, if you can find a commercial brand of sauce that works for you, that’s great!<\/p>\n\n\n
\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nWrapping It Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Well, there you have it – the top 20 pulled pork sandwich toppings. If you want to take your sandwich to new heights or are simply looking for a new experience, give these toppings a try.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re playing around with toppings, the key is to look for something that compliments the pork flavor, without overshadowing it. Have fun trying my toppings or discovering your own!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
From basics like coleslaw to exotic adds like kimchi, there are tons of pulled pork sandwich toppings to choose from. I\u2019ve pulled together 20 of my absolute favorites so you can mix it up! Growing up in the South, I ate my fair share of pulled pork sandwiches. While I loved the original versions, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17255,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"table_tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6603"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6603"}],"version-history":[{"count":33,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6603\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17908,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6603\/revisions\/17908"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6603"},{"taxonomy":"table_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/table_tags?post=6603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}