Pulled Pork Sandwich with Ginger Cilantro Mayo and Pickled Vegetables

While visiting friends and family in the Twin Cities over Christmas, we stumbled into St. Paul’s Brasa one day for lunch. I say stumbled because we actually tried to go to the restaurant next door but it was too full so we cruised over to Brasa. A lucky twist of fate since this little gem is home to a James Beard award winning chef and boasts being featured on Man vs. Food and the Today show.

I’ve been dreaming about their Slow Roasted Pork Sandwich ever since so I took a crack at replicating it at home.  I was super pleased with the results!  Not only was it easy (thanks, slow cooker) but it was a good way to switch up our standard BBQ pulled pork.


Pulled Pork Sandwich with Ginger Cilantro Mayo and Pickled Vegetables
serves 4
1 lb pork shoulder
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1/2 Tbsp ground black pepper
1/2 Tbsp ginger powder
1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
1 1/2 C orange juice
2-3 C water
4 pretzel buns or foccacia buns

Place pork shoulder in slow cooker. Season well with spices, working spices into all sides of the meat. Add liquids to slow cooker until they cover about half of the meat and roast on low for 8 hours. Remove meat from slow cooker and use two forks to shred apart. Place meat on a sliced bun and top with pickled vegetables. Spread a generous amount of mayo on the bun and serve!

Ginger Cilantro Mayo
1/2 C mayonnaise (I like the olive oil kind)
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled, grated
1 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

Scoop mayo into a small bowl. Chop cilantro and stir into mayo, mixing well. Grate ginger using a microplane grater into mayo and mix well.

Quick Pickled Vegetables
*adapted from Whole Foods
1 cucumber, very thinly sliced
2 carrots, very thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled, grated
1/4 C white vinegar
1/8 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Using a knife or a mandoline, slice vegetables very thinly. Place in a medium bowl and toss to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, sugar and salt. Drizzle over vegetables and toss well. Refrigerate vegetables for at least one hour prior to serving.