One week till Thanksgiving. So far the rolls and green bean casserole are in the freezer, and the cranberry sauce lurks in the back of the fridge. I road-tested slow-cooker turkey breast and found it...fine. Not awesome, but fine. I'm thinking I'll roast a turkey on Wednesday and reheat on Thursday. Today is earmarked for hitting three stores for food (ridiculous, I know), so I'll make this quick.
We had the easiest, most yummy meal on Monday, inspired by a friend who mentioned having it and created a craving in me. The barbecue sauce recipe below is all hers! You do need to season the meat the night before, which takes all of three minutes, so plan ahead. (Or experiment with skipping it--desperate times calling for desperate measures, and all.)
My Variation on Their "Beginner's Pulled Pork"
1/4 c brown sugar, scant
2 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
1 pork roast, cut in four pieces
1 c Robin's barbecue sauce or your favorite
Combine all the seasonings in a bowl, along with 1/2 tsp salt. Prick the roast all over with a fork and then rub the seasonings over. Throw the seasoned meat in a Ziploc overnight.
The next morning, dump the meat in the slow cooker and pour the barbecue sauce over. Cover and cook 9-11 hours on low. Remove and shred the meat. Rather than draining the fat off the minimal sauce left in the slow-cooker, I just serve with fresh barbecue sauce, buns, and slaw.
Robin's No-Cook Barbecue Sauce
1 c ketchup
1/2 c molasses
1/4 c vinegar
1/4 c Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
Combine and use!
I served the pork on buns I pulled from the freezer, with some slaw made of Napa cabbage and carrots, mixed with a little mayonnaise and vinegar. On the side I roasted my usual combination of whatever vegetables I found in the bin: brussels sprouts, onions, sweet potatoes, and carrots.
Why can't Thanksgiving be this simple? In one instance it's going to be, because I'm skipping the complicated squash dish and doing the roast vegetables listed above. Easy peasy and better for you.
Happy countdown week to you all!
