I recently began smoking my own pork products such as bacon and pork for pulled pork sandwiches. For this Fourth of July holiday, I created for you these smoked pork sandwiches.

This pork works well and is a no-fuss crock pot dish that can be kept on low in your crock for your holiday gathering.

The sandwich is a great way to offer picnic guests something else other than a burger off the grill.

Some people may want to pack on the smoked pork a mile high and top it with a small spoonful of cold crunchy slaw. Others may want a more conservative roll, with half pulled pork and then half coleslaw.

No matter how your guests would like to create their own plating of this sandwich, it works.

I often serve this sandwich with homemade baked beans and corn on the cob, but this smoked pork sandwich goes well with a variety of sides such as the traditional potato salad, pasta salad or even a vegetable tray or green salad.

Smoked Pulled Pork

1 6-pound pork shoulder “butt” with good marbling and bone-in

¼ cup paprika

1/8 teaspoon of cloves

¼ cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons Kosher salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon mustard powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

2 teaspoons chili powder “Frontier is one of my favorite brands”

1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

Mix all of the spices together and generously rub the pork shoulder with the dry rub.

Let the pork stand until room temperature. Smoke your pork shoulder for approximately 5 hours at 250 degrees Fahrenheit with apple wood or your favorite wood blend. after 5 hours, take your pork from the smoker and place it in a roasting tray with a roasting rack under the pork.

Pour about 1 cup of water under the pork to create steam. Cover the roast with parchment and foil so that no steam will escape. Roast the shoulder for approximately 3-4 hours at 250 degrees Fahrenheit or until you can pull the meat from the bone.

After you shred the meat, pour all or some of the pan juices over the meat and mix well.

Serve this pulled pork with barbecue sauce on a brioche bun with your favorite toppings.

Barbeque Sauce

(This makes approximately 2½ cups of barbecue sauce.)

1 tablespoon of dry rub

1½ cups of ketchup

2 tablespoons of yellow table mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1-2 teaspoons of Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce

¼ cup of molasses

1/3 cup of unfiltered (preferably) apple cider vinegar

½ cup light brown sugar

A pinch of kosher salt

½ teaspoon of ground black pepper

3/4 of a cup of onion, medium dice

2 tablespoons of a seed oil

1 teaspoon of liquid smoke

2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

¼ of a cup of water

Saute onions and garlic in the oil. Add to remaining ingredients. Use your food processor or immersion blender to blend all well. Cook on low heat so not to burn for approximately 20-30 minutes.

Add the ¼ cup of water so the sauce does not stick on the bottom. Watch the sauce while cooking, too, mixing often. Don’t leave the stove.

Pour some of your sauce over your pulled pork and some in a container for adding extra at the table.

Sarah Schweitzer is dual-certified in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. She is a former line cook for Chef Robert Irvine at “Fresh Kitchen by Robert Irvine” which was located at the Downtown Allentown Market. Sarah is currently working as a sous-chef at Ateira’s on First. She can be reached at sarah.schweitzer18@gmail.com.