Pulled Pork and Brie Grilled Cheese Sliders

Pulled pork and Brie grilled cheese sliders

Yields 12

Ingredients:

For the pulled pork

• Pork shoulder blade roast (4 pounds)
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder
• 1-1/2 tablespoons pasilla ancho chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped

For the sliders

• 12 mini buns or slider rolls
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pulled pork
• 18 ounces Brie cheese, cut into approximately 3 x 2-inch slices
• 1/2 a red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
• 24 slices nacho jalapeño peppers (optional)

Directions:

For the pulled pork

1. Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker.
2. Using a cooking fork, lift up the roast, and move it around in the water a little before setting it down again so that the spices are under the roast as well as on top of it.
3. Slow-cook the roast for 6 hours.
4. Transfer the pork to a large, shallow casserole dish.
5. Using 2 forks (1 in each hand), pull apart the pork.
6. Add about 2 ladles of juice from the slow cooker onto the pulled pork.
7. Taste test the pork, and add more salt if desired.

For the sliders

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat a large skillet on low-to-medium heat, and add the butter.
3. As the butter melts, spread it evenly around the pan with a spatula.
4. Sprinkle the garlic powder evenly over the melted butter, and lay the buns facedown in the pan.
5. Move the buns around a bit so that they absorb all the butter.
6. Continue to toast the buns until they are lightly browned.
7. Lay the bottom halves of the buns faceup on a cookie sheet (set the top halves aside on a separate plate).
8. Top the bottom halves of the buns with pulled pork and Brie.
9. Bake until the cheese starts to melt (about 5 minutes).
10. Top with sliced onion and nacho jalapeño peppers, if using.
11. Add the top halves of the buns, and serve hot right out of the oven.