Pulled Pork Sandwich

Heat the oven. Preheat to 300°F.

Mix the rub. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin (if using), and brown sugar.

Season the pork. Pat the pork shoulder dry. Rub all over with the neutral oil, then coat generously with the spice rub. Press it in like you mean it.

Pan it. Place the pork in a Dutch oven or deep roasting pan. Pour broth (or apple juice or water) into the bottom of the pan, around the pork.

Cover and cook low and slow. Cover with a lid or tightly with foil. Bake for 4 to 4 1/2 hours, but let tenderness be the boss. It is done when the pork is fork-tender and reads about 195°F to 205°F in the center of the thickest part, avoiding bone (for bone-in). A bone-in shoulder should also wiggle and pull clean.

Optional: add a little bark. If you want more caramelized edges, uncover for the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking. Keep an eye on it so the top does not dry out.

Rest. Let the pork rest, still covered, for 20 minutes. This is not optional if you want juicy shreds.

Make the finishing sauce. In a bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar (or honey), salt, red pepper flakes, and Worcestershire (if using). Taste it. It should be tangy and a little punchy.

Shred the pork. Transfer pork to a cutting board. Shred with two forks, discarding only hard chunks of fat. (Keep the soft, melty bits. They are flavor.) Skim excess fat from the pan juices, then spoon a few tablespoons of juices back over the meat.

Sauce it. Toss shredded pork with the finishing sauce a little at a time until it is juicy and well-seasoned. You might not use every drop, or you might. Follow your heart, then taste and adjust with more salt or vinegar if needed.

Mix the quick slaw. In a large bowl, toss cabbage (and carrot if using) with mayo, vinegar or lemon juice, Dijon, sugar, salt, pepper, and celery seed (if using). This slaw is meant to be creamy-tangy with a crisp bite. Refrigerate while you toast the buns.

Toast the buns. Split buns and toast cut-side down in a skillet with a little butter, or under the broiler. You want golden edges so the bun does not collapse under all that juicy pork.

Build the sandwiches. Pile pulled pork on the bottom bun, top with slaw, and cap it. Add BBQ sauce, pickles, or onions if you want extra chaos in the best way.