Beef patty topped with pulled BBQ pork, red cabbage slaw, Boston lettuce, jalapeno, cheddar bun.

Serves 14

Special Equipment

  • Meat grinder, grinder plate with a ¼-inch die, charcoal or gas grill, brine injection ingredients

Barbecue Sauce

  • ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 medium sweet white onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus additional as needed
  • ¼ cup bourbon
  • 1 tablespoon coarsely ground fresh black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice, plus additional for seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, plus additional for seasoning
  • 1 cup tightly packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups ketchup
  • ½ cup unsulfured blackstrap molasses
  • ½ cup Dijon mustard
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar, plus additional as needed
  • 3 teaspoons hot sauce
  • ½ cup English mustard, combined with ½ cup water

1. Pour the oil in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until it starts to shimmer. Stir in garlic, onion, red peppers and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes. Pour in the bourbon and cook until the alcohol has cooked off, about 5 minutes.. Combine the black pepper, allspice and cloves and add to the pan. Cook, stirring continuously, until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

2. Stir in the brown sugar, water, ketchup, molasses, Dijon mustard, vinegar, and hot sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally to be sure nothing sticks to the bottom and burns. Reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 45 minutes.

3. At this point add the English mustard and water mixture. Season to taste with additional allspice, cloves, salt and vinegar to taste.

Pulled BBQ Pork

  • 7-9 lb bone-in pork butt

Brine

  • 5 cups water
  • 6 tablespoons tightly packed dark brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Seasoning

  • 2 tablespoons spanish paprika
  • 2 tablespoons tightly packed dark brown sugar  
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¾ teaspoon teaspoon granulated garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice powder

1.    Combine the brine ingredients, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Place the pork in a baking dish or a disposable aluminum pan. Working in a grid pattern, inject the brine into the pork butt with an injection needle. Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.

2.    Combine all seasoning ingredients and generously rub the meat on all surfaces.

3.    Light a charcoal fire in a covered grill. Set up the grill for indirect grilling: When the temperature reaches 225°, carefully push the hot coals to one side and place a drip pan filled with 1 cup of water on the opposite side. Alternatively, bring a smoker to 225°. Put the pork shoulder over the drip pan and cover the grill; you'll need to cook the pork for about 8 hours total. Maintain the temperature at 225° by replenishing the charcoal with a fresh batch of burning coals every hour. Every hour, drain 1/2 cup of the wood chips and scatter them over the hot coals. Add more water to the drip pan when half of it is evaporated.

4.    Continue to cook for about 2 hours longer, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers 195°.

5.    Transfer the pork shoulder to a roasting pan and let it rest for 30 minutes.

6.    Skim most of the fat from the liquid in the drip pan. Add the Barbecue Sauce and bring to a simmer. Scrape any excess fat from the pork shoulder. With 2 forks, remove the meat from the shoulder and pull it into long, thick shreds. Discard the fat and bones. Mix with about a cup of barbeque sauce and reserve.

Red Cabbage Slaw

  • 1 head red cabbage
  • 3 tablespoons salt
  • 1 cup apple-cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • Salt and pepper

1.    Quarter the cabbage, remove the core, and slice very thin. In a large bowl, toss cabbage with salt, and let rest at room temperature for 3 hours.

2.    Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients and set aside. Drain, rinse, and pat dry the cabbage, then toss with the vinegar mix.

3.    Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed; chill at least 5 hours before serving. (Slaw is best when prepared a day in advance.)

Pickled Jalapenos

  • 4 cups rice vinegar
  • 14 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 14 jalapenos

1.    Halve the peppers lengthwise and transfer to a heatproof container.

2.    In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar and salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until dissolved. Pour over the top of the peppers and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 weeks.

Jalapeno Mayonnaise

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 whole jalapeno peppers, stems removed, chopped
  • In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and jalapeños. Keep refrigerated until serving.

Beef Patties

  • 5 lbs diced chuck meat
  • 1 ¼ lb raw beef fat (you can ask your butcher, or substitute ground chuck meat with approximately 30% fat)

1.    Be sure all meat products and grinder attachments are well chilled. Grind the meat, alternating pieces of chuck and fat into a shallow tray.

2.    Divide meat into 14 portions. On a stainless steel surface, using the aide of a 4 ½-inch wide and 1 ½ -inch high ring cutter, gently press 1 portion of meat inside. While pressing, twist meat 2-3 times to be sure it is packed tightly into patties. Do not squeeze too hard or overwork the meat. Repeat process to make 14 patties.

3.    Prepare grill for two-temperature cooking, with one area for medium-high heat and the other for medium heat. Put the hamburgers over medium-high heat and cook, without moving for 2 minutes, or until they are well marked. Turn the hamburgers 90 degrees to make a crosshatch pattern and grill for 2 minutes. Flip the hamburgers over, move to the medium heat, and grill, without moving them, for 3 minutes. Turn the hamburgers 90 degrees and cook for another 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter, and let rest in a warm spot for about 10 minutes for medium-rare.

To Finish

  • 28 Boston lettuce leaves
  • 14 brioche-cheddar buns
  • 14 small wooden skewers

1.    Slice buns in half and lightly toast or grill them. Spread top bun with a thin layer of jalapeño mayonnaise.

2.    Onto the bottom bun, place one lettuce leaf, top with a beef patty, a spoonful of pulled BBQ pork, a layer of red cabbage slaw, another slice of lettuce and top bun. Stick a pickled jalapeño half on a skewer and then stick in the middle of the burger.