Football season is here! I could not be more excited to throw on a jersey, stress over my fantasy team and get a nice buzz while watching the games every weekend. But equally as important — the food!

These Pulled Pork Sliders w/ Cider Barbecue Sauce make the perfect, stress-free grub for a big crowd. Just make a crock full of the slow cooked, sweet and sour, รผber-tender pork and serve it straight from the pot with slider rolls and a mix of toppings on the side. Guests can dress their sliders as they please and you can pay attention to the game (or your pregame, depending on how hardcore you are). Here’s how:

See Also: Game Day Snacks: Baked Tequila Lime Wings Game Day Snacks: Cheesy Pepperoni Puffs Game Day Snacks: Spinach Dip Bread Bowls Game Day Snacks Lightened: Lemon & Garlic White Bean Dip Game Day Snacks: Buffalo Chicken Nachos

Ingredients yields about 3 dozen sliders

For the pork:

  • 1 medium onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 5-7 lb pork shoulder
  • 3 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp dry mustard
  • 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp kosher salt

    For barbecue sauce:

  • 1 cup ketchup
  • ยฝ cup water
  • ยฝ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • ยฝ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ยฝ tsp freshly ground black pepper

    For the sliders:

  • 3 dozen slider rolls/mini buns
  • Optional toppings: creamy coleslaw, sliced pickles, hot sauce, sliced jalapeรฑos, shredded cheddar or pepperjack cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion

    Directions

    Add in thinly sliced onion and garlic to a slow cooker pot and cover with chicken stock.

    In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, brown sugar and salt. Pat the pork roast dry and rub all over with the spice mixture.

    Place the meat on top of the onions and cook, covered, until pork is fork tender, about 6-8 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.

    Meanwhile, make the barbecue sauce: Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in all ingredients and simmer until sugar has dissolved, about ten minutes. Set aside until ready for use.

    When pork is tender, remove it from the crockpot and set it aside to rest for ten minutes. While still warm, use two forks to shred the meat completely.

    Strain the remaining liquid from the crockpot and add the shredded meat back into the onion mixture. Stir in barbecue sauce, tossing to coat and warm through.

    Serve pulled pork straight from the pot alongside slider buns and toppings to let guests dress their own sweet and saucy pulled pork sliders (just don’t forget to set out napkins).

    Enjoy!

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    • This article appears in Oct 25-31, 2012.

    Brooke Viggiano is a contributing writer who is always looking to share Houston's coolest and tastiest happenings with the Houston Press readers.