Carolina Pulled Pork Sliders with Mustard Sauce

For the rub and Boston butt:

• 2 tablespoons dry mustard
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 Boston butt (bone-in pork shoulder roast), 5 to 7 pounds

For the mop sauce:

• 2 cups distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 cup Dijon-style mustard
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

• 24 mini hamburger buns (ideally mini brioche rolls)
• 6 tablespoons butter (optional), melted
• Thinly sliced sweet pickles

For cooking Pork:

• 4-1/2 cups hardwood chips (preferably hickory), soaked in water to cover for 1 hour, then drained
• Combine the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl and stir to mix. Sprinkle the rub all over the pork, patting it onto the meat with your fingertips. Let the pork cure at room temperature while you make the mop sauce.
• Make the mop sauce. Combine the vinegar, mustard, water, salt and pepper in a large nonreactive mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup of water, and whisk until the salt dissolves.
• Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips or chunks in a smoker box or smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium-low. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center, preheat the grill to medium-low, then toss 1 cup of the wood chips or chunks on the coals.
• When ready to cook, place the pork, skin side up, if there is one, in the center of the hot grate over the drip pan and away from the heat. Cover the grill. Cook the pork until darkly browned on the outside and very tender inside, 2-1/2 to 3 hours. (You can also cook the pork in a smoker at 225 degrees for 4 to 6 hours. To test for doneness, use an instant-read meat thermometer: The internal temperature of the pork should be about 190 degrees F.
  If the pork starts to brown too much (and it probably will), cover it loosely with aluminum foil, but remember that the browned bits are good, too.
• Every hour for the first 4 hours, swab the pork with some of the mop sauce, using a barbecue mop or basting brush. If using a charcoal grill, every hour you'll need to add 12 fresh coals and 1/2 cup of wood chips or chunks to each side.
• Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover it loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 20 minutes before coarsely chopping with a cleaver. Place the pork in an aluminum foil pan. If you are not quite ready to serve, cover the pan with aluminum foil and place it on a warm—not hot—grill or in a low oven.
• If desired, brush the buns with the melted butter and lightly toast them on the grill. Load each bun with pork and slather with mustard sauce. Top with pickle slices and serve at once.

SOUTH CAROLINA MUSTARD BARBECUE SAUCE

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 slice bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slivers
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (preferably Crystal), or more to taste
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Melt the butter in a heavy nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon and onion and cook until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat.
2. Stir in the mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, and hot sauce. Let the sauce simmer, uncovered, until thick and richly flavored, 6 to 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding more hot sauce as necessary and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Let the sauce cool to room temperature before serving. In the unlikely case you have any mustard sauce left, store it in a clean jar in the refrigerator. It will keep for at least a week; bring it to room temperature before serving

Makes about 3 cups

Southern Mustard Slaw

DRESSING:

• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
• Salt

SLAW:

• 1 small or 1/2 large head green cabbage (about 1-1/2 pounds), finely shredded
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced

1. Make the dressing: Place the mustard, mayonnaise, and sugar in a large nonreactive mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the vinegar, celery seed, and black pepper.
2. Stir in the cabbage and bell pepper. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as necessary. Refrigerate until serving time. The slaw can be made up to 1 day ahead

Makes 5 to 6 cups of Slaw

Chilled Veggie Soup

• 2 ¼ cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 ½ cup fresh or frozen edamame, thawed
• 1 cup water
• 3 scallions sliced
• 1 celery stalk sliced
• ½ pound fresh sugar snap peas, trimmed and sliced
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• 4 tsp fat free half and half

1. Bring broth, edamame, water, scallions and celery to boil in saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until tender…10-15 minutes. Uncover and add sugar snap peas and return to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until snap peas are crisp tender, 2 minutes.
2. Puree mixture in blender in batches. Transfer puree to large bowl, stir in mint. Let soup cool to room temperature, then refrigerate 3-24 hours.
3. To serve divide into 4 bowls. Drizzle each with 1 tsp of half and half and use a knife to marbleize.

Serves 4
4 Points Plus

Steak and Beet Salad with Horseradish Dressing

• 1 (1 pound) sirloin steak, trimmed
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup fat free sour cream
• 1 TBSP prepared horseradish
• 1 tsp water
• 2 cups radicchio, cut into bite size pieces
• 2 cups baby arugula
• 2 precooked medium beets, cut into bite size pieces

1. Broil, pan fry or grill sirloin to desired done level
2. Transfer steak to cutting board and loosely cover with foil.
3. Cut into 16 slices
4. Toss together radicchio, arugula and beets. Top with steak.
5. Make dressing by mixing sour cream, horseradish and water.
6. Drizzle over salads

Serves 4
5 Points Plus

Homemade Dill Pickles

• 20 fresh dill sprigs
• 4-8 garlic cloves thinly sliced
• 12 medium pickling cukes (2 ½ pounds) quartered lengthwise into spears
• 2 cups cider vinegar.
• 1 ¼ cup water
• 1 TBSP Kosher or sea salt
• 1 TBSP sugar

1. Divide half of dill sprigs and garlic among 4 (1 pint) glass jars with tight fitting lids.
2. Divide cucumbers among the jars, packing spears to within ½ inch of the lid. Tuck the remaining dill sprigs between the spears.
3. Combine water, vinegar, salt and sugar in saucepan and heat to boiling.
4. Boil about 2 minutes or until sugar and salt are dissolved.
5. Divide liquid between the 4 jars to cover the cucumbers. Cover tightly. Let cool 30 minutes and Chill at least 24 hours and up to 30 days.

Serves 12 Points Plus 0

Smokey BBQ Beans

• 2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• ½ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 3 slices crisp cooked smoked turkey bacon, crumbled
• 1 TBSP smoked paprika

1. Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cover and cook until onions are tender. About 2 hours on high, 4 hours on low.

Serves 8 (¾ cup) 4 Points Plus