Italian Pulled Pork Sandwich with pesto mayonnaise coleslaw

"A delicious and achievable dish that will make your guests' mouths water. I came up with this Italian version of the 'ordinary' Pulled Pork sandwich while on holiday in... Italy! A warm, freshly baked Ciabatta bun with pesto-mayonnaise coleslaw and Pulled Pork. To give the Pulled Pork extra flavour, I added a dash of PX sherry to the BBQ sauce. To finish, some Parmesan flakes, a handful of rocket, and a beautiful drizzle of Balsamic Glaze. A mini-holiday to Italy!" - Bo

To prepare the meat

1. Light your kamado and bring it to a temperature of 120°C. Grill the pork shoulder indirectly. Add 2 large apple chunks. I used the apple chunks from Grill Fanatics.
2. Meanwhile, remove excess fat from the pork shoulder and rub both sides with extra virgin olive oil. Then sprinkle a generous layer of your favorite rub over the meat and rub it in well. I used the Sweet Bones & Butts from Angus & Oink for this. Place the pork shoulder on the barbecue and let it smoke and cook for 5 to 6 hours.
3. Afterwards, wrap the pork shoulder in two or three layers of aluminum foil, place it back on the grill and let it cook until the core temperature is at least 90 °C. As soon as you can poke it without resistance, your meat is ready. Remove the pork shoulder from the grill, open the foil and let it steam for 15 minutes. Then close the foil again and let it rest for another 45 minutes.
4. Place the pork shoulder in an oven dish, pour in the juices from the foil, and pull the meat apart. You can use forks for this, but it's easier to use meat claws. Mix in about half a litre of BBQ sauce; I used Blues Hog Original. If you like it, add a dash of PX sherry. This is syrupy, raisin-like and sweet, and the perfect flavour enhancer for this dish. Season the meat further with black pepper and a little salt. Taste and enjoy a bite! You can safely store this meat covered in the fridge or freezer until your guests arrive.

The pesto-mayonnaise coleslaw

1. First, make the green pesto. Briefly toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until lightly browned. Put them in a blender (or use an immersion blender) with the basil, garlic and Parmesan. Pulse briefly and then slowly add the olive oil while mixing. Do not mix for too long, as a little texture is more delicious. Then add a pinch of salt, some black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Mix this again with a spoon.
2. Mix 2 tablespoons of green pesto with 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise and then add this mixture to the white cabbage. Season with some black pepper and salt and, if desired, a little lemon juice. After thorough stirring and 15 minutes of infusing, the pesto-mayonnaise coleslaw is ready and delicious.

The grand finale

1. Bake the ciabattas and let them cool down for a bit. Then slice the ciabattas open and drizzle with a little olive oil. Briefly toast the inside in a grill pan or for 5 minutes at 200°C in the oven.
2. Spread a thin layer of pesto-mayonnaise on the rolls and top with some pesto coleslaw. Place the warm Pulled Pork on top, followed by a few strips of grilled bell pepper (or sun-dried tomatoes).
3. Sprinkle some Parmesan flakes over it and top with a small handful of rocket. As the icing on the cake, drizzle some Balsamic Glaze over it. If you have any roasted pine nuts left, you can also sprinkle them beautifully over it.

Tip

Do you want to make it absolutely perfect? Serve it with sweet potato fries with Parmesan, rosemary and garlic. For a dip, you can choose a truffle-pesto mayonnaise or lemon-garlic aioli!