Pulled pork, cole slaw, and a household chore

I secretly look forward to household chores that take all the day; they provide an opportunity to make slow-cooked meals I think about often. Braised meats, sauce and meatballs, soup, stock, etc... all tasty and easy, but who has time to stay home all day to mind the stove? Not me, usually. That's why all-day-household-chores are such a treat. This past Saturday the plan was to make pulled pork and clean the basement. Exciting, I know.

I woke up early to prep the pork. I cut off excess fat from the meat, and covered it in a rub (recipe below). I wrapped it up tight in aluminum foil, and stuck it in the oven at 250 degrees*. That's it. The day was off to a great start.

I went to the basement, and there the day took a turn for the worse. I discovered that much of our stuff covered in mold. MOLD! So gross. The majority of the day was spent picking through moldy items, tossing stuff, and washing the rest. Hours later, and after a trip to Home Depot for shelves and plastic tubs to ward off any future mold, the basement was neat and organized. But I didn't feel the sense of satisfaction normally associated with finishing a chore like that. Instead, I felt sad and sick. Sore throat, cough, sneezing; the mold got me. To make matters worse, the hot water heater needed to be repaired, so I had to wait for the repairman to return before I could take a shower.

Defeated, I went upstairs, washed the mold off my face and hands, and took a peek at the pork. It looked (and smelled) fabulous! Slow cooking all day, it was ready to be shred into tasty goodness. Bf kindly offered to chop the veggies for the slaw. The repairman showed up just as I was shredding the meat and adding some barbecue sauce. It smelled so good, he must have been jealous. Thirty minutes later, the hot water heater was fixed, and we sat down to some sandwiches and slaw. Just the kind of meal you need after a day of fighting mold.

*Special thanks to my friend Chris who shared his pulled pork technique with me.


Pork rub:
4 tbsp. paprika
2 tbsp. salt
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. cumin
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. ground black pepper
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper

Mix together & rub all over pork.

Cole slaw:
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
1/2 head red cabbage, chopped
1/4 large yellow onion, minced
1 carrot, shredded
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 mayonnaise
1 tbsp. sugar
salt & pepper to taste

Chop vegetables and place in a large bowl. Mix together vinegar, mayonnaise, and sugar, then add to slaw. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.