Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Coleslaw

Raul finds pork loin roasts for $1.68 a pound at No Frills, and buys as much as the freezer will hold. He trims the silverskin and fat, and re-packages them for the freezer but can't resist cooking up one. "Pulled pork," he announces. "I've been wanting to try to make pulled pork."

He puts the roast into the pressure cooker, his favourite tool, with a coarsely chopped onion, a carrot, a stalk of celery and enough water to cover the pork loin. He heats it to 12psi and cooks for 30 minutes.

The rest is easy. He sends Drew to the Milk Mart on the corner at 1028 Pape Ave for two of the crusty buns that arrive fresh daily and that the proprietor Emir keeps in a rolling plastic bin at the back. Raul digs into the roast with his bare hands. "You have to pull it apart while it is still hot," says Raul, "to get it to shred properly. The nice thing about a loin is that you don't have to pick out the fat. A shoulder will be cheaper," he adds smugly, "but it is more work and we got this for the same price."

Once the pork is shredded, he browns it in a greased cast iron frying pan and adds a healthy helping of Selections Tequila Lime Habanero Barbecue Sauce that was a birthday gift from Drew's Mom. "Shouldn't you put in some caramelized onions for texture and flavour?" asks Drew.

"There was an onion in the pressure cooker," says Raul. "The flavour should already be infused into the meat. And, no. It does not need any wasabi."

Raul plates the sandwiches in two different ways. He has his serving of coleslaw beside his sandwich, but he puts the coleslaw right into Drew's sandwich. For texture.

The pulled pork is delicious and Drew is happy with the crunch of the coleslaw that complements the flavour perfectly. "There is tons left," muses Raul. "Burritos? Stuffed buns? Fritattas? With baked beans? The possibilities are endless . . ."

Drew wipes a dribble of bbq sauce off his chin and nods that he is happy with any possibility.