RECIPE

BBQ PULLED PORK SLIDERS WITH FENNEL AND APPLE SLAW

This is comfort food at its finest - BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders with Fennel and Apple Slaw. Created by Ed Cudlipp, also known as ‘Cud Cooks’, this is the kind of dish that brings people together - perfect for summer gatherings, lazy weekend cooking, or an indulgent midweek treat. It’s rich, messy, and packed with bold, smoky-sweet flavour.

The pork shoulder is slow-cooked for 8 hours until it falls apart, seasoned with a homemade rub that balances savoury spices and brown sugar. It’s then shredded and coated in a thick, tangy BBQ sauce made from scratch, simmered until glossy. The slaw adds the perfect contrast - crisp fennel, apple, and cabbage dressed in a sharp, creamy dressing with a hit of chilli and lemon.

Ed uses the Campden Casserole to slow-cook the pork low and slow, ensuring juicy, tender results. The Robert Welch Professional Knives are used for slicing fennel paper-thin to prepping the slaw with total control and ease.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 8 sliders):

For the Pulled Pork

700g pork shoulder (butt cut)

2 tbsp sea salt

1 tbsp black pepper

2 tbsp garlic powder

2 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp mustard powder

2 tbsp ground cumin

2 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp fennel seeds

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, quartered

1 x 500ml bottle dry cider

For the BBQ Sauce

200g ketchup

100ml cider vinegar

100g brown sugar

1 tbsp mustard powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp sea salt

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

For the Slaw

1/2 white cabbage, finely sliced

1 fennel bulb, finely sliced

1 crisp apple, cut into thin batons

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tsp celery salt

Pinch of chilli flakes

1 tsp honey

2 tbsp mayonnaise

To assemble

8 brioche slider buns

Extra BBQ sauce (to taste)

METHOD:

MAKE THE PULLED PORK

1. Preheat the oven to 120°C (fan).

2. Put the pork shoulder in a bowl and add salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, cumin, paprika, fennel seeds, and brown sugar. Add olive oil.

3. Rub into the pork shoulder until well combined.

4. Place the pork in a casserole dish with the quartered onion and cider. Cover and cook in the oven for 8 hours, or until the pork is tender and shreds easily.

5. Remove the pork, discard any large fatty pieces, and shred using two forks.

MAKE THE BBQ SAUCE

1. In a saucepan, combine all BBQ sauce ingredients.

2. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and glossy.

3. Stir through the shredded pork, saving a little extra sauce for serving.

MAKE THE PULLED PORK

1. Preheat the oven to 120°C (fan).

2. Put the pork shoulder in a bowl and add salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, cumin, paprika, fennel seeds, and brown sugar. Add olive oil.

3. Rub into the pork shoulder until well combined.

4. Place the pork in a casserole dish with the quartered onion and cider. Cover and cook in the oven for 8 hours, or until the pork is tender and shreds easily.

5. Remove the pork, discard any large fatty pieces, and shred using two forks.

MAKE THE BBQ SAUCE

1. In a saucepan, combine all BBQ sauce ingredients.

2. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and glossy.

3. Stir through the shredded pork, saving a little extra sauce for serving.

MAKE THE SLAW

1. In a large bowl, combine sliced cabbage, fennel, and apple.

2. Add lemon juice, cider vinegar, celery salt, chilli flakes, honey, and mayonnaise.

3. Toss to coat evenly.

ASSEMBLE THE SLIDERS

1. Slice the buns in half

2. Pile pulled pork onto the bottom half of each bun.

3. Spoon over a little extra BBQ sauce.

4. Top with a generous spoonful of slaw, then add the bun lid.

5. Serve immediately.