Pulled pork sandwiches on pretzel rolls with smoky mustard citrus aioli and buttermilk shallot rings, hot dill pickled squash

Deciding to make pretzel rolls today was a huge mistake. I was inspired by Dale's prime rib pretzel roll sandwiches on Top Chef the other week, and I lost that inspiration right around the first dough rise when I read down the recipe to the part where you boil them. "What in the very fuck is this shit?" I said to myself, slump-shouldered and quickly losing turgor. Luckily the smell of the pork butt revived me, and, like Powdermilk biscuits, gave me the strength to get up and do what needed to be done #whitepeoplereference.

Pulled pork sandwiches


1 6-lb pork butt, bone in
1 Tbsp Colman's mustard powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp kosher salt
Buttermilk shallot rings
Pretzel rolls
Mustard citrus aioli

Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix the spices together.
Rub the pork butt all over with the honey, then the spices.
Place in a large roasting pan with a lid, and roast for 6-8 hours.
Remove and pull the pork off the bone.

Smoky mustard citrus aioli


1 large lemon, juice and zest
1 garlic clove
2 egg yolks
2 tsp Colman's mustard powder
1 Tsbp honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup canola oil

Place all ingredients except oil in the blender. Blend until smooth.
With the blender still running, slowly pour in the oil in a thin, steady stream. The finished product should be the consistency of mayonnaise.

Buttermilk shallot rings


2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
4 shallots
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander seed
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
Peanut oil

Whisk the first four ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Slice the shallots in rings and place them in the buttermilk. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
When the shallots are ready, pour enough oil in the bottom of a frying pan to make it 2 inches deep. Over medium-high heat, heat the oil so that a drop of water jumps when added to it.
Mix the last seven ingredients together with a fork, dredge the shallots in the mixture, and drop in the fryer. The shallots will take less than a minute to fry. When golden brown, drain them on paper towels.

Assemble the sandwiches, first slicing open the pretzel rolls (recipe here), liberally spreading aioli on the halves, and piling on pork, then shallot rings. I added mushroom slices to the pan at the end of the pork roast and threw those on, too.

Hot dill pickled squash

2 yellow squash
2 zucchini
1 habanero pepper
3 cups white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped dill

Slice the squash and zucchini into long, thin vertical slices on the mandoline. Place the slices in a large, shallow baking dish.
Chop the pepper and add it to the vinegar. Place both in a saucepan and put on medium heat.
Add the garlic and sugar. Bring up to a simmer, turn off the heat, and pour over the squash.
Sprinkle in the dill.
Refrigerate.