Wow what a crazy week!! We just went through having a new roof put on…need I say more? The mess….the noise….the total chaos!

What was to be a 2-day job turned into 3 long days due to snags, of course, what summer project ever goes perfectly, right? 26 unexpected sheets of plywood later, amongst other problems due to additions made to the original house, and finally the roof was done!

Another crew still has to come back today, (Monday), to finish the gutters! Fun, fun, fun!

But the roofers were incredibly hard workers and did a fantastic job! We’ll definitely be hiring them back next summer when the REAL fun begins….front windows, front door, siding and porch to be replaced. Oh boy.

But it sure will look nice!

While the guys were here, we really took good care of them. Day #1 I fixed them these pulled pork sandwiches, my Apple Raisin Cole Slaw, fresh watermelon and my Lime Chiffon Cheesecake Dessert! Plus we kept them hydrated with waters and Gatorade! They were so thankful!

Day two was my Cajun Ribs, Baked Beans, Mustard Potato Salad, And Corn Bread! (Plus more beverages and watermelon!) Yes, we spoiled them rotten! It was almost sad, really, how thankful they were. They don’t get treated with much resect. None at all really. And most they work for barely provide a garden hose to drink out of.

But it sure paid off!!

One hand DOES wash the other. You take care of them, and they will greatly appreciate it and take care of you right back. They left the yard SPOTLESS, (cleaner than before they were here!), used a large magnet on wheels for nails in the yard and gravel drive, raked under the bushes and trees, blew off the decks and even the sidewalks. They even fixed a few extra things including an upper window that needed flashing and reframed!

All in all, it was actually a really good experience. The job went smoother than we all thought it would due to the age of the house and the two hurricanes it went through (Hurricane Irene and Hurricane Sandy), and we all joked and got along really well, too! You sure can’t ask for anything more than that!

So if you’re doing a major home project this summer, too, you might want to keep these sandwiches in mind to serve! They’re a huge hit for any occasion, actually! If you’re on a super tight budget, my macaroni salad would be a great side, or even a big ol’ bag of potato chips! Watermelon is always a perfect choice, too, because it’s full of water and when the weather is hot, workers need to keep hydrated! Take good care of your workers, and trust me, they’ll be a LOT more likely to go all out for you, too. 😉

Yield: 12 - 15 sandwiches

Best Barbecued Pulled Pork Sandwiches

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Ingredients

• 1 (9-10 lb.) pork shoulder roast (bone in)
• 1 1/2 (16 oz.) bottles regular Coke, or 3 cups (24 oz.)
• 1 (10 1/2 oz.) can beef consommé such as Campbell's
• 1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbl. seasoned salt, I use Johnny's
• 1 1/2 Tbl. hickory smoked salt*
• 3 Tbl. smoked sweet paprika
• 3 Tbl. cajun seasoning such as Slap Ya Mama
• 3 Tbl. garlic powder
• 3 Tbl. chipotle powder
• 3 Tbl. onion powder
• 1 1/2 Tbl. coarse ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. liquid smoke
• barbecue sauce as desired, we like Sweet Baby Ray's for this

Instructions

Unwrap, rinse, and pat dry roast. Place on cutting board fat side-up. Score top in 1" diamond pattern cutting through fat but not into meat.

In medium-sized bowl, mix together well, the dark brown sugar, salts, paprika, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, chipotle powder, onion powder and pepper. Turn roast over and pat half onto meat.

Pour one bottle of Coke into crock pot. Stir in consommé and liquid smoke.

Place roast into crock coated/meat side-down. Pat on rest of seasonings onto top and sides not already coated using all of the mixture.

Slowly drizzle half of a another bottle of Coke over the top not disturbing the seasonings.

Place on lid and cook on LOW for 16 - 18 hours until fall-apart tender.

Remove roast to a large baking sheet and pour liquid from crock into a glass measuring pitcher. Place pitcher into fridge or freezer so that the fat can rise to the top and be easily removed.

Remove top layer of fat from roast, and shred meat with two forks discarding any fat and the bone(s). Return meat to the crock, skim fat from juices, and add about 1 1/2 cups to the meat.

Add as much or little barbecue sauce to the meat as you like. Some like it lightly coated, some prefer a lot. Toss well to mix, warm through on LOW heat.

Serve on warm, lightly toasted buns with extra barbecue sauce on the table.

Notes

*I buy my smoked salt online from Spice Barn if you need help locating some, but you can use whatever kind you like.