Ingredients:
1 large onion, cut into rings
2 1/2 lb boneless pork roast
1 cup Musselman’s apple butter
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
12 slices sourdough bread
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
butter

Directions:
Place the onions in a single layer in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. Place the pork roast on top of the onion. Pour the apple butter, tomato paste, granulated garlic, salt and pepper over the pork. Cover and cook on high 4 hours then on low for 2. Remove the roast and shred with forks or “meat claws“. Return to the slow cooker and toss with juices and onion.

Melt a 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a skillet. Meanwhile, divide the cheese evenly among 6 slices of bread. Place a slice or two of cheese topped bread in the skillet. Cook until the cheese is starting to melt. Top with pulled pork and another slice of bread. Flip, cook until golden. Repeat for remaining sandwiches. Serve immediately.

My thoughts:

I love apple butter! We go to the Apple Butter Festival in Berkeley Springs, WV where they cook apple butter over wood fires in the town square every year. So when Musselman’s asked if I could great a new recipe using their apple butter, I thought it sounded like a great idea. I hadn’t tried it before (I normally buy mine at the festival or make my own) but I was happy to try it. I was pleasantly surprised, it was nicely flavored, well-spiced but not to cinnamon heavy like I feared. This made it even easier to make a the pulled pork I planned (I love apple butter and pork!) because I didn’t have to add many extra ingredients. I added some tomato paste to keep it from being too sweet and garlic powder but I really didn’t need to add much. I carefully pulled the apple butter and tomato paste on top of the pork so it stayed thick during the cooking process. No one likes watery pulled pork! While it would be great just on a sandwich (or as my husband takes it for lunch, over rice) I took it to the next level by incorporating it into a grilled cheese. So good and hearty enough for lunch.