Hellobee

Last month I completed my second Whole30 (okay okay it was a Whole20 for me), and as with my first go round I re-established healthy eating routines and learned a bit about how my body reacts to different foods. What I’ve loved most about both experiences, though, is how they pushed me to create recipes I may not have thought of otherwise. These stuffed sweet potatoes are the perfect example. I was craving pulled pork but my standard recipe isn’t Whole30-compliant. And what to do about a bun? I don’t think I ever would have thought to make pulled pork stuffed sweet potatoes if it weren’t for the limitations of that particular diet, but now I’m so happy to have this recipe as a part of my kitchen repertoire, even when I’m not on a Whole30.

To achieve the tangy sweetness I love about pulled pork, I braised the meat in a combination of orange juice and apple cider vinegar, later boiled down to a sauce that deliciously coats the tender pork. Piled atop baked sweet potatoes and topped with a cool, crunchy coleslaw, it’s great for any dinner – no need to wait until BBQ season.

Whole30 Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

4 sweet potatoes
½ recipe Paleo Pulled Pork (recipe below)
2 cups bagged coleslaw mix
¼ cup paleo mayo (homemade or purchased)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together the coleslaw mix, mayo, and vinegar until combined.

When the sweet potatoes are ready, cut a slit lengthwise through the skin of each, stopping a half inch short of each end. Gently push the ends toward each other a bit and top with a generous portion of pulled pork and coleslaw.

Paleo Pulled Pork

1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon celery salt
½ tablespoon ground mustard
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
6.5 lb pork butt*
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup orange juice

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together the paprika, red pepper flakes, granulated garlic, celery salt, ground mustard, black pepper, and salt.

Place the pork butt in a Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot with a lid. Rub the pork evenly with the spice mixture, then pour in the apple cider vinegar and orange juice. Cover and cook until the pork falls apart easily, about 5 hours.

Strain the liquid from the pork. Use two forks to shred the pork. Return the liquid to the pot and boil over high heat until reduced by half. Pour the reduced liquid over the pork and toss to combine.

*If you use a smaller piece of meat, scale down the other ingredients and check the pork early for doneness.