Crockpot: Five-Spice Pork Sandwiches

I bought this slow cooker recipe magazine since my slow cooker books are MIA since the move. I decided to try these pork sandwiches as something different than the usual pork slathered with BBQ sauce and cooked in the slow cooker (that is really delicious too or even chicken is yummy as well).

Today's Ingredients:
1 2 ½-3 pound pork shoulder blade roast
1 cup apple juice or apple cider
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 ½ teaspoons five-spice powder*
1 ½ – 2 cups shredded cabbage or shredded broccoli slaw - optional
6 – 8 hamburger buns (see recipe below for homemade ones)




A shoulder roast has more fat and a bone and is kindof tough - PERFECT for the slow cooker. Over time in the slow cooker the meat becomes really tender and perfect for all sorts of meals.

In a small bowl, combine apple juice (cider), soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and Five-Spice Powder. Pour over meat in cooker. Set to low and in 8-12 hours, this meat will be nice and juicy and have just a touch of Asian flavor. Once done, take out of cooker and let cool slightly. Shred and add in juices if needed.

I have had this Penzey's Chinese Five-Spice for awhile and haven't really used it and it was perfect. Here is the recipe for a Five-Spice blend you can make yourself, but if you don't have some of these ingredients (like me) it might be easier to just buy a Chinese Five-Spice Blend (cheaper too).

*Homemade Five-Spice Blend
In a blender or spice grinder combine:
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
6 star anise or 2 teaspoons anise seeds
1 ½ teaspoons fennels seeds
1 ½ teaspoons whole Szechwan pepper or whole black pepper
¾ teaspoons ground cloves.
-Cover and blend to a fine powder. Makes about ½ cup.


I am NOT a lover of coleslaw in fact I hate it, but have come up with my own that adds a nice cooleness and crunch to BBQ sandwiches. You take either a broccoli or slaw mix and add in a little of your favorite buttermilk dressing and viola yummy coleslaw. Try it once and I'm sure you'll love it (Jordan was very skeptical the first time but loves it). I make mine with a little milk, light sour cream and Penzey's Buttermilk Dressing base and it's so good!

I also like to make homemade buns most of the time. They are denser than ones from the store and help make the meal more filling, they are oh so yummy and freeze well IF you have leftovers. My picky kids usually eat everything separate and love bread so this works well for their meal.

Homemade Hamburger Buns
1 cup milk
½ cup water
1 egg
¼ cup butter
4 ½ cups white flour or 2 cups wheat and 2 ½ cups white
1 pkg instant yeast
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt

1. If using a breadmaker, then layer ingredients in order and place on dough setting and skip to step five.
2. If making with a mixer or by hand then do the following.
3. In a small saucepan, heat milk, water, and butter until very warm.
4. In a large bowl, mix together 1 ¾ cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Mix milk mixture into flour mixture and then mix in egg. Stir in remaining flour ½ cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 min. Cover in a bowl and let rise for about an hour.


5. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape into smooth balls, and place on a greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly.


Cover, and let rise for 30-35 min.


6. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.


To serve, arrange meat and cabbage. Serve cooking juices in individual bowls for dipping. See that little salad, I'll be posting about that soon!

Five-Spice Pork Sandwiches
Click on the link to open a PDF recipe. Once the link opens click on print and it will ask you what you want to do so tell it to open and then it will open in PDF. You must have Adobe Reader (free to install from Adobe's website) in order to print the recipe.