Pulled Pork Sliders with Grain Mustard Orange Sauce

We had a wonderful pork sirloin roast last evening.  I was trying to decide what to do with the left over’s and sliders came to mind.  An easy, quick dinner with little clean up.  I would make a salad for the side.  I love pork and orange together so decided to make a grain mustard-orange sauce to put on the pulled pork instead of the usual barbeque sauce.  It is a quick and easy sauce to make.  I was glad I decided to bring a little different blend/mix to the table.

Last evening before I put the left over pork in the refrig, I removed all fat; it takes little effort when it is still warm.  Today, I sliced the pork and put it in a steam basket.  It is much easier to heat the meat this way and two it steams off any leftover fat/grease all going to the water below the basket.

Once heated completely through I placed on a sheet pan and brushed on the grain mustard-orange sauce.  When everything was just about done I put this under the broiler until bubbly and just turning a golden color.

The rolls, I cheated, I used the frozen dinner rolls that you let rise until double and then bake.  I did not want to make a trip to the market, nor did I feel like making rolls from scratch.  I wanted a quick and easy dinner.  I baked them per package directions.  Once done I brushed them with a little melted compound butter with sage added.  They were the perfect size and really delicious.  They actually taste just like home made from scratch and they too fill the house with the smell of bread baking.

There are a few steps to make these little sliders but well worth it.  I made the rolls per package direction.  Once the rolls were in the oven I started first with the sauce. While it was simmering I got the meat cut and heating in the steam basket.  Then moved on to the fresh spinach beds for the bottom of the slider and peeled and sliced the oranges.  Once I had this done I put the orange slices on the griddler and the meat under the broiler.

Sauce ~ Grain Mustard – Orange Sauce:

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ Cups Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice (can use regular orange juice)
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons Brown Sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Heaping Tablespoon Coarse Ground Mustard  (I used Grey Poupon)
  • Fresh Ground Pepper, just a pinch

 

Mix all ingredients in a heavy sauce pan; bring to boil turn heat down.   l then simmered and reduced to about one cup of sauce.  I simmered mine for around 30 plus minutes, stirring once in a while to make sure it did not scorch.   It coated the spoon when done.

I then pealed two oranges’ making sure I removed all the pulp and sliced them a little thicker than a quarter inch, you want them all even in depth for cooking on the Panini/Grill press pan.  I put the slices on my Cuisinart Griddler and grilled until they were showing grill marks.

Bed of Salad:

Ingredients:

  • Around ½  Cup of Fresh Spinach Leaves sliced in quarter inch ribbons
  • 8-10 Cherry Tomatoes sliced in thirds
  • Purple Onion a few thin slices
  • Pinch of Sea Salt
  • Pinch of Fresh Ground Pepper

I cleaned and de-stemmed the spinach and then took the spinach leaves and stacked them on top of each other.   I sliced through all making ¼ inch wide ribbons.  The cherry tomatoes are cut in thirds and several thin slices of onions that are halved.  I mix all this in a bowl and put just a small pinch of sea salt and pepper.  Set aside until ready.

Other Ingredients:

  • 2 Oranges for slices
  • ½ cup Shredded Gouda ~ I used a Holland Import  Gouda Lite

Once I had the meat broiled, the rolls cooked, the sauce was ready and I had the spinach salad readied for the bed of the sliders, the oranges were grilled it was time to make the sliders.  Once I compiled the slider I then crowned each slider with some shredded Gouda Cheese.  The heat from the grilled orange slices helped to melt it some.  Each step of the way was easy, did not take much effort and well worth the little bit of work that needed to be done.

 

They were delicious, we enjoyed every bite and there were no leftovers.  We will do this again.  If you enjoy a spinach salad with orange slices with an orange mix dressing you will love these sliders.  Now the clean up….