This post has been sponsored by SheSpeaks, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
“Tis the season my friends. The season of holiday parties! If there’s one thing I like sharing here in the kitchen, it’s delicious appetizer recipes to be served at parties. The best appetizer recipes are easy to prepare without sacrificing flavor. These Coca-Cola® Pulled Pork Pinwheels fit the bill perfectly and will wow your guests. Your friends will think you worked so hard in the kitchen, but really your slow cooker does all the hard work.
I knew I wanted to do something different with the typical barbecue pulled pork. Sometimes sandwiches can be either too messy or too filling for a party. These pinwheels were whimsical enough to be festive, yet still simple to not take too much time to prep. Living in Atlanta for six years, I learned making pulled pork with Coca-Cola® is a timeless favorite in the south. Crazy enough I had never taken the time to make it, and I needed a proven recipe. I messaged one of my favorite southern girls, Lindsey, from Redhead Baby Mama, and of course she had a recipe to share.
Coca-Cola® pulled pork recipes vary with added seasonings, and the cook’s choice of barbecue sauce, but the classic Coca-Cola® is fundamental for that special zing of flavor. To make mine, I first coated a bone-in pork butt with season salt and placed it in my slow cooker. Then I drizzled some of my favorite barbecue sauce, and finally poured a Coca-Cola® Mini Can over the pork. Boom. Prep was done.
I placed the lid on my slow cooker, and let the pork cook low and slow for 8-10 hours. After cooking that long, the pork is easily shredded. I like to add extra barbecue sauce and about half of another Coca-Cola® Mini Can. Look at the yummy, shredded goodness.
I love to plan and host holiday parties. Over the years, I’ve learned to help reduce the stress of planning by stock piling entertaining essentials well in advance of the holiday party season. Paper goods, beverages, and packaged snacks don’t spoil, so why not keep them stocked in the pantry ready to grab when needed? I made a trip to my local Sam’s Club this past weekend and purchased a variety of our favorite Coca-Cola® products. I can always count on my youngest kitchen assistant to help me shop, in between video games that is at least. It’s great to find the larger packs available too. Buying in bulk means fewer trips to the store closer to the party date, and that makes for a more relaxed party planner.
Coca-Cola® and Sprite® Mini Cans are perfect for mixing individual cocktails or pouring straight over ice. I usually pick up Diet Coke® as well for guests that prefer it. I always make sure to include options for non-soda drinkers as well. I keep plenty of Dasani® on hand to keep everyone hydrated and of course Gold Peak® Sweet Tea is a perfect complement to good ‘ol southern barbecue pulled pork. I may not be able to order sweet tea at restaurants in my area now, but I can keep bottles of Gold Peak® Sweet Tea in my refrigerator for when the craving strikes.
So anyhoo…back to prepping the pinwheels. To save time, I used store bought puff pastry. Ain’t nobody got time for making their own puff pastry when making an assortment of appetizers for entertaining. I’m all about saving time and effort where I can. Besides, store bought tastes way better than any attempt I would create. Simply spread out the puff pastry square, spread a layer of slightly cooled pulled pork onto the dough, sprinkle with shredded cheese, then roll up the dough into a tube shape. Easy peasy.
Once you have rolled the dough, slice the tube into 1 inch sections, and place on a sheet pan for baking. I used a whoopie pie pan because it was the first thing I grabbed. The second batch I used a regular baking sheet with a layer of parchment paper. The latter is great for easy cleanup too. Another plus for low stress entertaining.
To bake the pinwheels, I followed the directions on the puff pastry box. I preheated the oven to 400 degrees F and baked for 10-12 minutes until the pinwheels were lightly browned. You can see how gorgeous the pinwheels look fresh out of the oven. You can definitely make them with or without cheese. They were delicious both ways. You won’t be disappointed with either version. I promise.
Learn more about the products I found at Sam’s Club here. What’s your favorite recipe to prepare and serve while entertaining?
- 3-4 lb pork butt
- Season salt
- 1 16 oz bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce
- 2 Coca-Cola Mini Cans
- 1 box puff pastry dough
- 1 C shredded cheddar jack cheese (optional)
- Remove pork butt from wrapper and coat with season salt.
- Place pork butt in slow cooker.
- Pour ½ bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce over pork
- Pour 1 mini can of Coca-Cola over pork butt and cover with lid.
- Slow cook on low 8-10 hours until easily shredded with a fork.
- After shredding pork, add remaining ½ bottle of barbecue sauce and ½ mini can of Coca-Cola and mix thoroughly.
- Unwrap puff pastry sheet and place on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
- Spread slightly cooled, shredded pork onto puff pastry sheet.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese on pork if desired, and roll up the pastry sheet into a log shape.
- Slice the log into ½ inch slices and place them on a baking sheet.
- Bake the pinwheel slices according to the puff pastry box directions.
- Remove and serve warm.
They sound delicious! thanks for the recipe.
These look absolutely delicious. I’m fairly new to the South and haven’t made pulled pork with Coke yet. This makes me want to try it…now. Thank you for sharing this. I can’t wait to try them.