Low-Sugar Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwiches

1. Place onion in a 3 1/2- or 4-qt. slow cooker; top with meat. In a small bowl combine next six ingredients (through dry mustard); sprinkle over meat. Add the water. Cover and cook on low 6 hours or until meat is very tender.

2. Remove meat from cooker and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid; discard remaining liquid. Shred meat using two forks. Return shredded meat and reserved cooking liquid to cooker. Stir in Paleo BBQ Sauce.

3. Serve meat mixture in Hamburger Buns, using about 1/3 cup mixture for each bun.

Whole-Wheat Hamburger Buns

1. In a large bowl stir together 1/2 cup of the whole wheat flour, the warm water, sugar, and yeast until smooth. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes or until foamy. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, one of the eggs, the melted butter, and salt. Beat with a mixer on medium 3 minutes. Gradually stir in as much of the all-purpose flour as you can.

2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in remaining all-purpose flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes). Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning to grease surface of dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (1 hour).

3. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat dough into a 10x6-inch rectangle. Cut into eight pieces and shape into balls, tucking edges underneath. Flatten balls to 1/2-inch thickness. Arrange 1/2 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Dust with additional flour. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (1 hour.)

4. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small bowl whisk together remaining egg and the milk. Gently brush tops of buns with egg mixture. If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake 20 minutes or until tops are light brown (buns will stick together slightly where they touch). Remove; cool on a wire rack.

Medjool Date-Sweetened Barbecue Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a 15x10-inch baking pan with foil. Place tomatoes, onion, jalapeño peppers, and garlic in prepared pan; drizzle with oil. Roast 15 minutes or until tender and lightly charred.

2. In a large saucepan combine roasted vegetables and remaining ingredients. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly.

3. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. (Or transfer to a blender or food processor; cover and blend or process until smooth.) Store in freezer up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator before reheating.

To Make Ahead

Prepare as directed through Step 2, except do not stir in Paleo BBQ Sauce. In an airtight container toss shredded meat with reserved cooking liquid; cool. Store in refrigerator up to 2 days. To reheat, remove and discard any visible fat on surface of meat. Transfer meat to a bowl and stir in barbecue sauce. Microwave, covered with a paper towel, 3 to 4 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve as directed in Step 3.

*Tip

Chile peppers contain oils that can irritate your skin and eyes. Wear plastic or rubber gloves when working with them.

Tip

For a spicier version, leave seeds in one or both of the jalapeño peppers.