Ellington

I recently attended my 40th high-school reunion, and many of us have changed. I could not remember some classmates at first, but looking back at old high school pictures, I slowly began to remember and put faces to names.

On the last day of the reunion, we decided to have a luau. We roasted a whole pig—head and all. Because most of us are from a small town, it was a new experience for many. We had fried fish, baked beans, cole slaw and other side dishes.

When all were done, and we began to go our separate ways, we had a lot of pork left over. I took some home with me, pulled it from the bones and froze it in portions for later use. I also threw together a barbecue sauce to top pulled-pork sandwiches. After tasting it, I decided it would be a sin to keep it to myself. I did not measure any ingredients in my homemade sauce, but I provide estimates here. My advice: Experiment with what is most satisfying to you.

Pulled Pork Barbeque Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups ketchup

1/2 cup mustard

1/2 cup hot sauce

1/3 cup steak sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup vinegar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons onion powder

4 cups cooked pork

Mix all ingredients and boil for about 15 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pull meat from bones and shred with two forks (I use about four cups of pulled pork, but you can use as much as you need). Pour sauce over meat and integrate thoroughly. Serve on hamburger buns.