1 head green or red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. celery seeds
2 tsps. mustard seeds
1 Tbsp. horseradish
juice of one lemon
¼ cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
¼ cup sugar
kosher salt, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
6 Tbsps. butter, at room temperature
8 slices buttermilk bread or any firm white bread
8 1 oz. slices Fontina cheese
2 to 3 pickles, sliced
1 onion, sliced about 1/8" thick
Mix kosher salt, paprika, brown sugar, cayenne and black pepper; rub all over outside of pork butt. Wrap pork with plastic wrap; enclose in resealable bag and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat a large oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon, if using, and cook until crispy. Add barbecue sauce and water to bacon in pot and bring to a simmer. Remove pork butt from bag and plastic wrap and add to pot. (For faster cooking, you may cut the butt into large cubes before adding). Return to simmer; cover pot and place in oven for about 4 hours (fewer if cut into cubes) or until fork-tender and pulls apart easily. Turn meat once during cooking time.
Prepare pork: Let meat stand 20-30 minutes. Using two forks, pull the meat apart, until it is shredded. Leave in sauce until ready to serve.
Recipe can be prepared to this point up to 5 days in advance and refrigerated.
For the coleslaw: Lightly salt cabbage with a tablespoon or so of kosher salt, and place in colander. Drain in sink for a few hours. Rinse well under cold water and drain well. Mix mayonnaise, celery seeds, mustard seeds, horseradish, lemon juice, vinegar and sugar in bowl; season with salt and pepper. Mix with cabbage and shredded carrots. Can be made one day in advance and refrigerated.
Heat griddle or large sauté pan over medium heat. Butter one side of each bread slice. Place 4 slices, butter-side down, on griddle. Top each with 1 slice of Fontina, some shredded pork, coleslaw, pickles, onion slices and another slice of Fontina. Place 1 slice of bread on top of each, butter side up, and grill until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted, turning once during grilling.
