This cinnamon roll’s a winner

Funny thing happened as I was wandering among the 132 cinnamon roll entries showcased on table after table at the Iowa State Fair today. I shot a few overview pictures, then homed in on a few I thought were most uniquely attractive.

And I picked a winner.  This photo doesn’t do it justice, but the mahogany “icing” on the golden brown rolls captured my eye. I didn’t realize it at the time but the “icing” was barbecue sauce. These Savory Pulled Pork Cinnamon Rolls earned a second-place overall prize for Kelly McCulley (but first place in the non-tradtional division) in the Tone’s Cinnamon Roll contest. The top prize, $3,000 overall, went to Janice Nostrom for her more traditional Caramel Pecan Rolls. (Janice also won $500 for taking first place in the “traditional” category.)

But Kelly’s rolls have that wow factor. Slow-roasted pork tinged with the flavor of a cinnamon and brown sugar rub is shredded and placed on dough spread with cinnamon-butter. The dough is rolled traditionally, encasing the slightly sweet meat in its artsy spiral. When baked, the roll is drizzled with barbecue sauce.

Be still my heart. I am in love.

Kelly McCulley’s
Savory Cinnamon Pulled Pork Rolls

Pulled Pork Filling

4-5 pound pork butt or shoulder

¼ cup brown sugar

1 T Tones Ground Cinnamon

1 T kosher salt

½  tsp ground black pepper

¼ cup butter, softened

½ tsp Tones Ground Cinnamon

about ¼ cup of your favorite BBQ sauce, plus more for drizzle (I used Sweet Baby Rays Hickory & Brown Sugar)

Roll dough:

½ cup milk (2%)

½ cup butter

½ cup warm water

1 envelope Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast

¼  cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 2 large egg yolks

1 ½ teaspoon salt

4 to 4 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface

Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water)

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.  Start with roasting the pork.  Mix the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, kosher salt, and black pepper.  Coat the outside of the pork roast with this mixture.  Place roast in a large roasting pan and roast uncovered  at 300°F for 6 to 8 hours, or until the meat is tender and pulls off easily.  When done, let roast rest until it cools off a little.  Then shred with two forks, discarding fat and gristle.  Set pulled pork aside.

2.  Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave until butter melts.  Remove pan from heat and set aside until the mixture is lukewarm (about 100 degrees).

3.  In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, mix together the warm water, yeast, sugar, egg, and yolks at low speed until well mixed.  Add the salt, warm milk mixture, and 2 cups of the flour, and mix at medium speed until thoroughly blended, about 1 minute.  Switch to the dough hook, add another 2 cups of the flour, and knead at medium speed (adding ¼ cup more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary) until the dough is smooth, about 10 minutes.  Scrape the dough into a large lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover bowl with plastic wrap.  Leave in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk (1 ½ to 2 hours.)

4.  After the dough has doubled, press it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Using a rolling pin, shape the dough into a 16 by 12 inch rectangle, with a short side facing you.  Mix the ¼ cup softened butter with the ½ teaspoon cinnamon and spread over the surface of the dough.  Spread a healthy layer of pulled pork over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1-inch open strip on one of the short sides.  Roll the dough and when you get to the end, pinch it to seal.

5.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Butter a metal 9 x 13-inch cake pan.  With a sharp serrated knife, evenly cut roll into six equal slices and evenly place them swirl side up in the pan (2 rolls x 3 rolls).  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until puffy and almost doubled (about 1 hour).  Gently brush with egg wash before placing in oven.

6.  Bake rolls at 350°F for 40-50 minutes, or until the dough reaches 185°F-190°F on an instant read thermometer.  Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan 10-15 minutes.   Drizzle with your favorite barbecue sauce and serve.

Makes 6 hearty rolls.

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