BBQ Lasagne with low-carb barbecue sauce & Minced pork platter

First of all, I think this is pure genius, though I also doubt I'm the first person to think of it.  All the delicious, drippy goodness of a pulled pork bbq sandwich in a casserole.  Hellah good stuff. 

In case all the low-carb talk
disturbs you, focus here!

Since I'm preparing the lasagne for someone who has a medical need to significantly limit carb intake, I've done a thing or two I might not ordinarily do (and feel free to undo them, if you choose).  I made my own low-carb bbq sauce because I wasn't happy with how much sugar commercial barbecue sauces contain.  If you have a favorite bbq sauce recipe or product, by all means use that.  But my low-carb recipe follows. 

My low-carb sauce is a hybridization of two recipes--Better Homes & Gardens and South Beach--that reduce sugar by different means, one with artificial sweeteners (in the form of commercial low-carb ketchup) and the other with unsweetened tomato puree.  The two recipes are comparable in terms of calories and carbs per serving.  The ketchup-based recipe, however, is far higher in sodium than the puree-based recipe, but was also determined to have far better bbq sauce flavor by an Expert Jury of Tasters (my and my hubbie).  So a mash-up it is.

I also replaced one layer of lasagne noodles out of the usual three with a shredded cabbage/carrot mix, that is, undressed coleslaw.  This is actually a great idea for making lasagne more nutritionally dense and getting more veg into one's day.  Roasted slices of eggplant or zucchini work great for many lasagnes, but I kept with the barbecue theme and picked coleslaw.  If you prefer, use a full box of lasagne and make the middle layer noodles.

For the minced pork, I oven-braised a 2 lb. uncured pork leg roast ("fresh ham"), minced it in the food processor, served half for dinner with some of the aforementioned sauce and reserved the other half for this recipe.  The recipe for that dish will follow as well.  You could also use pulled pork shoulder ("pork butt") or finely chopped pork loin.  If you wish to serve the low-carb bbq sauce with the minced pork platter supper, make an additional half-recipe of the sauce.

Lastly, nutritional info calculated using Sparkrecipes.com for the lasagne follows the recipe.  And I forgot to take pictures...sorry!...but you all have seen a lasagne before, right? ;-)

BBQ Lasagne
Makes 8 big servings

8 oz. lasagne noodles, oven-ready or boiled per package directions (or 12 oz. if using all noodles)
1/2 lb. shredded cabbage/carrot coleslaw mix
1 lb. minced pork
5 cups BBQ sauce
30 oz. part-skim ricotta
3/4 lb. thin-sliced provolone cheese

Layer lasagne in the following order in a 13x9 pan:

1. 1 cup sauce
2. 1/2 noodles
3. 1 1/4 cups sauce
4. 1/2 pork
5. 1/2 ricotta
6. 1/3 provolone
7. cabbage/carrots (or another layer of noodles, if preferred)
8. 1 1/4 cups sauce
9. 1/2 pork
10. 1/2 ricotta
11. 1/3 provolone
12. 1 1/2 cups sauce, making sure to cover all the noodles
13. 1/3 provolone

Freeze. To bake, thaw thoroughly. Bake at 350F for 1 hour, covered, or until heated through. Remove foil cover for last 10-15 minutes of baking. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

Nutritional info for lasagne


Minced pork platter
Makes 4 servings, plus extra for lasagne

2 lb. fresh ham roast
2 tsp rib rub (I use Penzey's)
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
4 tsp liquid smoke

Rinse and pat the roast dry.  Rub with seasoning and put in a roasting pan.  Pour water, vinegar and liquid smoke into the bottom of the pan.  Roast at 350F, covered, for 45 minutes.  Remove cover and roast for an additional 30 minutes, or until thermometer reads 160F. 

Allow to cool.  Cut into 1" cubes and put in a food processor.  Pulse until meat is finely minced.  You will probably have to do this in batches.  Reserve 1 lb. for lasagne (about 3-4 cups).  Serve remainder with bbq sauce, cornbread and coleslaw on the side. 

Low-carb BBQ sauce
Makes 5 cups (8 servings of lasagne)

2    8oz cans no-salt added tomato sauce

1 ½ cups reduced sugar ketchup 

 ¾ cup water

 ¾ cup white wine vinegar

3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced

1 ½ tbsp dry minced onion

2 ½ tsp dry mustard

 ½ tsp hot sauce

 ½ tsp salt

 3/8 tsp celery seed

 ¼ tsp black pepper

 ¼ tsp garlic powder

Whisk everything together.  Refrigerate or freeze until needed.

Nutritional info for sauce alone Pin It