You might be wondering what the heck a Shenisha Sandwich is. Well, you won’t find this recipe ANYWHERE else online. That’s because it’s a sandwich/eggs benedict I crafted as a special ode to our wedding day (check out our wedding story).
Long story short, I was a few Crown and Cokes in during our wedding reception. And, as a silly, tipsy, bride I became enamoured with smushing people’s faces in my hands and telling them how much I loved them, how happy I was, and that I never wanted the night to end. At one point, I slap-happily shouted in between two of my friends (Sherin and Nisha), “OMG, IT’S A SHENISHA SANDWICH!” In other words, the rest is history.
Above all, this sandwich had to be something that represented the essence of that weekend. The Shenisha Sandwich is essentially an eggs benedict, however, it’s made with slow-cooked, citrus tequila pulled pork assembled on an English muffin with a poached egg and creamy, smoked paprika hollandaise. I chose a slow-cooked pulled pork as a nod to the BBQ scene in Charlotte, citrus because it’s bright and cheery, tequila for obvious reasons, all assembled on an English muffin with a poached egg and creamy hollandaise since brunch cures all wild nights.
If you decide to make this recipe or have any questions about how to make it, head over to my instagram @thefamiliarkitchen so we can connect and I can see how it turned out for you!

INGREDIENTS
- Plain English Muffins, sliced in half
- Chives, diced
- Maple Syrup or Mike’s Hot Honey
The Pulled Pork
- Pork Shoulder, 4lb
- Garlic, 10 cloves, chopped
- Shallots, 5, sliced
- Zest of 1 Orange + Juice
- Brown Sugar, 1/4 cup
- Smoked Paprika, 1 tbsp
- Tequila, 1/2 cup (or use Apple Cider Vinegar)
- Salt, 1 1/2 tbsp
- Black Pepper, 1 tbsp
The Hollandaise
- Unsalted Butter, 1/2 stick, melted
- Egg Yolks, 4
- Lime Juice, half a lime or 1 tbsp
- Smoked Paprika, 1 tsp
- Black Pepper, 1/4 tsp
- Salt, 1/4 tsp
The Poached Egg
- Egg, 1
- Lime Juice, half a lime or 1 tbsp
HOW TO MAKE IT
Citrus-Infused Pulled Pork.
In a pressure cooker, add in the garlic, shallots, orange zest and juice, brown sugar, smoked paprika, tequila, salt, and black pepper. Mix the ingredients and then place the pork shoulder in the cooker. Massage the marinade into the pork shoulder for about a minute then, after that, cover and cook on low pressure for about 3 hours or until the pork is so tender that it easily pulls away.
The Hollandaise.
Set up your double broiler by taking a sauce pot and adding about a cup of water. Bring this to a low boil. Meanwhile, melt a 1/2 stick of butter then set aside. Now, in a glass mixing bowl, add the egg yolks and whisk by hand or use a hand mixer to mix the eggs. Once the eggs thicken up and become pale in color, whisk in the lime juice.
Place the mixing bowl on top of the sauce pot and continue to quickly whisk the egg yolks. Slowly pour in the melted butter as you continue to whisk. Whisk until the butter combines with the egg yolks and thickens a little more. Be careful to watch your heat and don’t leave on the broiler for too long or you’ll scramble the eggs. Remove from the broiler and whisk in salt, pepper, smoked paprika. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside. (This will keep in the fridge for about 2 days.)
Poaching Eggs.
Fill a sauce pot with enough water to submerge the egg. Bring this to a low boil and mix in the lime juice. Crack the egg into a shallow/wide spoon or very small bowl. Stir the water in a circular motion to create a gentle whirlpool. Now gently slide the egg into the whirlpool. The water motion will help the egg whites wrap around the yolk. Let the egg cook for about 3 minutes. You can help move the egg whites onto the egg yolks while it’s in the water using a flat knife/skewer or trim off the excess white. Remove the egg using a slotted spoon and then transfer to a paper towel.
Assembling the Sandwich/Eggs Benedict.
To assemble the sandwich, take the sliced english muffins and toast to your preference (I like mine with a little golden crisp on the surface). Place a hearty amount (1/4 cup or so) of pulled pork on the sliced bottom followed by the poached egg, a generous spoon of hollandaise poured over the egg, and finally sprinkle on some more smoked paprika, diced chives, and a drizzle or two of maple syrup or spicy honey. That’s it!

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