Pulled Pork

A few months ago, a dear friend of mine introduced me to this pulled pork recipe and our family loved it so much that I just had to make it! And so I made it a couple of ways since then: in the crock-pot and also in the oven, slow-cooked for almost an entire day (well more like 6-7 hours, but it felt like a whole day)! The end result: both cooking methods produce tender and juicy meat, that's just mouth-watering and delicious.

The secret really is in the marinating. In fact, the longer, the better; preferably overnight. I might also add that most of the recipes I've seen contain a lot more brown sugar than I like to use. I don't really add more than a couple of tablespoons because I feel there is plenty of sweetness from the barbecue sauce. To be honest, I've even omitted the brown sugar a few times and it turned out just fine. But feel free to add up to 1/4 cup of brown sugar to this recipe if you prefer it a little sweeter.

Our family's favorite way to eat pulled pork is on a french roll, topped with homemade coleslaw, but you may also serve it with mashed potatoes and a side salad. You can't go wrong either way! Oh, and by the way, this is one of those meals that tastes even better the next day, if (and that’s if) you end up with leftovers!

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PULLED PORK

Ingredients:

• 1 pork shoulder roast (also called pork butt), about 5-6 pounds, trimmed of fat

• 1 cup chicken broth (or water)

• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tablespoon paprika

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 2 teaspoons salt 

• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2-3 onions, cut into halves

• 2 cups barbecue sauce (or more, depending on the size of your roast)

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the water and Worcestershire sauce; add paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and brown sugar and mix well. Place the pork in a Ziploc plastic bag and pour the marinade over it. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 5-6 hours, or preferably overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the pork in a large pan, pour the marinade over it, cover completely with aluminum foil, and roast for 4 hours.

3. Remove the pork from the oven, then add the onion, cover with foil, and roast for another 2-3 hours until the pork is fork-tender and falling apart. Remove the pork from the pan and set it on a cutting board. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes. Slice the onion.

4. Add 1 cup of hot water to the pan, scrape the pan to loosen up the bits on the bottom, then strain the pork juice that's in the pan (don't discard it, that's where all the flavor is!). Add the strained liquid to a medium saucepan and heat on the stove for 3-5 minutes to reduce it. Pour in the barbecue sauce, stirring to combine and completely heat through.

5. Add the pork back to the pan, remove any of the fat, and shred the meat with two forks. Add the sliced onions, then toss in the barbecue sauce mixture until the pork is coated completely. Serve on your favorite bread roll.

Serving Recommendations:

A side of homemade coleslaw or a light, fresh salad.