Pulled Pork

During the summer, do you ever have days you feel like having traditional barbecue but the thought of cooking all day makes you, well, decide to grill hot dogs instead? This recipe will help, as long as you plan a day or two ahead.

Traditionally my Pulled Pork recipe calls for slow cooking for 32 hours. This may seem like a long time, but I guarantee exceedingly excellent results with this method. Of course, if you decide to go the traditional route more power to you. By cooking down the pork in this fashion, it is possible to get superbly flavored meat that is much leaner than typical.

I’ve found that more fatty cuts, while remaining quite juicy, also taste a little to lardy for me, and I’m a firm believer in pork fat. However, I am quite certain the reason for this is because I prefer to cook my Pulled Pork in a crock pot rather than a smoker or the oven, both of which would reduce the fat rather than disperse it into the whole mix. That is why I use sirloin roasts or something similar if it is cheaper. But the real secret is in the spice rub.

Pulled Pork, Slow Cooker Style

3-5 lbs pork sirloin roasts
1 cup water
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ cup dark brown sugar

Directly in the crock pot, combine all of the spices and brown sugar. Coat each roast thoroughly in the spice rub and space evenly around the crock pot. It is okay if they touch or overlap. Pour in 1 cup of water, put the lid on and set on low, cooking for at least 24 hours. If you are starting it in the morning for dinner that evening, it can be cooked on high for 8 hours, but the results will vary slightly. Sometimes I start mine on high for 4 hours then turn it down to low for the next 20-24 hours. About a half an hour before serving, take two forks and shred the meat. Don’t worry about the excess liquid as it will all be absorbed by the pulled pork. Serve with your favorite barbecue sauce (ours is Sweet Baby Ray’s) on a good quality bun and some delicious coleslaw on top.

Coleslaw

1 lb shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon pepper
juice from half a lemon

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and allow to rest at room temperature for about ten minutes or up to the day before in the refrigerator. I usually test the acidity of my lemons before putting the juice in and if it is highly acidic or juicier than usual, I opt for a little less. Most of the time just a once-through squeeze is enough, but I recommend tasting it with a less and adding more if needed. It should have a tart background not a sour overtone.

While you can make this as a closed face sandwich, we usually eat ours open-faced with a fork using a toasted onion bun on the bottom, pulled pork, barbecue sauce on top of that and topped with coleslaw. If you eat it as a handheld sandwich, be prepared for a mess!

Cooks Tip: If you prefer a fattier cut of pig, simply do not add water to the recipe as the fat will produce plenty of liquid. You might not notice how fatty the pork is when it is finished, but any leftovers will quickly be underneath a congealed orange mass.