Classic Potted Pork Recipes

SUNDAY PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Rub oil onto pork roast. In a small bowl, stir together salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Sprinkle seasoning mixture onto pork roast. Place fatty side up in a roasting pan or large cast iron dutch oven.
• Roast, uncovered, in the 450 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue cooking an additional 1 hour.
• Remove roast from oven and place the onion chunks, carrots, and potatoes around the meat. Pour apple juice on vegetables. Season vegetables with salt and pepper. Place rosemary sprig on top.
• Cook an additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until vegetables are tender and meat shreds easily with a fork. Season vegetables with additional salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.

PORK POT ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place stock in a sauce pan and heat to hot. Keep burner on low while you sear the pork.
• Salt and pepper all sides of the pork butt. You may use all or some of the salt and pepper listed.
• Heat the olive oil over high heat in a large Dutch Oven and once shimmering hot, start searing the pork. Sear it for 4-5 minutes on each side, including top and bottom. Remove to a platter and lower heat to medium.
• Add the onion, celery and tomato paste and cook for three minutes, stirring often.
• Add pork back in along with hot stock and the parsley.
• Cover and place in the oven for two hours.
• While the roast is cooking, prepare the vegetables and make the roux.
• To make the roux, in a small sauce pan over medium low heat, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon and cook for 4-5 minutes until starting to a turn golden color. Set aside.
• After the two hours, remove the pot from the oven and remove the pork and parsley. Discard the parsley.
• With an immersion blender, puree the liquid, onion and celery.
• Add the carrots, potatoes and red onion back into the pot with the liquid and place the pork on top. Cover and cook 40 more minutes.
• Remove from oven and add the green beans. Cover and cook 20 more minutes.
• Remove the pot from the oven and remove the pork to your cutting board and the vegetables to a platter.
• Over medium heat, add all of the roux to the liquid in the pot while whisking and then add the gravy color. Cook for a few minutes and pour into gravy boats. Strain if necessary.
• Slice the pork against the grain into thick slices and serve with the vegetables and gravy.

POTTED PORK

Steps:

• Pulse pork shoulder and fresh pork fat together in 2 batches in a food processor until finely ground (be careful not to pulse to a smooth purée), transferring to a 2- to 2 1/2-quart heavy saucepan.
• Add water, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, and allspice to pork and bring to a boil, stirring to break up clumps. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender and liquid is still visible below surface of meat, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours.
• Discard bay leaves from pot, then transfer pork to 5 (8-oz) ramekins with a slotted spoon. Spoon remaining liquid over pork (use caution).
• Place a small round of wax paper on surface of creton in each ramekin and chill until firm, at least 3 hours.
• Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

CLASSIC NORTH CAROLINA PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Season pork all over with salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next day, stir together garlic and oil. Mix together sugars, paprika, pepper, mustard, and thyme. Rub oil mixture over pork, then sugar mixture. Let stand while you heat grill.
• Open grill vents. Prepare a chimney with 80 charcoal briquettes; place on small lower grate. Ignite; let burn until top layer is turning ash gray, about 20 minutes. Place a small disposable roasting pan on one side of grate. Add 2 cups hot water. Pour coals in on other side. Top with main grill grate.
• Place pork on grill, over pan of water. Cover grill with lid, keeping top and bottom vents halfway open. Every hour, add briquettes (about 16) as needed to keep grill temperature at a steady 300 degrees. Cook until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of pork registers about 200 degrees, 7 to 8 hours.
• Let meat stand 20 minutes before pulling apart with two forks. Meanwhile, whisk together sauce ingredients in a bowl. Toss pulled pork with 1 cup sauce. Pile pork on buns, then top with slaw and cucumber. Serve, with pickles and remaining sauce on the side.