Savory Pulled Pork Recipes

SWEET AND SAVORY SLOW COOKER PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Place the pork shoulder roast into a large plastic bag, pour 1 cup of root beer over the meat, and squeeze out all the air from the bag. Seal the bag closed, and refrigerate 6 hours to overnight.
• The next day, mix together the light brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, dry mustard, onion powder, garlic salt, celery salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a bowl.
• Remove the meat from the marinade, and shake off the excess. Rub the meat all over with the spice mixture, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
• Mix together the balsamic vinegar, 1 1/2 cups of root beer, whiskey, and brown sugar in a bowl, and stir until the sugar dissolves.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and sear the meat on all sides until the meat develops a brown crust, about 3 minutes per side. Place the seared meat into a slow cooker. Pour the balsamic vinegar-root beer mixture over the meat, set the slow cooker to High, and cook for 6 to 8 hours.
• Remove the roast from the slow cooker, and shred with 2 forks. Discard the bones and all but 1 cup of the liquid in the slow cooker. Return the shredded meat to the cooker, mix in the barbecue sauce, and let sit on Low until ready to serve. Serve piled on buns.

SAVORY PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Make coffee and cool with one or two ice cubes. Add soy sauce, garlic, fennel, and pepper and let sit for 15 minutes to infuse flavors. Put pork shoulder in a plastic bag with marinade and let sit overnight at least or as long as 2 days. Turn crockpot on high and add chicken broth, water, smoked salt, tabasco, and cajun shake. Let heat up while preparing pork and leeks/onions below. Remove pork shoulder from bag and discard marinade. Heat 2 Tablespoons oil in large nonstick pan over medium high heat until hot. Add pork shoulder and sear on all sides, approximately 4 minutes per side. Use caution turning with large tongs and/or BBQ fork. Once seared, remove pork and set aside to rest. If necessary add up to 2 Tablespoons olive oil to pan and add leeks and onion, stirring and scraping browned bits from pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened approximately 5-8 minutes. Avoid burning by managing heat, turning down if necessary as leeks and onion cook to prevent burning. Add softened leeks and onion to crockpot. Add pork on top. Turn crockpot down to low setting and let cook for 6-8 hours. Remove pork when pull-apart tender and let cool for at least 30 minutes, breaking into parts to help cool. When cool enough to handle, shred meat, discarding fat. Return meat to broth and serve. This dish does *really* well if meat is stored refrigerated overnight separate from broth. Remove congealed fat layer from broth and then reheat both meat and broth together. Serve with soft bread such as dinner rolls.

SAVORY PULLED PORK SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Combine minced onion, salt, garlic powder, oregano, rosemary, caraway seeds, thyme, celery seed, cayenne pepper, and black pepper; rub mixture onto both halves of roast.
• Place meat in crock pot that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours (do not add any liquids) or until very tender.
• Remove meat from pot and allow to cool enough to handle. Remove fat and shred meat. Strain juice from crock pot removing as much fat as desired. Add juice and shredded meat back to crock pot and re-warm.
• Serve on rolls with colelaw. May also serve mayonnaise, mustard and onion relish. Kids will like it plain.
• ***Money / time-saving tips -- buy the spices at dollar stores (or discount or whatever), approximately same size. 3 = a tablespoon, 2 = 2 teaspoons, etc. The 1/4 tsp cayenne, just get a little one from the grocery store. Mix all in a big bucket that seals and save for whenever you want to make this. Use one tablespoon + per pound. I wrote these directions right on top of the spice mix bucket. . .