Classic Potted Pork Recipes

PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Stir together the brown sugar, chile powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the pork shoulder. Wrap the pork in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or preferably overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Place the pork in a large pot on a bed of the onion halves. Roast until fork-tender and falling apart, about 7 hours. Remove the pork from the pot and set it on a cutting board. Slice some of the onion.
• Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and add 1/2 to 1 cup of hot water. Scrape the pan to loosen up the bits and cook for 5 minutes to reduce. Pour in the barbecue sauce and stir to heat.
• Shred the meat with two forks, add the sliced onions to the pork and then toss in the barbecue sauce until it's coated to your liking! Serve on hamburger rolls.

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.

CLASSIC POTTED PORK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275°F. Mix sugar, pepper, dried thyme, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon salt in a small bowl. Place pork in a roasting pan and season with spice mixture. Cover with foil and cook until fork-tender, 3-4 hours. Let pork cool in pan.
• Meanwhile, heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until foaming, about 5 minutes. Skim foam from surface; discard. Gently simmer butter, skimming foam from surface, until butter is clear (do not let solids brown). Slowly pour clarified butter into a small bowl, leaving solids behind (you should have about 1 cup). Cover and chill until firm, 1-2 hours.
• Coarsely shred pork and place in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add fresh thyme and 3/4 cup clarified butter and mix on medium-low speed until a coarse but emulsified mixture forms; season with salt. Divide mixture between two 8-oz. jars, packing down. Melt remaining clarified butter in a small saucepan over low heat; pour over mixture. Cover jars. Chill until pork mixture is firm, at least 4 hours.
• DO AHEAD: Clarified butter and potted pork can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled. Let potted pork sit at room temperature 2 hours before serving.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 8-10 minutes; remove from heat. Add brandy, then return pan to heat and cook shallot mixture until brandy is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and broth; cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are soft and glazed, 25-35 minutes. Remove from heat, discard garlic and thyme, and stir in vinegar and sugar; season with salt. Let cool.
• Serve potted pork with braised shallots, toasts, and mustard.
• DO AHEAD: Shallots can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

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.

POTTED BEEF

Steps:

• In a heavy medium saucepan, simmer the beef in 1/4 inch of water. Stew until very tender, about 2 to 3 hours, replacing water as necessary. Drain, reserving the liquid.
• Pass the cooked stew meat through a meat grinder twice, until it is the consistency of a thick, stringy paste.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Filter the melted butter through clean muslin (cheese cloth), to remove the milk solids.
• In a medium bowl, mix the cooked meat with 3/4 of the strained, melted butter. Season with salt, pepper, paprika and nutmeg to taste. Stir in desired amount of reserved cooking liquid to moisten.
• Transfer the mixture to sterile containers and top with remaining butter. Seal and chill in the refrigerator until serving.