Cochon De Lait Cajun Pulled Smoked Pork Recipes

COCHON DE LAIT

Steps:

• Cochon de lait is the art of cooking a pig before an open hardwood fire. Although the term cochon de lait is French, the origin of this Louisiana social event is obscure. It is know that the custom began at least a century ago and has since been popular throughout Cajun country. It is possible that the Germans who settled in St. James Parish in 1690 were the first to introduce the cochon de lait. These settlers brought pigs to the area and were skilled butchers. Local legend, however, tells that veterans of Napoleon's army brought the traditional preparation of cochon de lait to Louisiana in the early 1800s. Many of these soldiers settled in a town in Avoylles Parish they named Manusra in honor of the site of their last major campaign. Since then, Mansura, LA has been designated by the Louisiana legislature as "La Capital du Cochon de Lait."
• Normally, families cooked pigs in cochon de lait style as the centerpiece for holiday gatherings. The pig, usually weighing less than 30 pounds, was sometimes cooked hanging from the fireplace in the kitchen. The most common method was to cook the pig outdoors over a pecan wood and sugarcane fire. The basic process of the cochon de lait has remained the same over the years. Today, much larger pigs are cooked to feed groups of people. Pigs up to 200 pounds are regarded as excellent for open-fire cooking.
• When preparing a cochon de lait, season the pig well inside and out with salt, cracked black pepper, and granulated garlic. Inject the front and rear hams and tenderloin with an infused liquid made with 2 cups melted butter, 1 cup white wine, 3/4 cup Louisiana hot sauce and 1/2 cup granulated garlic. Using a meat saw, cut through the backbone at the neck and tail and lay the pig open flat. Wrap the pig in wire mesh that has been washed and cleaned thoroughly and then secure it with wire to hold it in proper form during the long cooking process. The pig should then be slowly rotated in front of a hardwood fire built 3 to 4 feet away from the pig. The fire, constantly maintained, cooks a 50-pound pig in 6 hours. Estimate 1 hour of cooking time for every 10 pounds, but keep in mind that not all pigs will cook at the same rate. After each hour of cooking, flip the pig head side down to ensure even cooking.

CAJUN SLOW-COOKER PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Whisk 1 1/2 cups water, the vinegar, ketchup, 1/4 cup mustard, the molasses and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in a 7-to-8-quart slow cooker. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar, the paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Rub all over the pork, then add to the slow cooker along with the sausage. Cover and cook on low, 8 hours. Remove the pork and sausage and set aside to cool slightly. Skim off the excess fat from the cooking liquid, then strain into a large skillet and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by one-third, about 15 minutes. Shred the pork with a fork and coarsely chop the sausage. Toss the pork and sausage with enough of the reduced cooking liquid to moisten; season with salt. Whisk the mayonnaise and the remaining 2 tablespoons mustard in a small bowl; spread on the buns. Fill with the pulled pork and pickle slices. Serve with potato chips.

BOB'S PULLED PORK ON A SMOKER

Steps:

• Place pork shoulder in a large pot and add enough apple cider to cover. Combine white sugar, brown sugar, salt, paprika, onion powder, black pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl. Mix about 1/4 cup sugar rub into cider; reserve remaining rub.
• Cover pot and refrigerate for 12 hours.
• Prepare smoker to about 210 degrees F (99 degrees C). Add enough wood chips to smoker.
• Pour cider brine into the water pan of the smoker; add onion and about 1/4 cup more sugar rub. Spread remaining rub over pork shoulder. Transfer pork to the center of smoker.
• Smoke pork until very tender, about 8 hours. Monitor hickory chips and liquid, adding more wood and water, respectively, as needed. Transfer pork to a large platter and cool for 30 minutes before shredding with forks.

COCHON DE LAIT (CAJUN PULLED, SMOKED PORK)

Steps:

• Rub meat with salt and pepper and put in a large zip lock bag over night in fridge to cure.
• Next day, rinse and make several slits all over and stud with garlic slivers and rub with a good amount of Cajun seasoning.
• Put the meat in the bag, mix the rest of the ingredients in a glass bowl and pour over the meat.
• Seal and put in the fridge for two days, turning a couple of times a day.
• Remove from fridge and let stand till the chill is off.
• Dump everything in a crockpot and cook on low overnight.
• Pull the meat out and trim off fat, and shred the meat or tear it into chunks.
• Let the liquid cook down a little, and add the meat back into the pot.
• Serve this on Pistolets, or french bread cut about 6 inches long, or any other crusty bread.
• Dress it with a good cole slaw.
• It's hard to say how much this will make, for sandwiches it depends on how large your rolls are, and how much filling you use, but it is a good amount and it freezes well.

PERFECT SMOKED PORK

Steps:

• Combine all rub ingredients except sugar and grind into a green thick liquid with a food processor, blender or immersion blender.
• Brush or rub green liquid over roast, sprinkle with sugar and wrap tightly with several layers of heavy duty foil.
• Place in refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
• Soak 2 large chunks of hickory in water.
• Light about 40-50 coals or an equal amount of hickory.
• Do not use lighter fluid, a fire starter chimney is the best method.
• Once coals are covered with a gray ash push them over to one side put the soaked hickory chunks on the coals and replace the grate, open the top of the foil wrapped roast and add about 1 cup of water.
• Place roast on cool side of grill and put the cover on the grill with the holes over the meat.
• Turn the meat 180 degrees every 60 minutes.
• Add some more coals/wood in about 2 hours.
• Smoke for a total of 4- 6 hours, internal temperature of the meat will be 170°F or so.
• If the meat starts to get too brown, tent it with another sheet of foil.
• The temp inside the grill should be around 275°F.
• After removing from the grill be sure to cover with foil and allow to sit 15-20 minutes before carving.
• Serve with your favorite bbq sauce, we like recipe#26794, Lee Lee's Famous Barbeque Sauce for Ribs w/ Preserves.
• Brush some on the meat for the last 5-10 minutes of the cooking process if desired.