Down Home Pulled Pork Recipes

THE BEST PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Whisk together the chile powder, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar in a small bowl until completely combined and no lumps remain. Spread the spice rub evenly over the pork butt, pressing it into the flesh on all sides. Let the pork sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour or wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 275 degrees F.
• Whisk together the barbecue sauce, apple cider, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar in large Dutch oven or other heavy large pot until combined. Transfer the pork and any accumulated juices to the pot, turning the pork to coat it with sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat. Then cover, transfer to the oven and bake until the pork is very tender and easily shreds when pulled apart with a fork, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Let the pork cool uncovered for 30 minutes.
• Reserve 1 cup of the sauce for serving, then smash the pork into the remaining sauce with a potato masher; it should fall apart and shred completely. Stir to combine the pork with the sauce. Serve on toasted potato rolls topped with coleslaw. Pass the reserved sauce.

SLOW-COOKED PULLED PORK

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, 1 tablespoon pepper, salt, chili powder and cayenne. Rub over roast; cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight., Place roast in a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Combine the vinegar, broth, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Liquid Smoke, if desired, and remaining pepper; pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender., Remove meat from slow cooker; cool slightly. Shred meat with two forks and return to the slow cooker; heat through. Using a slotted spoon, place 1/2 cup on each roll.

PULLED PORK AT HOME

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• In a large roasting pan, place the butt fat side up. Pour the liquid smoke evenly over, and then sprinkle with the rub. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, and then tin foil, crimping the foil around the edges to seal tight. If you need 2 pieces of tin foil to cover the pan, make sure to fold them together to seal the joint. Bake for 10 hours, or until the bone pulls out easily.
• Pull the meat apart, reserving any juices. Serve right away or put in zip-top freezer bags and cool flat in the fridge or freezer. Reheat in a slow cooker, the oven, or in individual portions in the microwave. Enjoy with your favorite sauce and slaw.

PULLED PORK SANDWICHES

Steps:

• If using a gas grill, preheat to high on one side; put soaked wood chips in a smoker box. Once smoking, reduce the heat to maintain a temperature of 275 degrees F and cook the pork, covered, on the cooler side of the grill.
• Rub the pork
• Make the Neelys' go-to barbecue seasoning: Mix the paprika, sugar and onion powder in a bowl. Transfer 3 tablespoons seasoning to a separate bowl, add 2 tablespoons salt and 3 tablespoons pepper, and massage onto the pork. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 1 day. (Reserve the remaining barbecue seasoning.)
• Prepare the wood chips: Soak 6 cups wood chips in water, about 15 minutes, then drain. Don't oversoak, or the wood will snuff out the fire.
• Light the grill: Fill a smoker or kettle grill with charcoal and light. (Pat uses lighter fluid; you can also use a chimney starter.) When the coals are mostly white, spread them out with tongs. Spread 1/2 cup of the wood chips over the coals (use 1 cup for a kettle grill). The temperature of the grill should be about 275 degrees F.
• Cook the pork: Place the pork fat-side down on a rack in the smoker or on the grill. Cover and cook, rotating the pork every hour or so, until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees F, about 6 hours total.
• Feed the grill: As the pork cooks, add more charcoal and wood chips to keep the temperature between 250 degrees F and 275 degrees F and to maintain the smoke level.
• Make the sauce: Meanwhile, mix the ketchup, 1 cup water, both sugars, 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, the onion and mustard powders, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, corn syrup and 1 tablespoon of the reserved barbecue seasoning in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, at least 2 hours. Let cool, then reheat on the grill when ready to use.
• Shred the pork: Transfer the pork to a rimmed baking sheet (you'll want to catch all the flavorful juices) and let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred into bite-size pieces, pile on a platter and pour any juices from the baking sheet on top.
• Make the sandwiches: Mound the pork on bun bottoms, paint with a little barbecue sauce, top with slaw and cover with the bun tops. The best sandwich ever!

DOWN HOME PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Preheat grill for indirect cooking over medium heat. Sprinkle pork loin with pepper and garlic salt. Place on grill and book about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 155-160 degrees. Allow meat to cool while preparing sauce. Shred pork into small pieces discarding any remaining fat. Place pork in large pot and stir sauce into pork. Simmer for 40 minutes. Serve on warmed rolls.
• For sauce: heat butter in large saucepan. Add onion and stir frequently until softened, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Mix together 2 tsp each smoked paprika, ground cumin, pepper, and brown sugar, plus 1 tsp salt. Rub over the 2.5kg boneless shoulder of pork.
• Put the pork in a big casserole dish, skin-side up, and pour in 2 medium mugfuls of cider.
• Cover with a lid and cook in the oven at 150C/130C fan/gas 2 for anywhere between 4 and 8 hrs until falling apart. Check every few hours in case it gets dry - if it does, add another mugful of cider.
• Take it out of the oven and put the meat in a big dish, leaving the liquid in the casserole.
• Cut the skin off, then shred the meat using two forks. Ditch any fatty bits, and skim any excess fat off the surface of the sauce.
• Add a mugful of a good smoky BBQ sauce to the casserole, mix it in, then ladle some into a bowl for dipping.
• Put the pulled pork back in the casserole with the juices so it stays moist. Season to taste. Can be made one day ahead.
• Serve in soft white rolls with coleslaw and the bowl of juices on the side for 'French dipping' the sandwich while you're eating.