Pulled Pork

This is my first time making pulled pork! I found a cast-iron French oven at Aldi the other week for cheap as chips (opposed to Le Chasseur cast iron ovens that go for around the $200 mark) and thought pulled pork would be a great first meal to try out in it.

So I popped into my local butcher, they were so helpful and boned me out a pork shoulder then and there. I ended up getting just over 2kgs worth, skinned, boned and trussed for around $20. I even got some Himalayan pink salt with peppercorns in a grinder for less then $3- I've bought this at a Sydney providore for around the $12 mark in the past so I thought it was a real steal!



I looked up a few different recipes but in true Hangry Chef style I ended up making it up as I went along! And I don't like to toot my own horn (but I will anyway), but it's pretty much the most amazing thing I've ever eaten!

You will need... (for a 2kg bone-out pork shoulder)
For the Rub
1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
1/4 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 clove Smoked Garlic, crushed (the stuff I got at Kiama was perfect! Use plain garlic if you can't get a hold of smoked)
Salt and Pepper



For the Sauce
1/4 cup Smokey Barbecue sauce
1/4 cup apple cider
6 drops Worcestershire sauce
2 drops caramelised balsamic (or normal balsamic, and 1/2 a tsp brown sugar for sweetness)
1 tin chopped Italian tomatoes
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 garlic clove (smoked-if you can get it)
2 bayleaves
1 cinnamon quil
salt and pepper



Method...
1. Rub the dry spices and seasoning all over the pork with the crushed garlic, making sure you get it in all the crevices (hehe crevice!), then drizzle over the olive oil and rub that in too. Pop it in a clean plastic bag and in the fridge for an hour.



2. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius, move the oven racks so theres enough room for the pot with the lid on.
3. Combine all the sauce mix in your cast-iron pot and bring them to the boil on the stove. Put the pork into the sauce and leave it to boil on one side for 30 seconds, then flip using tongs and do the same with the other side (just to seal the pork slightly)



4. Cover with the lid, then place in the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 140 degrees celsius (electric fan-forced-that is). Cook for 4 and a half hours, turning carefully with tongs every hour if you remember, to make sure it cooks evenly in the sauce.
5. Once the pork is falling apart, carefully remove from the sauce and pull apart using a fork, reserve the sauce to spoon over the pork when serving. Use the pork however you like, we had ours in tortillas with the traditional accompaniment- homemade coleslaw... MMMMMMM!!

Mmmmmmmmm.....

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