This Little Piggy Pulled Pork
Here’s a recipe for easy and delicious pulled pork that takes only a few hours to cook. Marinate the pork for at least 24 hours but 2-3 days yields even better results. The meat can be used in tamales, enchiladas and of course for pulled pork sandwiches. Look for our "I’m Goin’ to Kansas City Barbecue Sauce" recipe here on our website under Soups, Stews and Sauces.
Equipment
- 8 Quart Stockpot
Ingredients
Marinade and Pork
- 1- cup of vegetable oil
- ½ cup of apple cider vinegar
- 6- cloves of garlic
- 2- Tablespoons of coarse salt
- 2- Tablespoons of the Spice Mix
- 1- Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Juice from one lime
- 1 boneless Pork Shoulder
Spice Mix
- 2- Tablespoons of black peppercorns
- 2- Tablespoons of dried oregano
- 1- teaspoon whole Allspice
Instructions
Preparing The Meat
- Clean and pat dry the pork shoulder.
- Score the skin in a crosshatch fashion.
- Set aside.
Marinade
- Grind the 3 ingredients for the Spice Mix in a spice grinder. You will need 2 tablespoons of this spice mix for the marinade. (Store the rest in an airtight container for up to 1 year.)
- Pulse the garlic, salt, 2 Tablespoons of the Spice Mix, Worcestershire sauce, and lime juice in a food processor bowl fitted with the blade attachment.
- Add the apple cider vinegar to the bowl.
- Turn the processor on and drizzle in the vegetable oil to form an emulsion.
- Place the pork shoulder in a 2-gallon re-sealable plastic bag.
- Pour the marinade mix into the bag over the meat.
- Seal the bag removing as much air as possible.
- Place the bag on a baking sheet and move the marinade around to entirely coat the meat.
- Place everything under refrigeration.
- During the next day or so turn the pork shoulder a few times to redistribute the marinade.
- Keep the meat under refrigeration for at least 24 hours and up to three days.
When you're ready to begin the cooking process
- Remove the pork shoulder from the refrigerator and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes
- Slice one large onion (white or yellow) into thin rings.
- Place the sliced onion in your 8 Quart Stockpot.
- Pour ½ cup of water over the onions.
- Remove the pork shoulder from the plastic bag.
- Discard the excess marinade.
- Place the pork shoulder on top of the onions.
- Cover the pot and place it over medium heat.
- Cook until steam just begins to escape from under the lid.
- Spin the lid to engage the Vapor Seal.
- Immediately reduce the heat to low.
- Cook the pork shoulder for 3 ½ hours.
- Check the amount of broth in the pot after three hours. There should be plenty of liquid, if not, add another ½ cup of water and replace the lid. If liquid is added, increase the heat to medium until steam begins to escape from under the lid.
- Spin the lid to engage the Vapor Seal and reduce heat to low.
- Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to rest covered for ½ an hour.
- Uncover the pot and carefully transfer the meat to a Large Cookie Sheet.
- Pour the broth into a separate container. (Don’t throw it out. There’s lots of flavor in it.)
- Separate the meat from the bone once it becomes just cool enough to handle.
- “Pull” the pork to separate the strands of meat from one another.
- Continue this until you’ve gone through all the meat.
- Discard the excess fat and bone.
- Cool both the meat and the broth or use some right away.
Notes
Tip: This is a great recipe to make ahead of time. The pork freezes beautifully. Portion it into quart size freezer bags once its been pulled.
Tip: Chill the broth for several hours then remove the top layer of fat. The broth can be used for soups but I like to add some of it back into the pork for added flavor and moisture.
Hint: Use care not to puncture the marinating bag with the pork bone.
Comment: This recipe is three steps: marinate the meat, cook it, and then “pull” the meat to form pulled pork.
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8 Quart Stockpot