Pork -- the other white meat. Pulled Pork -- the most versatile way to use it. More than anything, we call it delicious and enjoy shredded pork every way from sandwiches to plated with kraut. Having been hungry for good, slow cooked pork and eager to have some put back in the freezer for some of our upcoming busy days/nights we decided to do a 9lb picnic shoulder (that and our pan won't hold a larger piece...LOL). Here are photos of the process of start to finished, minus the ones of us duping around all day, and by hour 6 standing at the oven taking in the amazing aroma.
At the local butcher we asked for a bone in pork shoulder, picnic cut. (Boston butt is also great. Here's a link from ask a butcher that gives a nice explanation between the two cuts.
Mix all seasonings together to create the rub. For the ingredient, proportions, and full recipe scroll down.
Gently and with cool water, rinse.
Keep the skin on and place the meat SKIN SIDE UP in a large heavy roasting pot that has been lined with one layer of tin foil.
The skin side is kept up as it allows the juices and fat to drip down and through the meat...yum. yum.
Completely cover the skin side of the pork and as much of the sides as possible with the rub.
Pour just enough beef stock around the bottom of the pan to cover it. If the lid of the heavy roasting pan doesn't fit on, cover with foil. (I take the foil off at about hour 8.) Cook at 215 degrees for 10 hours. "Long and low" makes for fabulously tender meat!
Ten hours later the meat will have pulled away from the bone, the skin will have pulled back and begun to crisp at the edges and the meat will be succulent.
Once the pork is cool enough to handle, pull back the skin and remaining fat and begin to pull pork off the bone. Place in a pan or dish and begin to "pull" (shred) the pork with two forks until it is in long threads.
Pulled Pork
The Pork
9lb bone-in pork shoulder
The Rub
8 T brown sugar
3 T kosher salt
1 T chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
The Liquid
Beef stock
Place the picnic cut shoulder into a foil lined pan, skin side up.
Apply spice rub.
Cover with foil and cook at 210 degrees for 10 hours.
When pork has cooled slightly, pull the meat.
ENJOY this pork on sandwiches with your favorite BBQ sauce,
in tamales, with sauerkraut, in enchiladas or any other way you like!
