Pulled Pork-Recipes and Tips

Pork is sometimes diseased. The law, of course, does not allow sale of diseased pork and if the meat is properly government-inspected, none should reach the consumer market. It does.

Therefore, pork should never be eaten rare, but often is. On the other hand, pork should never be over cooked; but often is. Pork turns out well, roasted, but a meat thermometer is a must.

Perhaps because pork was for so long the meat most residents of the United States of the Americans ate, it became associated with those States and acquired the reputation of being ordinary, indigestible, and even dangerous to the health.

Properly prepared, it is none of these things.

Most Canadian pork comes from animals under one year old, which means that it usually is tender. Moreover, it is a great deal leaner today than it was only fifteen years ago, reflecting the results of new breeding programs. Unfortunately many United States of the Americas produced feeds (containing animal by-products) are still in use and still very, very risky.

Tests have shown that pork is every bit as digestible as any other meat, although, perhaps, it could be viewed as a bit "heavy" for summer dining. As for the dangers of trichinosis, scientists have recently shown that pork need not be cooked as long as most people think to be safe. The parasites, when present (and with the United States of the Americans now being held slightly more to account in their farming practises the chances are slender, indeed, that they will be), are destroyed at the relatively low internal temperature of 137 F. (the recommended final internal roasting temperature for a pork loin, however, is still 170 F. this means the meat should be removed from the oven at 155to 160F.)

Pork is ideally suited to the modern methods of broiling or roasting

If word were to get around about this, pork might be emerging from ovens, roasted rather than braised, well cooked, rather than overcooked-juicy instead of dry, and much more flavourful. Pork's new lean look is a good enough recommendation, in itself, for cooking it less, and as I asked in my write up on beef- why would you braise  a tender cut-to what purpose.

With pork chops ONLY- except those very thin (1/2 inch or less) fast fry kind, and although it is not really necessary, after browning the surface, it is well to add, carefully, a few drops of water, then cover the pan and allow the pork to braise.

If cooked on the surface burner, the chops should be browned first. Pork has enough fat and none should be added to the frying pan.

Oven-Baked/Roasted, Pulled Pork

Ingredients

Dry Rub-This rub may be used with any chicken or pork as a barbeque rub, see also Dry Spicy BarbecueRub, Barbeque Sauces, and Mixes of Convenience:

3 Tbsps. paprika

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. dry mustard

3 Tbsps. coarse unionised salt

1 (5 to 7 pounds) pork cut or joint, preferably shoulder or Boston butt

12 hamburger buns

Directions

• ·         Mix the paprika, garlic power, brown sugar, dry mustard, and salt together in a small bowl.
• ·         Rub the spice blend all over the pork and marinate, for as long as you have time for, as little as 1 hour or up to overnight, covered, in the refrigerator.
• ·         Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• ·         Put the pork in a shallow, uncovered, roasting pan and bake for about 6 hours. Basically, bake the pork-in oven- until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 155 to 160 degrees F-you do not want it to be over cooked and falling apart, thus killing many of the nutrients.
• ·         Remove the pork roast from the oven and transfer to a large platter.
• ·          Allow the meat to rest for about 10 minutes. While still warm, take 2 forks and "pull" the meat to form shreds (using the 2 forks, shred the pork by steadying the meat with 1 fork and pulling it away with the other).
• ·          Put the shredded pork in a bowl.
• ·         Pour 1/2 of the sauce on the shredded pork and mix well to coat.
• ·         To serve, spoon the pulled pork mixture onto the bottom 1/2 of the hamburger bun. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Cider Vinegar Barbecue Sauce:

1 1/2 cups cider vinegar

1 C yellow or brown mustard

1/2 C ketchup

1/3 C packed brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cayenne

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

To make this barbecue sauce: combine the vinegar, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, salt, cayenne and black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer gently, stirring, for 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves.

Crock Pot/Slow Cooker Braised/Stewed, Pulled Pork

Economically speaking, the whole point-the only point- of using a slow cooker is to get the ingredients into the cooker quickly and then be able to walk away. Always Incorprate All Liquids From The Cooker Into The Sauce

For this easy pulled pork recipe, just coat the pork shoulder with a Spice Rub of dark brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon. Then cook it on a bed of garlic and onions covered with chicken broth. When you come back six to ten hours later, you’ll have juicy pork that’s ready to be shredded and served atop nachos, alongside cornbread, or in a sandwich with your favourite barbecue sauce. This no-fuss, versatile recipe makes enough to feed a crowd, and the leftovers—should you have any—freeze well.

Ingredients:

2 medium size, yellow onions, thinly sliced

4 medium garlic cloves, crushed and minced

1 C chicken stock, or (in an emergency) commercial Low-Sodium chicken broth

1 Tbsp. packed dark brown sugar

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more as needed

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 (4-1/2- to 5-pound) boneless or bone-in pork shoulder (also known as pork butt), twine or netting removed

2 cups barbecue sauce (optional)

 Makes: 6 servings

Variation

1 tsps. vegetable oil

 1 (4 lbs.) pork shoulder cut or joint

 1 C barbeque sauce

 1/2 C apple cider vinegar

 1/2 C chicken broth

 1/4 C Light brown sugar

 1 Tbsp. prepared yellow mustard

 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

 1 Tbsp. chili powder

 1 extra-large sweet onion, small dice

 2 large cloves garlic, crushed and minded

 1 1/2 tsps. dried thyme

 8 hamburger buns, split

 2 Tbsps. butter or margarine, as needed

Makes 8 Servings

Instructions:

• ·         Place the onions and garlic in an even layer in the slow cooker and pour in the stock or broth.
• ·          Combine the sugar, chili powder, measured salt, cumin, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
• ·          Pat the pork dry with paper towels.
• ·          Rub the spice mixture all over the pork and place the meat on top of the onions and garlic.
• ·         Cover and cook until the pork is fork tender, about 6 to 8 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low.
• ·         Turn off the slow cooker and remove the pork to a cutting board.
• ·          Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl. Pour the onion mixture from the slow cooker through the strainer, and then return the solids to the slow cooker. Set the strained liquid aside.
• ·         If the pork has a bone, remove and discard it.
• ·         Using 2 forks (in the manner described above), shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat.
• ·          Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker, add the barbecue sauce, if using, and mix to combine. If you’re not using barbecue sauce, use a spoon to skim and discard the fat from the surface of the strained cooking liquid, and then add 1/4 cup of the liquid at a time to the slow cooker until the pork is just moistened. Taste and season to taste with salt.

Main Course-Pulled Pork with Pineapple

Ideal as a make-ahead item, this pork is braised (Remember, baking/roasting is the recommended method of cooking pork; Always Incorprate  All Liquids and), shredded, sauced and ready to be stuffed into taco shells.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsps. packed brown sugar

2 tsps. each chili powder, ground cumin and dried thyme

1 tsp. each salt and pepper

3 lbs. pork shoulder blade cut/ joint

2 Tbsps. vegetable oil

3 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced

2 onions, medium dice

1 can (5.5 ozs) tomato paste

3 Tbsps. cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce

1 can (14 ozs.) crushed pineapple

1/4 C. diced fresh coriander, or green onions

8 Portions

Directions:

• ·         In large bowl, combine brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, thyme, salt and pepper.
• ·         Untie meat, if necessary. Then rub spice mixture over the pork. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, turning occasionally. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)
• ·         In large Dutch oven, or Covered USA style "Roaster" heat oil over medium-high heat, brown pork all over. Transfer to plate.
• ·         Reduce heat to medium; sauté garlic and onions, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 4 minutes.
• ·         Add tomato paste, vinegar and hot pepper sauce; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
• ·         Add pineapple and juices, stirring to scrape up brown bits.
• ·         Return pork and any accumulated juices to pan; bring to boil. Cover and braise in 300°F  oven, basting every hour and turning once, until pork is tender, 3 to 3-1/2 hours.
• ·         Transfer pork to cutting board and let stand for 10 minutes. With 2 forks, shred or “pull” pork.
• ·         Skim fat from sauce. Bring sauce to boil.
• ·         Boil vigorously until reduced to 3 cups, about 15 minutes. Return pork to pan. (Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate, uncovered, in airtight container until cold. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.) Heat through until bubbling, about 4 minutes. Stir in coriander.© Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan. All rights reserved.