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Carolina Pulled Pork

Source of Recipe

Shanny (adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Slow Cooker, by Norman Kolpas (Oxmoor House, 2007)


Recipe Introduction

Serve these hearty sandwiches with homemade or high-quality prepared coleslaw or potato salad from your favorite deli or upscale market. Traditionally, coleslaw is served atop the pork in the sandwich.

List of Ingredients

SAUCE:
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar (or a sucralose blend)
1½ tsp. tabasco
sprinkling of red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. liquid smoke

PULLED PORK:
3 Tbs. lard or other natural saturated or unsaturated fat
4 lb. boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3 equal pieces
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup tomato ketchup
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup light molasses
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Soft sandwich rolls, split and toasted, for serving


Recipe

In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the lard. Add the pork pieces and brown well on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer the pork to a slow cooker.

Pour off all but about 1 tbsp. of the fat from the fry pan and return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. Stir in the ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until the mixture begins to bubble. Pour over the pork. Cover and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the pork is very tender, 4 to 5 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low.

Transfer the pork pieces to a platter. Using a pair of forks, shred each piece of pork, removing and discarding any large pieces of fat. Skim the excess fat off the sauce, return the pulled pork to the sauce and stir to combine. Serve the pork and sauce atop the sandwich rolls. Serves 6 to 8.