An Introduction to Pulled Pork

How to Cook

First, the more traditional method, using the oven. For 1.5kg Greendale boneless pork shoulder, the steps are as follows:

• The day before you cook the pork, prepare a rub combining your chosen spices (e.g. cinnamon and smoked paprika) with 1 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp sugar. Remove any fat or skin from the outside of the pork, then sprinkle over the rub and massage into the meat with your hands. Cover the meat and chill overnight.
• The next day, preheat the oven to 160°C (Gas Mark 3) and put the pork in a large casserole dish with a lid. Pour in enough liquid to come roughly three-quarters of the way up the side of the pork – you can use water, or a mixture of water and fruit juice (or even cider) for this.
• Cover with the lid and cook for 4 hours, checking every hour or so to monitor the liquid levels. The pork is ready when the meat is tender and soft; remove from the oven and allow to rest in its dish for about 10 minutes. Lift the pork out of the marinade and into a clean dish, then use two forks to pull the meat apart into fine shreds. Spoon a little of the reduced cooking liquid over the shredded pork, then serve straight away or refrigerate (covered) for up to two days.

If you prefer to use the hob (it is a lot quicker, though the overnight marinating stays the same), the following method is a handy guide. For 1.5kg Greendale boneless pork shoulder, as before, the steps are:

• The day before you cook the pork, make a marinade – we like to blend a chopped onion with six crushed garlic cloves, 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 100g tomato ketchup, 75g brown sugar, 3 tsp smoked paprika and a big pinch of salt. Put the pork into a large saucepan (for which you have a lid), then pour over the marinade until the meat is coated all over. Cover, then refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, pour just enough water into the pan to cover the pork, then place over a high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, then put the lid on the pan and cook for 1½ to 2 hours, turning the pork once or twice during this time. When the meat is tender and soft, take the pan off the heat and let the pork rest (covered) for about 10 minutes. Next, lift the pork out of the pan and into a clean dish, then use two forks to pull the meat apart into fine shreds. Return the marinade to the heat and bring back to a steady simmer until reduced to a thick sauce. Spoon a little of this sauce over the pork and then serve, or refrigerate (covered) for up to two days.

Storage

However you choose to cook your pork, if you’re not planning to eat it immediately, it can be stored in the fridge or frozen for later use (thaw the frozen pork in the fridge before reheating, covered with foil, on an oven tray at 160⁰C Fan (Gas Mark 3) for about 30 minutes, until piping hot throughout.

Serving Suggestions

When you’ve made your pulled pork, give yourself a huge pat on the back, then get to work sampling some of the many ways to serve and enjoy it! Here are a few of our favourites:

• Spoon into soft white rolls or burger buns, then add a dollop of crunchy slaw and a drizzle of your favourite BBQ sauce or hot sauce (we like Daddy D’s).
• Pile into tacos and top with crisp shredded lettuce, soured cream and a sprinkling of chopped fresh chilli or smoked paprika.
• Mix with cooked onion and tinned beans, season with salt, pepper, cinnamon and paprika then use to fill home-made pasties or empanadas.
• Stir into cooked noodles with your favourite stir-fried veg and a spoon or two of kecap manis sauce, then sprinkle over chopped fresh coriander and sesame seeds.
• Mix with grated cheddar cheese and use to top a dish of creamy macaroni cheese.
• Add to stews, casseroles or ragu-style pasta dishes to really ramp up the flavour.