Barbeque Pulled Pork (Slow cooked)

You know what I am talking about? It’s the season to eat comfort food, and there is nothing, oh nothing better than pulled pork. It is also one of the most popular dishes around.

I came up with this easy recipe last week end, when a bunch of unexpected but very pleasant guests landed on my doorstep. It is super simple and mouthwateringly rewarding. The best part about slow cooker, is you chuck everything in and switch it on – that’s about how hard it gets. 9 Hours later, you come back to a home smelling of delicious food and juicy pork that’s ready to be shredded.

The recipe will serve 6 hungry people with some left overs (if any) for next day.

You will need:

For the pork

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced

½ cup red wine (optional)

1 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon chili flakes

1 tablespoon sea salt, plus more as needed

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 boneless or bone-in pork shoulders (also known as pork butt)

2 cups barbecue sauce

1 Can of Coke

6 buns of your choice

For the Coleslaw

4 medium carrots grated

½ white cabbage grated

2tbs cider vinegar

1tbs mustard

3 tbsp light mayonnaise

Juice of 1 lemon

Do this:

1. I have marinated the pork in red wine and spice mixture (below No 2) overnight, but that is optional.
2. 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. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork and place the meat on top of the onions and garlic. Add half of your BBQ sauce. Pour your can of Coke in there too, for a punch of sweetness, cover and cook until the pork is fork tender, about 6 to 8 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low. (I went for 9hrs low)
3. Depends what you’re up to while you’re waiting. I wasn’t waiting as I wasn’t even at home! Gosh, love the slowcooker. If you’re around, however, you can use this time to make your coleslaw. Chuck all the ingredients into a bowl, stir well and pop into a fridge until you’re ready to pile it on top of your pork.
4. Turn off the slow cooker and remove the pork to a cutting board. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl and pour out the liquids.
5. If the pork has a bone, remove and discard it. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into delicious bite-sized pieces, have a sip of a drink of your choice, (Margarita was mine) then get rid of any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker, add the remaining barbecue sauce, and a little of the left over liquid. Mix to combine until the pork is moist.
6. Make your burgers. Et Voila!

I served it with chilled Margaritas, but you can serve it with a beer just as well. Enjoy, if you must.