Pulled Pork Shoulder
Sep 07, 2024Who doesn't love a good Pulled Pork! It's such a delicious and easy family meal, especially when you're feeding a hoard of teenagers! The trouble is that most pulled pork recipes are full or sugar or processed sauces (which are full of sugar or additives - or both).
Give this pulled pork a try and you'll realise you don't need the sugar or fake sauces. It's flavours are cracked fennel and black pepper with a touch of smoked paprika, cumin and coriander. I LOVE combining pork and fennel, and it works really well here.
The boys in my home love pulled pork with my No-Mayo Coleslaw (don't need the dressing) and homemade mayo (recipe next week) on flatbreads, while I enjoy my pulled pork and coleslaw wrapped in crispy lettuce leaves topped with mayo. Some of the secrets to a good pulled pork is the quality of the pork. If you can, it's important to source a free-range female pork shoulder, the taste will really shine through. And using my Low Histamine Chicken Broth elevates the sweetness and depth of flavour.
As a final taste test for this recipe, I served the Pulled Pork when we had friends over last Sunday. They have a teenager who wolfed it down, a boy who is a foodie (he loved having all the options to create his own masterpiece), and a younger boy who can be fussy with his food. I got a message later that night to say he announced on the way home that "it was BEST meal he's ever had!!!" It made my day :)
Just a note if you're on the protocol, even if you can eat all these ingredients, I'd recommend giving it a miss and keeping your meals more simple. Keep this one for a treat!
BIO-ALAI FRIENDLY - Maintenance Stage
Prep Time: 2 hours or overnight
Cook Time: Oven - 4 hours. Slow Cooker - 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high
Serves: 6 to 8
Ingredients
- 2.25 kilo boned free-range pork shoulder or 2.5 - 3 kilo bone-in shoulder (I recommend asking for a female pig, they are sweeter and not as strong in flavour)
- 3 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tsp whole fennel seeds
- 3 tsp whole black pepper
- 3 tsp Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 bay leaves
- 3/4 cup chicken broth or stock. If using slow cooker then use 1/2 cup chicken broth or stock (I recommend using my Low Histamine Chicken Broth.)
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (find one that says "with the mother' as it has more gut friendly microbes)
- 1 tsp honey (optional)
- Lime quarters to serve
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees or slow cooker to low or high.
2. Trim any excess fat from the pork, I find this takes a while, so allocate some time for it, and a really sharp knife helps.
3. Add the fennel, pepper and salt into a mortar and pestle and grind well. Add smoked paprika, cumin and coriander and stir through.
4. Rub and massage the spices all over the meat, rubbing really well in to the folds (you want to get that flavour in there!). Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
5. Heat olive oil in a large oven proof saucepan over medium heat. Add pork and sear for 3 minutes on all sides and ends. (Spices can burn easily, so be careful to not cook too high or for too long).
6. Add stock, vinegar and honey to the saucepan and baste over the pork. Pop in bay leaves. Cover pan and place in oven. If using slow cooker transfer meat to slow cooker, add liquids, bay leaves and cover.
7. Braise for 3 1/2 - 4 hours, occasional basting the pork. You want the pork to literally pull apart with two fork. I like mine to still have some structure, so I don't cook it until it literally falls apart. In slow cooker, cook 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high, basting occasionally if you're home and ensuring you have just enough liquid in the pan.
8. Remove from oven / slow cooker. Shred meat with two forks, then stir into pan juices.
9. Serve with coleslaw, homemade mayo, flatbreads, or in lettuce cups and a squeeze of lime. Pulled pork amazingness! So yum!
Enjoy
Meaghan xx
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