Pulled Pork Shoulder

Pulled Pork Shoulder

Who 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 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!

Pulled Pork Shoulder

Meaghan South
Servings

6 to 8

Prep Time

2 hours or overnight

Cook Time

Oven 4 hours; Slow cooker 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high

Category

Mains

Source URL

https://www.meaghansouth.com/blog/pulled-pork-shoulder

Article URL

https://meaghansouthvitalityshop.com.au/blogs/news/pulled-pork-shoulder

Who 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 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!

Ingredients

  • 2.25 kilo boned free-range pork shoulder or 2.5-3 kilo bone-in shoulder (ask 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 use 1/2 cup)
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (find one that says 'with the mother')
  • 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
  3. a really sharp knife helps.
  4. Add the fennel, pepper and salt into a mortar and pestle and grind well. Add smoked paprika, cumin and coriander and stir through.
  5. Rub and massage the spices all over the meat, rubbing well into the folds. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
  6. Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof saucepan over medium heat. Add pork and sear for 3 minutes on all sides and ends (spices can burn easily, so don't cook too high or too long).
  7. 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, add liquids and bay leaves, and cover.
  8. Braise for 3 1/2-4 hours, occasionally basting. The pork should pull apart with two forks. In slow cooker, cook 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high, basting occasionally.
  9. Remove from oven / slow cooker. Shred meat with two forks, then stir into pan juices.
  10. Serve with coleslaw, homemade mayo, flatbreads, or in lettuce cups with a squeeze of lime.
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