Serve this saucy pulled pork piled high on buns, with bowls of garnishes, such as pickled jalapeño peppers, sour cream, shredded cheese and thinly shredded red cabbage (or better yet, red cabbage slaw), and let each diner build his or her dream sandwich.
HANDS-ON TIME
30 minutes
TOTAL TIME
8½ hours
MAKES
8 servings
INGREDIENTS
1.5 kg boneless pork shoulder blade roast
½ tsp each salt and pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground coriander
2 bay leaves
¼ cup tomato paste
1 can (398 mL) tomato sauce
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 green onions, thinly sliced
DIRECTIONS
Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown pork all over. Transfer to slow cooker.
Add onions, garlic, chili powder, coriander and bay leaves to Dutch oven; cook, stirring often, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste; cook, stirring, until darkened, about 2 minutes.
Add tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Pour into slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until pork is tender, 8 to 10 hours.
Transfer pork to cutting board; cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred or “pull” pork.
Meanwhile, pour liquid from slow cooker into large saucepan; skim off fat. Bring to boil over high heat; boil vigorously until reduced to 3 cups, 10 to 12 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
Add pork; stir to coat and warm through. Sprinkle with green onions.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION, PER SERVING: about 342 cal, 43 g pro, 12 g total fat (3 g sat. fat), 13 g carb, 2 g fibre, 118 mg chol, 735 mg sodium. % RDI: 7% calcium, 27% iron, 14% vit A, 22% vit C, 10% folate.
VARIATION
SLOW-BRAISED PULLED PORK
After browning, set pork aside. Return to pan after scraping up browned bits. Cover and braise in 300°F (150°C) oven, basting every 30 minutes and turning once with 2 wooden spoons, until pork is tender, 3½ to
4 hours. Proceed with recipe, starting at fourth paragraph.
