Easy Smoky and Spicy Pulled Pork Recipe
A delicious smoky and spicy stress free pulled pork recipe that will blow your mind!
Ingredients
The dry rub:
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of mustard powder
- 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika
- 1.5 teaspoons of cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1/2 a teaspoon of black pepper
Pulled Pork:
- 1.5 kg of pork shoulder 1.75kg if the cut has the bone
- 1 onion quartered
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 3-4 sprigs of thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 a cup of chicken stock
- 1/4 a cup of balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons of cornflour/cornstarch
Instructions
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Pre-heat your oven to 140 degrees Celsius (285 degrees F)
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Mix all of the ingredients for the dry rub together in a bowl, then rub as much of it over the pork as you can.
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Put the onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, balsamic vinegar and cornflour in an oven-proof pot.
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Next, gently place the pork in the pot with those ingredients, and make sure you add any excess dry rub as well so that none of it gets wasted.
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Cover the pot, place it in the oven and gently cook for 3-4 hours.
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Once the pork is cooked, use a pair of tongs to transfer it onto a plate but keep the excess liquid in the pot. (don't forget that the pot is hot, have a tea-towl or mittens on hand). Then cover the pork with aluminium foil.
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Strain the liquid from the pot through a sieve into a bowl, and use the back of a spoon to make sure that you have pushed as much of the liquid as you can through that sieve.
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Return the liquid back to the pot, then pre-heat the pot on high heat and bring the it to a boil, then turn the heat down low and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
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Take the foil off of the pork, then use 2 forks or your clean hands to pull all of that pork into shreds. Put the pulled pork into the pot with the sauce, then mix through until all of it is coated.
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Re-heat when you are ready to serve.
Recipe Notes
- Use whatever spices you want when making the spice blend.
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Coat the pork as much as you can with the spice blend.
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Cook the pork for at least 3 hours in the oven, and at least 8 hours in the slow cooker.
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If you use a slow cooker, use the low temp option instead of the high temp option. And when you strain the liquid, transfer it into a pot, don't put it back in the slow cooker.
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Pork shoulder is the best cut of meat to use for pulled pork, especially the pork butt.
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Pulled pork will keep in the fridge for about 3-4 days, but you can also freeze it.
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Pulled pork can be used to make so many different kinds of dishes. Tacos, quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas, sandwiches, pasta dishes etc.
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I have a Pulled Pork Slider with Lemon and Yoghurt Coleslaw if you would like to check that out.