Growing up, we would often visit The Red Pig Restaurant for barbecue. You could smell the barbecue roasting and its intoxicating aroma when you pulled into the parking lot. I prefer pork over beef for barbecue and would usually order the pulled pork sandwich. Pulled pork is a specialty dish of the Southern U.S. using shredded barbecued pork shoulder. It is typically slow smoked over wood; and that is how The Red Pig prepared it. I have heard it say that your first experience – usually during childhood – eating BBQ, will always define your BBQ palate. And that it did.
But you can enjoy a delicious barbecue pulled pork sandwich with your slow cooker. The first step is to choose the right cut of meat. Pulled pork is almost always a shoulder cut and I use a Boston butt. Despite its name, it is a cut of meat from the upper portion of a pig’s front shoulder. It is inexpensive and a forgiving hunk of meat.
The next step is to decide to rub or not. Barbecue aficionados probably have their own ‘secret’ recipe that they swear by. Rubbing the pork with spices will add flavor to the meat and I sometimes make one from what I have in the pantry. Other times I simply sprinkle the meat with plenty of salt and pepper.
Now all you need to do is put it in the slow cooker. Be sure your slow cooker is large enough to accommodate the pork butt. Put the lid on, turn to low and cook for 7 – 8 hours or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of about 195 degrees. It needs to reach this temperature to ‘pull’ properly. When it is done, remove the meat to a cooking board and allow to cool for about 30 minutes. Then you can shred with two forks and discard any excess fat or gristle.
Meanwhile, make the barbecue sauce and I use my dear friend Milena’s recipe. It is an easy, delicious, no-bake sauce that I have been making for 35 years. And you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry. Here is how you make it. Into a medium bowl add 1 cup of ketchup, ½ cup of brown sugar, ¼ cup of red wine vinegar, 3 finely chopped cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon of hot sauce, ½ cup of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard. Mix well and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
When you are ready to serve, mix some of the sauce with the shredded pork. I prefer it piled into a toasted brioche bun with coleslaw. And of course, an ear of corn. This is an easy, delicious barbecue that will feed a crowd. I hope you will try it. Enjoy!
I’m definintely trying this recipe!