Deep South Pulled Pork

Pulled Pork

 using spice blend 1                                    

you will need:

1.5 - 2 kg boneless pork 

2 carrots
1 large white onion
3 stalks celery
1 large garlic bulb

water

• Use a whole piece of boneless pork loin, pork shoulder or pork butt......you could also try pork fillet, just trim any excess fat and sinew from the meat.
• Scatter some spice blend on the bottom of a deep sided container big enough to hold your piece of meat
• Coat the piece of meat all over in the spices and rub them in, lay your meat in the container
• Cover with cling film or a tight fitting lid and store in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours, even 2 days is good, let those spices sink in and the flavour develop....you can also freeze your meat raw in it's spicy crust
• Take a deep saucepan, roasting tin or casserole pot that can be covered with tin foil or that has a lid that is really tight! 
• Add the holy trinity of vegetables.....carrot, onion & celery....roughly chopped, add garlic if you wish, I add 1 large bulb, add your piece of meat with it's spices still intact then add cold water about halfway up the joint. 
• Cover tightly with a lid or tin foil and slowly cook in a pre-heated oven at 160oC for approx 2 hours

When the meat has finished cooking it will be so tender that it will literally fall apart, but will be moist rather than dry and overcooked as you might expect.....and it will be full of smoky, sweet yet spicy, bar-be-que flavour!

You can strain off the cooking stock, chill and skim to remove any fat. Re-heat the stock and thicken with cornflour to make a delicious gravy. It is equally tasty if you just shred the meat and enjoy it cold as a sandwich filling, try it in a wholemeal wrap or pitta pocket with some crisp Asian style slaw....no mayonnaise needed!

For an Asian slaw........shred some white cabbage, red cabbage and carrot, add some chopped fresh red chilli, grated fresh ginger, some sliced spring onions, rice wine vinegar and a little olive oil if you like but the rice vinegar on its own is fine........toss around and there you have an Asian slaw!