Pit Masters, Where Art Thou?

Pulled Pork

I blame Adam Richman, host and food challenge contestant on the Travel Channel show Man vs. Food.  We were watching Adam visit a barbeque restaurant this past week and both realized we were hankering for some good barbeque!  We searched our friend Google for a barbeque place in Central Pennsylvania (one that actually would have good barbeque – not a chain restaurant) and we came up dry!  The horror!  How can an entire area be void of a decent barbeque destination?!  We tried to put the thought of smoky, saucy goodness our of our minds, but were unsuccessful.  The thought that we couldn’t have it make the desire and NEED to have it that much greater!  So we went to the grocery store and picked up a pork shoulder.  We decided to satisfy our own craving; while we couldn’t smoke the meat, this pulled pork recipe sure hit the spot!  And since it makes so much, we are going to be able to satisfy any future hankering for finger lickin’ saucy goodness for quite awhile!

We’ve made this for a crowd in the past and it has always proven to be a huge hit!  We look like stars, but it is so easy to make!  Shhh!!!!

Ingredients

6 – 8 Pound pork shoulder (or butt)

2 Onions, chopped

1 Cup ketchup

2/3 Cup cider vinegar

½ Cup brown sugar

½ Cup tomato paste

¼ Cup red wine

¼ Cup paprika

¼ Cup Worcestershire sauce

¼ Cup yellow mustard

3 Teaspoons salt

2 ½ Teaspoons black pepper

Step 1

Place all ingredients, except pork, in a crock pot.  Stir the ingredients to combine.  Taste the sauce at this point and adjust according to your own taste.

 

 

Step 2

Add the pork to the sauce.  Coat with the sauce.  Cover the crock pot and turn to low for 8 – 10 hours.

Step 3
Remove the pork to a large dish.  It should be completely tender and will pull apart easily when using two forks.  If it does not, return it to the crock and cook for another half an hour before testing again.  If it does pull apart easily, turn your sauce up to high heat and leave the lid cocked so that steam can escape.  Skim any fat you can off the surface of the sauce.  While the sauce is reducing, pull the pork with the forks.  When completed, return the meat to the sauce.

Step 4

I like to make it a day before I will be eating it.  I cool it in the fridge overnight, and skim any solidified fat off the top.  Then, I heat it on high in the crock pot.  When it starts to bubble, I cock the lid again and let it thicken more, stirring occasionally.  Reduce the heat to warm about half an hour before serving.

Serve on a soft, fresh roll!