A tough cut of pork meat, marinated with a spice rub is cooked either in an oven, slow cooker or stovetop till tender so that it can be pulled apart with a fork. The shredded pieces are coated with barbecue sauce and then served on a bun. Packed with flavour, the pulled pork was delicious and succulent. With or without the barbecue sauce, the shredded meat tasted amazing with my two sons enjoying to the fullest.
Marinating the meat overnight with the spice rub is key. I have pressure cooked the meat for a couple of hours. Simultaneously, prepared the buns at home to serve up with the pulled pork. The duo combo; homemade soft buns and mouthwatering pulled pork were definitely irresistible with the family raving and requesting for more.
Boston butt or pork butt is the most common cut used for pulled pork. It comes from the upper part of the shoulder from the front leg, maybe boneless or contain the blade bone. A relatively tough cut and well layered with fat. Why is this cut sometimes called "pork butt" and not "shoulder" when it doesn't come from the actual rear end? Butchers from Boston packed the pork cuts with salt into a particular size of barrel called a "butt" for shipping. Thus, the term "pork butt".
Marinating the meat overnight with the spice rub is key. I have pressure cooked the meat for a couple of hours. Simultaneously, prepared the buns at home to serve up with the pulled pork. The duo combo; homemade soft buns and mouthwatering pulled pork were definitely irresistible with the family raving and requesting for more.
Boston butt or pork butt is the most common cut used for pulled pork. It comes from the upper part of the shoulder from the front leg, maybe boneless or contain the blade bone. A relatively tough cut and well layered with fat. Why is this cut sometimes called "pork butt" and not "shoulder" when it doesn't come from the actual rear end? Butchers from Boston packed the pork cuts with salt into a particular size of barrel called a "butt" for shipping. Thus, the term "pork butt".
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Pulled Pork on Homemade Buns
(Serves 12)
Ingredients:
2 kg boneless or bone-in pork shoulder
4 cups of water
salt
Rub Mix
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon pepper powder
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil
Method:
Mix all the spices for the rub mix with oil in a bowl.
To prep the meat, trim any excess fat. Wash, pat dry and season with salt.
Apply the above rub mix all over the meat and leave to marinate in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.
Place marinated meat in a pressure cooker with 4 cups of water. Pressure cook on low heat for 2 hours, ensuring to turn the meat a couple of times by cooling the cooker under a tap of running cold water, releasing the steam before removing the weight and opening the lid. (Alternatively, the meat can be cooked in a pan.)
While meat is cooking, prepare the barbecue sauce.
Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons chilli powder
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 teaspoon pepper powder
4 large cloves of garlic (minced)
2 cups tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons oil
Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add minced garlic. Do not burn the garlic or it will taste bitter. Add chilli powder, cumin powder and pepper powder. Saute spices for few seconds and then add ketchup, apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. No need to add salt. Adjust sour, spice and sweet, according to your taste. Let sauce simmer for few minutes.
Once meat is cooked and tender, remove onto a cutting board. (By now, most of the liquid in the cooker will dry out.) Shred pork by using two forks. Transfer into a bowl and coat with barbecue sauce.
Serve pulled pork on buns with or without coleslaw.
Note:
(Serves 12)
Ingredients:
2 kg boneless or bone-in pork shoulder
4 cups of water
salt
Rub Mix
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon pepper powder
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil
Method:
Mix all the spices for the rub mix with oil in a bowl.
To prep the meat, trim any excess fat. Wash, pat dry and season with salt.
Apply the above rub mix all over the meat and leave to marinate in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.
Place marinated meat in a pressure cooker with 4 cups of water. Pressure cook on low heat for 2 hours, ensuring to turn the meat a couple of times by cooling the cooker under a tap of running cold water, releasing the steam before removing the weight and opening the lid. (Alternatively, the meat can be cooked in a pan.)
While meat is cooking, prepare the barbecue sauce.
Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons chilli powder
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 teaspoon pepper powder
4 large cloves of garlic (minced)
2 cups tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons oil
Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add minced garlic. Do not burn the garlic or it will taste bitter. Add chilli powder, cumin powder and pepper powder. Saute spices for few seconds and then add ketchup, apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. No need to add salt. Adjust sour, spice and sweet, according to your taste. Let sauce simmer for few minutes.
Once meat is cooked and tender, remove onto a cutting board. (By now, most of the liquid in the cooker will dry out.) Shred pork by using two forks. Transfer into a bowl and coat with barbecue sauce.
Serve pulled pork on buns with or without coleslaw.
Note:
- For 6 buns, you will utilize half the pulled pork. Refrigerate the rest which will keep well for 3 to 4 days.
- Most of the spice rub and barbecue sauce recipes have brown sugar which I never use. Without it, both the shredded pork and barbecue sauce were perfect in taste.
- Recipe link for homemade buns, click here.
