Sweet 'n' Smoky Pulled Pork
A warming slow cooker pulled pork dish, great for sharing with friends and family. Whether you’re looking for a tantalising barbecue centrepiece or a reliable winter warmer, our sweet ‘n’ smoky pulled pork recipe blends together a variety of flavours to keep everyone happy.
Prep Time
20 minutes
cooking time
6 hours
cooking skill
Easy
serves
6 people
Ingredients
- 1x 1.6kg boneless pork shoulder joint, rind and skin removed
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons dark brown muscovado sugar or similar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 100ml apple juice
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
Method
On a clean chopping board unroll the pork and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Mix the sugar and seasonings together. Rub half of it thoroughly over the pork. Keep the other half for later. Roll the pork back up (there is no need to re-tie the string).
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, and brown the pork on all sides. Put the joint in a slow cooker, pour in the apple juice and cover with the lid. Cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours or LOW for 8-10 hours, or according to the manufacturer’s instructions for your slow cooker until tender and ready to pull apart.
Remove the pork from the slow cooker, wrap in foil and leave to rest for 20 minutes.
As the pork relaxes, blend the cornflour with 1 tablespoon cold water. Add to the sauce in the slow cooker along with the remaining seasoning mix. Cook on HIGH for 20 minutes, or until thickened slightly.
Unwrap and `pull' the cooked pork apart by securing with a fork and shred with a second fork. Return the pulled pork to the sauce in the slow cooker and stir well.
Serve in bread rolls or flatbreads with coleslaw, potato wedges and corn on the cob (or however you like).
Additional Information
Oven Method
If preferred, cook the joint low and slow in the oven.
Follow method 1 and 2. Preheat the oven to 150°C, 130°C Fan, Gas Mark 2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the joint all over. Transfer to a medium-sized, foil-lined roasting tin or ovenproof casserole dish. Pour the apple juice around the joint. Cover tightly with extra foil or the casserole lid and cook in the oven for about 5 hours or until tender. Remove the joint from the oven (reserve the meat juices in the roasting tray), transfer to a large plate, cover and rest 20 minutes. Blend the cornflour with 1 tablespoon of cold water and the remaining spice mix to the hot meat juices in the roasting tin, stir until thickened. Transfer the pork to a chopping board and `pull’ the cooked pork apart by securing with a fork and shredding the meat with a second fork, return the pork to the sauce and use as required.
A pork shoulder joint isn’t just a wallet-friendly cut but a tasty one too, and it provides more than enough for a second family meal. Check out our leftover pulled pork recipes collection to help your cooking go that little bit further.
