PULLED PORK

This is the Rolls Royce of Pulled Pork recipes. A 24-hour brine injects flavour and locks in juices, then a 12-hour oven slow roast makes the pork more succulent than you ever imagined it could be!  This takes 36 hours to make – but it’s well worth it.

INGREDIENTS Serves 6

1.5 kg pork shoulder (skinless, bone in,)
80 ml Belgium beer
80 ml water

For the brine

20 g brown sugar
half tablespoon paprika powder
half tablespoon garlic powder
half tablespoon onion powder
half tablespoon mustard powder
half teaspoon cumin powder
half teaspoon dried oregano
half  teaspoon  cayenne pepper
half tablespoon  salt
half teaspoon black pepper

For the barbeque Sauce

70 ml apple cider vinegar
180 g ketchup
70 ml water
16 g molasses
40 g brown sugar
1.teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Half teaspoon Tabasco
1 teaspoon mustard powder
Half teaspoon garlic powder
Half teaspoon salt
Half teaspoon black pepper

6 large hamburger buns, split

METHOD

Pat the pork dry and place in a large ceramic dish. Mix Brine ingredients in a small bowl and rub it all over the pork, being sure to get into the cracks and crevices. Turn it fat side up  covered with as much rub as possible. Refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 110°C

Transfer pork to a roasting pan (do not wipe the rub off) with the fat side up. Discard any liquid and residual rub left in the brining dish. Pour beer and water around the pork, topping up with extra water as needed so the liquid level is 2.5 cm (insurance against pan going dry).

Roast, uncovered, for 12 hours, until the meat falls apart effortlessly using two forks.

For the Barbecue sauce: Place ingredients in a large saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer on medium heat, then reduce to a low simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Once the pork is cooked, add around 120 ml of the juices from the roasting pan into the BBQ sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Use water to control thickness – it should have a thick syrupy consistency.

Stir barbeque sauce into the pork to moisten.

Serve with the hamburger buns. We served it with an  ASIAN INSPIRED COLESLAW

Original Recipe  Nagi, from Recipetineats