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Saucy, Savory & Tangy Pulled Pork

SERVES: 8–10 PREP: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 8 hours, 20 minutes (including minimum resting time)

Saucy, Savory & Tangy Pulled Pork

SERVES: 8–10 PREP: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 8 hours, 20 minutes (including minimum resting time)

Hands down the best, most fall-apart-tender pork ever.

There are some things in life worth waiting for. Pulled pork is one of those things. You don't need a big smoker or barbecue to pull off pulled pork at home—you just need a big pot, like our braiser (a combo of a skillet, Dutch oven, and slow cooker), and a little bit of time. Pork shoulder is an inexpensive cut of meat that totally transforms when you braise it—aka cooking low-and-slow, partially covered in liquid, for hours—and it will fall apart when barely touched with a fork after it's done. This recipe is packed with tons of flavor from a salty-sweet rub and a savory-tangy barbecue sauce that takes inspiration from so many styles of BBQ...and a little fish sauce, because that makes everything better. Serve it up in a bun with Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and drained Japanese Cucumber Salad for a refreshing crunch, pile it on top of rice, or make it into a burrito. This makes a LOT and freezes well—try doing individual portions in Stasher bags or freezer-safe containers—so you can have pulled pork nights whenever you want.

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INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS

For the pork and rub:

1 (3-pound) boneless pork shoulder
6 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chili flakes

For the braising liquid/sauce:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 jumbo onion, thinly sliced
1 apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
⅓ cup tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
½ cup apple cider
½ cup white wine (or more cider or water)
⅓ cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon chili flakes
1 bay leaf

For the Japanese cucumber salad (optional topping):

6 Persian cucumbers (about 1 pound), thinly sliced into rounds
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon hot sesame oil (such as Dynasty brand)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dashi powder
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

For serving:

+ Hamburger buns for sandwiches or steamed white rice
+ Kewpie mayonnaise

Make the Japanese cucumber salad (optional): Toss the cucumbers and salt in a bowl and let sit for 15 minutes. While cucumbers are marinating, whisk the vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, dashi powder, and olive oil in a bowl. Do not drain the cucumbers yet! Add the dressing and toss to coat. Refrigerate for a couple of hours to give the flavors time to meld.
Marinate the pork: Combine all rub ingredients and apply all over both sides of the pork. Wrap in several layers of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
Braise the pork: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Heat the oil in the Cravings braiser over medium-low heat. Unwrap the pork and brown it, turning every 2 minutes, until the sugar caramelizes and darkens a bit, making sure not to burn, 8 minutes total. Remove the pork and set aside on a plate. Raise the heat to medium, add the onions and cook, stirring and scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, until the onions are lightly golden, 9–10 minutes. Add the apples and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the apples begin to wilt, 2 minutes.
Add the broth, cider, wine, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, mustard, pepper, chili flakes, and bay leaf, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Return the shoulder and any accumulated juices to the pan, spoon some of the braising liquid on top, cover, and put in the oven. Cook, opening and flipping every hour and 10 minutes, 3 ½ hours total. (When you open the pot each time, if the liquid is boiling wildly, reduce the temperature slightly. If the liquid evaporates too fast, add water by the ¼ cup).
Remove the pot from the oven and test doneness by measuring the internal temperature with a meat thermometer; it should be about 200°F or 205°F. A fork inserted into the meat should pull the meat apart easily. Remove and discard the bay leaf, cut and discard the thyme, and use two forks to pull the meat into chunks right into the sauce! Season with a little of what you feel the sauce might need—fish sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, chili flakes—to balance it to your liking. Serve in a hamburger bun with Kewpie mayonnaise and drained Japanese cucumber salad as a sandwich, or over steamed white rice.