Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Pulled Pork in a Slow Cooker

In general, there's just certain things I expect to be expensive, like Grey Goose bottle service at the club, prime rib at a Morton's Steakhouse, 20 year old Pride Cabernet Savignon. There's certain things I expect to be cheap. Like pork- pork is normally cheap. Especially when we get into cuts like pork shoulder or pork butt. Look at the name, it doesn't even sound nice, it totally sounds cheap.

I will warn the non-locals. Here in Hawaii cheap is relative. Overhead, labor and insurance is twice the amount you'd expect, so prices are twice what you would see on the mainland. Then slap on an extra $1 for a gas surcharge. It's really tough to pinch those pennies and still be sociable. So when I am invited to a potluck or tailgating or any event that I want to cook for a crowd I go for a tub o' cheap food, like turkey chili or pulled pork. I got the supermarket circulars and I was in luck, pork butt was on sale this week at Foodland for $.99/lb. I will block out the fact that it is probably $.59/lb on sale at my parents' local grocery store on the Mainland. $.99/ lb is reasonable in Hawaii. I can feed about 10 people for $5 +few other ingredients. I get in my car and go to the store. I find out that they are out of pork... And there is no butcher today... And there is no substitutions... *SIGH* I go to see if there is another porky product I can use, there is.... at $2.49/lb. I start to get irritated. Then it is Friday night and the lines are long because I was smart enough to go to the store closest to the college campus. Everyone in line had a case of beer and a bag of ice. Except me, the old lady trying to ask about pork butt and ketchp. Finally, after quizzing the service staff for 10 minutes, I gave up. I got in my car and drove to Safeway, which was totally worth it. They had pork shoulder for $1.49/lb. I bought a 5 lb hunk of meat and saved myself $5. Freakin' Foodland, $2.49/ lb for PORK? What are those pigs eating? Shrimp Cocktail? I'm going to Safeway strictly on principle now.

I love you Safeway Kaupulehu. I really don't know why I go anywhere else, you are in the game with very competitive prices and above average stocked store and friendly service. You always have what I need and a pretty awesome meat clearance bin. Which reminds me, I have to start eating more steak, but not today. Today we do pork.


I play this recipe really fast and loose. I go into my fridge and pantry and start pulling out anything related to BBQ. No oregano, bay leaf or liquid smoke? Have that ginormous jar of streak seasoning you bought from Costco for 4th of July? No problem, rub it on. Only have BBQ sauce in the door of your fridge. Awesome. Throw it on. This is what I had, but when you try this recipe just go with what you got.

Pull Pork in a Slow Cooker

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 bay leafs
- 1 Tbsp hot sauce (optional)
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
- Salt and Pepper

- Big hunk of pork cut in half, shoulder or butt is best, 3-5 lbs depending on the size of the crowd

Put all the first 8 ingredients in the slow cooker, mix. Taste. Add more stuff. Taste again.
When you are happy, get the pork out of the package, cut in half, trim off excess fat if you want (I didn't, it was late and I was tired).
Cook long and slow, I did this at night, so I went to bed.

Get up in the morning, unplug the slow cooker, pull out meat and put in bowl.
Stop, do some morning ablutions or situps or something.
Really.
Go.
For a while.

That meat is hot, and its easier if you give it a minute to cool down.
When a little cooler, shred with 2 forks.
Pour sauce into a glass or defatter. Strain off the fat. (Unless you like it, I don't.)

Recipe says: mix in 1/4 cup of ketchup into sauce and add back into the shredded pork.
This is what I did instead: Put in small saucepan boil down until thick, mix into pork.

Put in tupperware container and bring to the party.
Be the center of attention when everyone tries it.
Still have leftovers even after everyone is stuffed.

*Cue spotlight and grandoise music*


**I will revise when I get a photo- my camera won't focus anymore for some reason. Probably because it is over 10 years old. I bought it in China, I guess I should be happy it didn't give me lead posioning.**

No comments:

Post a Comment