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Who doesn’t love The Pioneer Woman? There was a period in which I could expect the question, “Is this a Pioneer Woman recipe?” whenever a new menu item appeared that my husband loved. We are taken with her Braised Beef Brisket (minus the liquid smoke and less soy than called for), and Steak Bites (which, with a little Worcestershire added, are something even my not-overly-excited-about-meat son gets excited about).
The third member of this meat trifecta of love is Pulled Pork.
The original recipe is called Spicy Shredded Pork, and as written is to be served in tortillas … Tex Mex style. I changed up the seasoning a bit and serve it with BBQ.
One spice I added to the recipe is Smoked Paprika. You might not have used it before. This is something I’ve only recently discovered, and I love the smoky flavor it brings to the dish. If you don’t have it, just leave it out or substitute regular Paprika. I’ve made it both ways and it is equally delicious.
Pork Butt (or Shoulder) is very frugal, in fact it’s one of the cheapest cuts of meat, and makes a huge amount.
And because it makes so much, it’s perfect for feeding a crowd — the ultimate potluck recipe.
Or you can do what I do when I make it for our family – pack up half of it to freeze for a ready made meal to grab on those crazy nights.
This Pulled Pork Freezes Beautifully!
It’s great on buns for sandwiches, but I usually serve it with my homemade Texas Toast or soft baked rolls. I also like to serve something to cut through the richness of the meat – like coleslaw or pickles – something with a little vinegar-y kick.
Cook it in a large foil pan and you’ll have virtually no clean up! (Tip: The Dollar Store is the best place to buy foil pans– I stock up whenever I’m there).
This pulled pork cooks for about 7 hours, so be sure to plan ahead. The long cook time is the secret to tender, fall-apart meat. If you take it out and it is tough … put it back in!
We usually have Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce in our fridge. Sometimes, if it’s on sale, I’ll pick up Famous Dave’s Rich and Sassy. And if we’re really lucky, we’ve got a bottle from Rudy’s BBQ in Texas, snagged from family who live there.
What’s your favorite BBQ Sauce? I’d love to try it!
I hope your family enjoys this as much as we do!
Here’s the printable recipe, including freezing instructions:
Tender Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons white or red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons kosher salt
- 2-3 teaspoons smoked paprika (optional)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Black pepper to taste
- 3-4 onions (depending on size)
- Water
- 7 pound pork shoulder (pork butt) – large pieces of fat removed
- To Serve: BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- Combine the brown sugar, vinegar, olive oil, all the spices, and one onion (cut in quarters) in blender or food processor.
- Blend until totally combined.
- Slice remaining onions into fat slices and lay in bottom of large pan (I use a foil pan), making a bed for the meat to sit on.
- Place meat on onions and rub mixture from your blender all over it - top, bottom, everywhere.
- Add 1-2 cups of water to pan – enough to cover bottom of pan.
- Cover tightly with foil and place in oven.
- Cook at 300 degrees for 6-7 hours, or until you are able to easily shred.
- Before shredding, remove excess fat and skim cooking liquid to remove some of the grease.
- Shred with 2 forks, or with tongs. Mix with softened onions and cooking liquid.
- Serve warm with BBQ Sauce, or on sandwich buns, if desired.
- To Freeze and Reheat: After cooking, cool enough to handle and store in freezer safe container or Ziploc Bag. Label and freeze. To reheat, thaw and heat in covered dish in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes or until heated through. Or heat in microwave.
Recipe adapted from this one.
I am a crockpot queen and was wondering if youbhave tried it in the crockpot? I would think low and slow all day would give the same results but wanted to see if you have tried it. Thanks!
I’ve thought about that very question, Denise, but I haven’t tried it. If you do…I’d love to know how it turns out!