Pulled pork is always hugely popular in Casa Chaos. My family can eat burritos like they are in training for the Burrito Olympics, with many of them proudly punching above their weight. I love burritos too, but I got to thinking about all of the other things I could make with pulled pork, especially if it was made with neutral flavours, rather than the old chili BBQ ones that go so well on a burrito. The flavours used here enhance the pork without being too bossy, which makes it very versatile to use in any kind of recipe. I wonder, is pulled pork the new bolognaise?
Come with me on a Pulled Pork Journey of Discovery......
Pulled Pork, a basic recipe for the slow cooker.
Ingredients
- A shoulder of pork, hopefully a large cut so you can get a lot out of it. I used some beautiful pork that was sent to me from Murray Valley Pork - an Australian company that lovingly breeds happy pigs. In the words of Ina Garten, store bought is fine.
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed.
- 1 onion, chopped.
- 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup of red wine
- handful of fresh herbs, I used thyme and oregano.
- half a teaspoon of fennel seeds
Method
- Remove the skin from the shoulder, set aside for another time. Freeze it for later if you like.
- Salt and pepper the pork, massage with a glug of olive oil.
- Sear the pork in a pan, browning the edges well.
- Place the pork in a slow cooker.
- Saute the onion and garlic in the same pan until soft, then add the other ingredients and bring to the boil. As soon as it starts to bubble, pour the lot over the pork, cover and cook on low for about 6 hours until fork tender.
- Shred the meat using 2 forks. It's super easy, you'll get the hang of it in no time. Drain off some of the sauce if you like, although you can include the sauce in the finished product. It's yummy!
Ta-da! You have made basic pulled pork! It is perfectly fine to freeze in portions until you are ready to use it, and the variety of things you can make is only limited by your imagination. It's also great for when the day has been long and you have no imagination left. Here are a few ideas I came up with.
- Pulled Pork Lasagna. This was very impressive. I made a basic tomato onion sauce and added a few cups of pulled pork, then made lasagna in the traditional way with packet pasta sheets and a bechemal sauce. Rich and delicious.
- Tossed quickly through some pappardelle pasta with steamed greens and a sprinkle of parmesan. And sriracha, because that's the way I roll.
- Stirred into a gingery noodle soup, with fresh bean shoots, mint and coriander.
- Pork with soft tacos and chilli peach relish and lots of avocado. Not quite burritos...
- Tossed through some home made fried rice (or cauliflower rice) and drizzled with oyster sauce.
- Served on top of a potato and chorizo saute, with a green salad on the side.
- Wrapped up in soft tortillas, covered with a tomato based sauce and cheese then pop in the oven for a child friendly tortilla bake. Crunchy green salad on the side!
- Use as a filling for home made ravioli, topped with a spicy Verde sauce.
- Wrap in rice paper rolls with crunchy lettuce and a drizzle of hoisin sauce.
- Add some sauteed mushrooms and fresh thyme, ladle into ramekins and bake with a puff pastry lid for individual pork pot pies.
Can you think of anything more versatile to have in the freezer? Do you think pulled pork is the new bolognaise? What would you cook it with?
Murray Valley Pork is available at selected butchers across Australia, head to the website to find one near you.
xx