Classic Potted Pork Food

PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Stir together the brown sugar, chile powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the pork shoulder. Wrap the pork in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or preferably overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Place the pork in a large pot on a bed of the onion halves. Roast until fork-tender and falling apart, about 7 hours. Remove the pork from the pot and set it on a cutting board. Slice some of the onion.
• Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and add 1/2 to 1 cup of hot water. Scrape the pan to loosen up the bits and cook for 5 minutes to reduce. Pour in the barbecue sauce and stir to heat.
• Shred the meat with two forks, add the sliced onions to the pork and then toss in the barbecue sauce until it's coated to your liking! Serve on hamburger rolls.

PORK POT ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place stock in a sauce pan and heat to hot. Keep burner on low while you sear the pork.
• Salt and pepper all sides of the pork butt. You may use all or some of the salt and pepper listed.
• Heat the olive oil over high heat in a large Dutch Oven and once shimmering hot, start searing the pork. Sear it for 4-5 minutes on each side, including top and bottom. Remove to a platter and lower heat to medium.
• Add the onion, celery and tomato paste and cook for three minutes, stirring often.
• Add pork back in along with hot stock and the parsley.
• Cover and place in the oven for two hours.
• While the roast is cooking, prepare the vegetables and make the roux.
• To make the roux, in a small sauce pan over medium low heat, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon and cook for 4-5 minutes until starting to a turn golden color. Set aside.
• After the two hours, remove the pot from the oven and remove the pork and parsley. Discard the parsley.
• With an immersion blender, puree the liquid, onion and celery.
• Add the carrots, potatoes and red onion back into the pot with the liquid and place the pork on top. Cover and cook 40 more minutes.
• Remove from oven and add the green beans. Cover and cook 20 more minutes.
• Remove the pot from the oven and remove the pork to your cutting board and the vegetables to a platter.
• Over medium heat, add all of the roux to the liquid in the pot while whisking and then add the gravy color. Cook for a few minutes and pour into gravy boats. Strain if necessary.
• Slice the pork against the grain into thick slices and serve with the vegetables and gravy.

POP PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Place the onion slices in the bottom of a slow cooker. Sprinkle the pork with the salt, pepper and garlic powder, then place it on top of the onions. Crack open the can of pop and pour it over the whole thing. Add the whole bottle of BBQ sauce and the hot sauce, then add the brown sugar to the liquid and stir.
• Put on the lid, set the slow cooker to high and cook for 6 hours. When it's done, the pork will be dark and weird and wonderful. It'll also be fork-tender. That's when you know it's done.
• Remove the meat from the slow cooker and shred completely. Spoon the fat from the sauce. Return the meat to the slow cooker and keep in the sauce until ready to serve. Divine!

POTTED PORK

Steps:

• Pulse pork shoulder and fresh pork fat together in 2 batches in a food processor until finely ground (be careful not to pulse to a smooth purée), transferring to a 2- to 2 1/2-quart heavy saucepan.
• Add water, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, and allspice to pork and bring to a boil, stirring to break up clumps. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender and liquid is still visible below surface of meat, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours.
• Discard bay leaves from pot, then transfer pork to 5 (8-oz) ramekins with a slotted spoon. Spoon remaining liquid over pork (use caution).
• Place a small round of wax paper on surface of creton in each ramekin and chill until firm, at least 3 hours.
• Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.