Pop Pulled Pork Food

THE BEST PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Whisk together the chile powder, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar in a small bowl until completely combined and no lumps remain. Spread the spice rub evenly over the pork butt, pressing it into the flesh on all sides. Let the pork sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour or wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 275 degrees F.
• Whisk together the barbecue sauce, apple cider, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar in large Dutch oven or other heavy large pot until combined. Transfer the pork and any accumulated juices to the pot, turning the pork to coat it with sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat. Then cover, transfer to the oven and bake until the pork is very tender and easily shreds when pulled apart with a fork, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Let the pork cool uncovered for 30 minutes.
• Reserve 1 cup of the sauce for serving, then smash the pork into the remaining sauce with a potato masher; it should fall apart and shred completely. Stir to combine the pork with the sauce. Serve on toasted potato rolls topped with coleslaw. Pass the reserved sauce.

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.

MILDLY SPICY POP PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Start by placing the onion quarters in the bottom of an oven-safe pot. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper, and then place on top of the onions. Spoon in the brown sugar. Pour the chipotle peppers over the top, and then pour the soda pop over everything.
• Cover the pot, put in the oven and cook for about 6 hours, turning the roast 2 or 3 times during cooking. When it's done, the pork will be darker and falling apart. (I used tongs to turn 2-2 lb. roasts and when they were done the pressure of the tongs was making the meat shred.).
• Remove the meat from the pot and shred completely. At this point you may remove the cooked onions and chipotle peppers if you don't wish to have them with the shredded pork. I hear that keeping the peppers in will add heat to the final dish, though I did not do that. Then return the meat to the pot and keep in the juice until you need it.