Pulled Pork, Crock Pot Style!

Wow, I certainly didn't intend to not post for a week! Life has been busy, but I have been cooking, although it has been food that I've already posted. Sometimes, I just want comfort food, those dishes I've made for years, that don't have a recipe. That's what I've been doing. And although I've posted Pulled Pork before, it was done on the grill, not the crock pot. I also posted a recipe for Carnitas, using pulled pork, but this time I'm using this pork roast just for sandwiches. How great these are for get togethers like Super Bowl parties! A large roast will feed quite a few people, plus, the pulled pork can be made a day ahead, and then served from the crock pot the day of the big game! Easy! Everyone can serve themselves, which makes it easy

on you. Be sure to use a rub on the roast. Pork cooked by itself will taste, well, just like pork. It needs lots of seasoning in the crock pot to have a great flavor. Make it as spicy as you want. While I normally brown my roasts before placing in the pot, this time I didn't. It was midnight, you see, and I didn't want to stay up one minute later, so I covered this roast in a spicy rub and stuck it in the pot. It cooked all night and when we woke up the following morning, we were welcomed with a most delicious aroma! I shredded this baby, and put it in a pan with some of the juices, and put it in the fridge to keep until dinner that evening. We celebrated my husband's birthday with Pulled Pork, so he was a happy man. Here's what I did;

PULLED PORK, CROCK POT STYLE

from Lynda's Recipe Box

1 pork shoulder or pork butt roast ( I used a 7 pound one)

1 onion, chopped

3-4 cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 1/2- 2 cups of water
1 1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce, optional

Mix the rub ingredients together. Rinse the roast with water, and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the rub on the meat and rub it in. If you have time, brown the roast quickly in hot oil in a dutch oven, This step does give some extra flavor to the meat. Place roast in the slow cooker, add 1 1/2 cups of water to the pot and the barbecue sauce, if using. Also, add the chopped onion and fresh garlic at this time. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours until fork tender and roast pulls apart easily. Remove roast and let cool long enough to be able to shred the meat. Remove any fat from the meat. Sometimes, I coarsely chop the shredded meat to make the pieces more uniform. Pour the pan juices into a bowl, and skim any fat off and discard. I like to pour some of the juices, along with the garlic and onion, over the meat to keep it moist while serving. Also, you can freeze some of the meat as long as some cooking liquid is added to keep it from drying out. This tender Pulled Pork will be delicious served alone, or on a bun with some good barbecue sauce. Enjoy!

NOTE: This pork roast can also be done in the oven, in a covered dutch oven. Bake at 325 for 4-5 hours, or until very tender and falling apart.

Of course, cooking it in an outdoor smoker is the best, but I'm a wimp in cold weather!