Smoky Sunshine Pulled Pork

This recipe does not make a traditional sweet barbecue sauce flavored pulled pork, but it is a lovely succulent bright smoky flavored pulled pork with a touch of sweetness. The flavor is someplace between a barbeque sauce and a sloppy joe… It’s great with rolls, buns, sliced bread and standing over the slow cooker with a fork hoping no one catches you.

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, diced or grated very finely
• 1 TBSP garlic, diced or grated very finely
• 3 TBSP frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed (or 3 TBSP concentrate orange squash mix if you live in the UK/EU)
• 3 TBSP tomato paste
• 2 TBSP cider vinegar
• 2 TBSP honey
• 2 TBSP soy sauce
• 6 TBSP dark brown sugar
• 1 Knorr beef stock cube, crumbled
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp dry oregano
• 3 lbs pork shoulder
• 1/2c flour seasoned with 1 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 TBSP oil
• 6 oz/175 ml pale ale or beer (I like to use Sierra Nevada Pale Ale)

Instructions

1. Whisk together the onion, garlic, orange juice concentrate, tomato paste, vinegar, honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, crumbled stock cube, paprika, chili, and oregano in a slow cooker and set it to high.
2. Heat a large heavy frying pan over medium-high heat, the pan needs to be large enough to fit the pork.
3. While the pan is heating up, roll the pork in the seasoned flour and coat it evenly on all sides. Pat the pork all over to remove any excess flour.
4. Add the oil to the pan and swirl to coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the pork. Brown the pork well on all sides, use sturdy tongs and a spatula if necessary but do not pierce the pork. Once the pork is browned, remove it to a plate and set aside.
5. Turn off the heat and carefully pour the ale into the frying pan to deglaze, use a spoon or spatula to scrape up any bits that are stuck to the pan. Pour the ale and anything else that was in the pan into the slow cooker and mix well.
6. Add the pork to the slow cooker along with any juices and turn over once.
7. Leave to cook in the slow cooker for 4 to 6 hours (see Notes), turn over once after 2 hours.
8. Once the pork is falling apart tender, remove it from the slow cooker to a large bowl. Turn the slow cooker to warm.
9. Using two forks, shred the pork in batches. Put each batch back into the slow cooker as you go. Once all the pork is shredded and back in the slow cooker, mix well and serve

Makes 8 Generous Servings

Notes

• The time it takes the pork to cook will depend on your slow cooker, the thickness of the pork and how much television you watch. OK, that last part was a lie.
• This reheats and freezes well. Just cool it down till it is easy to handle then pack into an airtight container before putting it in the fridge or freezer- it keeps in the fridge for a week or freezer for up to 3 months.
• Chilled or frozen: Place it in the slow cooker or a pot on the stove and reheat gently until hot all the way through. I do not recommend reheating this in the microwave.