2010 Cooking Club Week 48: Pulled Pork

Sparks

Except that the coffee beans aren't actually grinding. Take some, stick them under a microscope - you get large chunks and fines. You want all the same size of chunk so that the coffee doesn't overextract and taste bleuch (that's the technical term )

BaZmO*

Sparks wrote: »

Except that the coffee beans aren't actually grinding. Take some, stick them under a microscope - you get large chunks and fines. You want all the same size of chunk so that the coffee doesn't overextract and taste bleuch (that's the technical term )

Yeah I'm aware that those type of "grinders" actually chop rather than grind and that the handle type burred steel on steel grinders are better for coffee beans, but I was responding to your comment about "grinding spices".

Insect Overlord

Neither Dunnes nor Tesco in my part of Limerick had pork this evening! Loads of deals on hams and bacon. Would it be a total disaster to try this recipe with cured meat?

unkel

An File wrote: »

Neither Dunnes nor Tesco in my part of Limerick had pork this evening!

Are there no butchers in your part of Limerick?

Insect Overlord

unkel wrote: »

Are there no butchers in your part of Limerick?

None that open on a Sunday! I'll pick up a piece in town tomorrow if the local supermarkets haven't had deliveries. I'd just prefer to have it ready to eat tomorrow. :P

unkel

An File wrote: »

I'd just prefer to have it ready to eat tomorrow. :P

You need more patience than that!

Day 1: rub + fridge
Day 2: cook
Day 3: eat

But seriously go to a butcher and ask for the shoulder with the bone in. It's cheap and it will do your pulled pork in the slow cooker justice!

Sparks

And don't try it with a ham or bacon joint The results would be... interesting!
(You can make pulled ham, but not with this recipe. You could try this one if you want...)

Dial Hard

unkel wrote: »

You need more patience than that!

Day 1: rub + fridge
Day 2: cook
Day 3: eat

You can totally combine days 2 and 3 if you get the pork on early enough, I've done it loads of times.

Haven't made this in aaaages, I think it's due a revisit. Not this weekend, though, cause I'm in the Chilli con Carnivale in Bernard Shaw on Saturday so will be thoroughly cooked out by then.

unkel

Dial Hard wrote: »

You can totally combine days 2 and 3 if you get the pork on early enough

Of course you can. I like mine to cook for 20 hours on low though

BTW Lidl now also have a (medium size) slow cooker on for just €18.99 next week I think...

BaZmO*

Used up the last of the Pulled Pork by putting it on a pizza with some jalapenos. Had planned to actually make the pizza but due to time restraints I just bought a Margherita pizza in M&S.

Lovely Bloke

I got the Aldi slow cooker last week and this is the first thing I'm cooking in it.

It's the 6.5l cooker, and my piece of meat is about 2 kilo, bone in, seems to fit perfectly.

Couple of questions, I've just done the spice rub, when would be a good time to stick it on to cook? In the morning (I'll be up at 6 or 7 with the baby), or tomorrow evening, for eating Sunday?

Anyway, with it being a bigger cooker and bigger piece of meat, do I need to increase the liquid?

Finally, the big Tesco near me didn't have molasses, will treacle do?

I'm looking forward to this a lot.

Neyite

I think treacle might be too sweet Baldy. Is there a health food shop nearby? They would have molasses.

I did the rub evening 1, then evening 2 put it in the cooker before bedtime and we ate it day 3. But if you are up at 7am then bung it in then and have dinner at the usual time maybe.

Lovely Bloke

hmm, I might leave it to marinade in the rub all day tomorrow, as I think there are already dinner plans for tomorrow, it will also give me a chance to get the blackstrap.

I've everything else, so want to do it right.

BaZmO*

I always put it on in the morning now (since the baby has come along!). I like the idea of being able to keep an eye on it. Plus it's always ready for dinner time that way.

As for the molasses, I reckon you'd be hard pushed to notice the difference if you left it out or used treacle in its place.
I think that's one of the great things about this recipe, you don't have to be super strict with the ingredients. For me, the most important ones are the ones you use for the final sauce.

Lovely Bloke

cool, well I didn't get it on in time this morning, so overnight it is, for dinner tomorrow evening

Lovely Bloke

Ended up with treacle, and it's been on "low" since 7pm, so that's about 6 hours so far - can't smell anything yet.

I'll leave it overnight on low, then whack it up to high for a few hours if I think it needs it.

unkel

No need, just leave it on low. Enjoy your dinner tomorrow night

Lovely Bloke

Yep, it's been on low for 12 hours now, and can smell it all over the house. Wife hates it, I'm undecided on the aroma, but it's not making me retch at least.

Think I'll leave it another hour or two.

maryfred

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Yep, it's been on low for 12 hours now, and can smell it all over the house. Wife hates it, I'm undecided on the aroma, but it's not making me retch at least.

Think I'll leave it another hour or two.

My fella hates the smell as well,says it's the vinegar. I've only cooked it twice because of that. Pity because he loves the taste when it's finished. )-:

beertons

I didn't use vinegar last time, and I thought it tasted better. More pleasant smell in the kitchen too. Tweak it to your own liking.

Lovely Bloke

got it made just in time for the match!

two floury baps with pulled pork, homemade coleslaw and a few slices of pickle.

nom nom

Neyite

In a wrap with coleslaw pickles and cheese is also delicious.

maryfred

beertons wrote: »

I didn't use vinegar last time, and I thought it tasted better. More pleasant smell in the kitchen too. Tweak it to your own liking.

I thought if I didn't use the vinegar the pork wouldn't be as tender,but I suppose anything cooked for 10 hrs in a slow cooker is going to be melt in the mouth anyway. Will cook it again without the vinegar.

beertons

maryfred wrote: »

I thought if I didn't use the vinegar the pork wouldn't be as tender,but I suppose anything cooked for 10 hrs in a slow cooker is going to be melt in the mouth anyway. Will cook it again without the vinegar.

Double the coke.

FortuneChip

I'm sure it's been asked before, but pork butt as a substitute for shoulder?
It's marbled, so I was hoping might serve the same purpose.

Re-read the OP... I'll be quiet now!

niallam

FortuneChip wrote: »

I'm sure it's been asked before, but pork butt as a substitute for shoulder?

The butt is just what the Americans call the shoulder.

nikpmup

Saw this thread on the first page and was intrigued enough to follow it. I've just finished cooking/pulling/saucing, and oh my giddy aunt. I used Jack Daniels BBQ sauce, and I thought it was a shame to waste the cooking liquid so I added a couple of tablespoons of it to the sauce; the dry rub spices and the chilli gives it a nice kick. I also added a squeeze of honey to counter the acidity of the vinegar. I've promised some of it to my folks, but I suspect they'll be getting a very small portion! Gonna make some coleslaw now (Tom Kerridge's mayonaise recipe) and get some floury baps. Yum yum.

Edited to add: Anyone in Dublin 15; the Dublin Meat Company in Coolmine do a generous sized pork shoulder for €7. I put it in the slow cooker this morning on high at 9am, then turned it to low at 12pm. By 2.30pm it was falling apart and gorgeous. If you're going to be out all day or cooking overnight I'd maybe leave it on low (or if your SC has an Auto setting, use that)

misslt

I have this in the slow cooker since 7 am. Hoping it will be ready around 7-8 tonight.

I don't have the words to express how excited I am to try it.

Goolay

Have had this thread bookmarked for months and finally made this the other day. My word it was fantastic. Thanks so much for the detailed instructions.

The dog was very happy about the whole thing


Used a big Pork Shoulder from JCs Supermarket (€7.99). Hoped it was going to fit in my 3.5 slow cooker but had to take the bone out to get it to fit. Felt manly at least while butchering. Needed to make a bit extra of the cooking juice on day 2 to cover the meat.

Have seen people giving out about the smell during cooking - I loved it! Luckily so did my wife.

We had friends over for a birthday thing and served it on baps with coleslaw, roast potatoes & homemade Mac n Cheese.

Having the last little bit left for lunch shortly.

Will be making again VERY soon.

Sparks

Glad you liked it goolay!