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Slow Cooker Cider Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Cider Pulled Pork
  • Category

    Main Dish

  • Cusine

    American

What do you need?
How to make?

Ingredients

2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

2 1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

6 pound boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat

1 bottle hard apple cider

2 cups apple cider

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 garlic cloves

3/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup brown mustard

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons liquid smoke

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 cups pork stock leftover from braising

Directions

In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the rub. Trim your pork shoulder of excess exterior fat. Massage the rub into the meat.

Place the pork in a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour in both ciders. The liquid should come about 3/4 of the way up the side of the meat; the meat should not be completely submerged. Cover with the lid, and set slow cooker to low heat for at least 8 hours.

Let the pork with the cooking liquid cool completely while still in the slow cooker insert on the counter. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and pour the cooking liquid into a separate storage container. Transfer the pork back to the slow cooker insert and cover. Refrigerate the pork and the cooking liquid overnight or up to three days. (Refrigerating the pork whole, rather than shredded, helps keep it moist and prevents it from drying out too much until you're ready to serve.

When ready to serve the pork, remove it and the cooking liquid from the refrigerator. Scrape any solidified fat from the outside of the pork and the surface of the cooking liquid. Using your fingers or two forks, shred the pork. You can do this right in the slow cooker, on a sheet pan, or on a cutting board. Pick out and discard any large pieces of fat as you go.

Warm the shredded pork in the slow cooker on the Low or Warm setting while you prepare the sauce. If the pork seems dry at any point, stir in a few tablespoons of the leftover cooking liquid. Alternatively, you can warm the pork on a sheet pan covered with foil in a low oven.

Measure out two cups of the leftover cooking liquid. The remainder can be strained and saved for another purpose, or frozen for up to three months. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the tomato paste and garlic. Whisk together and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Whisk in the remaining ingredients, finishing with the reserved 2 cups of cooking liquid. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the sauce, whisking occasionally until it has the viscosity of thick tomato soup, but not as thick as ketchup, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning as you wish.

Reserve about 1/2 cup of sauce to serve in a small bowl alongside the pork. Pour the rest of the sauce over the pork, toss to combine, and serve it to the masses. Place a pile of pork on top of buttered, toasted buns, top with pickles, pickled onions, or extra sauce, and dig in.