Description
Juicy pulled pork with “Southern Comfort Pulled Pork” elevates classic barbecue flavors to mouthwatering heights. Tender, smoky meat melts in your mouth, promising a delicious journey through Southern culinary traditions that will satisfy your deepest comfort food cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 4.5 pounds pork shoulder (or pork butt) (boneless or bone-in)
Spices and Seasonings:
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
Liquid and Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for searing, optional but recommended)
- 1 cup chicken broth or apple juice
- ½ cup BBQ sauce (for extra flavor, optional)
- Extra BBQ sauce (for serving)
Serving Options:
- Buns, tortillas, or coleslaw (depending on how you serve it)
Instructions
- Meticulously pat the pork shoulder with clean kitchen towels to remove excess moisture, ensuring a perfect surface for seasoning.
- Craft a robust spice blend by thoroughly combining dry rub ingredients in a mixing vessel, creating a complex flavor profile.
- Massage the aromatic spice mixture comprehensively across the entire pork surface, guaranteeing an even and intense coating.
- Ignite a heavy-bottomed skillet with olive oil, bringing it to a shimmering medium-high temperature to develop a rich caramelized exterior.
- Strategically sear the seasoned pork on all surfaces, generating a golden-brown crust that locks in deep, multilayered flavors.
- Gently transfer the gloriously bronzed meat into the slow cooker’s ceramic basin, preserving its hard-earned caramelization.
- Pour a liquid foundation of chicken broth or apple juice into the cooking vessel, creating a moisture-rich environment for tenderizing.
- Enhance the developing flavor profile by introducing a generous splash of tangy barbecue sauce, infusing the meat with additional complexity.
- Secure the slow cooker lid and allow the pork to transform, cooking on low temperature for approximately 8-10 hours until incredibly tender.
- Carefully extract the succulent meat and deconstruct it using two forks, pulling the proteins apart into delicate, manageable strands.
- Incorporate additional barbecue sauce and reserved cooking liquid to maintain optimal moisture and intensify the taste experience.
- Present the pulled pork as a versatile centerpiece for sandwiches, tacos, rice bowls, or as a sumptuous protein accompaniment.
Notes
- Choose a well-marbled pork shoulder or Boston butt for maximum tenderness and rich flavor that melts in your mouth.
- Pat the meat completely dry before applying the rub to ensure perfect seasoning penetration and create a delicious crusty exterior.
- Searing the meat develops deep caramelized flavors through the Maillard reaction, adding complexity to the final dish.
- For gluten-free options, use gluten-free BBQ sauce and serve over cauliflower rice or in lettuce wraps instead of traditional buns.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 hours
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg