As I write this, endless cotton balls are falling from the sky, and have been for hours. This is winter at its finest but also the kind of weather that can make you a little lethargic. To beat the winter blues, I opt for slow-cooked, comforting fork-tender meat, like this pulled pork. To be honest, this dish was more of an afterthought this week. After a busy weekend, we only had a few hours to run house errands, including grocery shopping. So easy pulled pork it was going to be. The pork really doesn’t need much in terms of flavour when it slowly cooks for so long. I put this together in less than 15 minutes before heading to work — to develop summer grilling recipes for our Canadian Living summer issues — and returned to the real taste of winter.
The only thing about cooking with a slow-cooker is that it really is meant for large-family cooking. For the time being, there are only three in our household (with our Persian cat Alaska that is – who we’ve discovered is a real pulled pork fanatic!). You can easily freeze your slow-cooker concoctions though so it’s a great utensil to successfully meal-plan. I easily get bored with leftovers and don’t like to eat the same thing two nights in row so I like to transform leftovers into a brand new meal.. which is incredibly easy to do with something as versatile as pulled pork.
On the first night, I shredded some of the pork and tossed it with orecchiette, some fresh parsley and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Then, these pulled pork sandwiches came to life. These are so simple they really don’t need a recipe – I used some good pretzel-liked bread, a nice spread of grainy mustard, a heaping pile of pork goodness and some greens. And next on the list? Pulled pork ravioli!
Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork
3-1/2 lb pork butt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 shallots, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 can whole San Marzano tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 bay leaves
Generously season pork with salt, pepper. Rub all over with oregano and paprika. Place in slow cooker, add garlic, shallots, bay leaves, tomatoes, tomato paste and bay leaves. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Shred pork using fork. Enjoy!
Enjoy the read!
Rosa's Yummy Yums
February 12, 2013 at 8:42 am (12 years ago)That is something I love. Your sandwiches look really mouthwatering!
Cheers,
Rosa
frost
February 13, 2013 at 5:56 am (12 years ago)yuum!!
Beth
February 14, 2013 at 8:51 pm (12 years ago)It’s funny to think of you making recipes for the summer issues already. But a few years ago my book group was involved in an article for Canadian Living. We wore fall clothes to a meeting in July for photographs, and nearly died of the heat!
Jeane M.
February 15, 2013 at 7:51 am (12 years ago)Hmm yum! Can’t wait to be on the kitchen right now and make sandwich. My looking at them makes me crave. Got my eye on your next posts.
Betty
February 16, 2013 at 9:14 pm (12 years ago)I want some of those fluffy balls floating down in my yard! This pulled pork looks great in all of its variations. (Ravioli sounds wonderful too!) I have a huge pork roast just waiting for a snowy day. 🙂
EasyKoreanFood
February 22, 2013 at 11:11 pm (12 years ago)Hello! I recently just started a youtube Korean food channel, EasyKoreanFood, where you can learn how to make fast & easy Korean food! It would mean the world to me if you could check it out because I’m just starting out! Thanks!
Jamie
February 24, 2013 at 11:15 am (12 years ago)I’ve been begging husband for a slow cooker but he thinks it is a silly gadget (though he loves the pressure cooker). But since we just baked our first oven bbq’ed ribs he’s into this kind of meal. I have to say it looks and sounds incredible! I love the idea of you making a pot of this pork and turning it into different meals. Perfect (and my kind of cooking).
Liz Berg
February 24, 2013 at 3:49 pm (12 years ago)It’s time to pull out my slow cooker again! Pulled pork sounds like a wonderful dish to chase away the winter blues 🙂 And your recipe looks divine~