Pulled BBQ Pork with Asian Peanut Cabbage Crunch Salad

I had this amazing pork roast sitting in the fridge in a dry marinade, so I had to use it of course.  Pork 2 different ways 2 different nights, who could complain?  I have to say my shredded pork recipe is to die for.  It's sooooo tender and pull apart good, melt in your mouth, and with my BBQ sauce and the side Asian salad (recipe found in January postings) it was like stopping off at a hole in the wall place for BBQ and a side of "slaw".  With warmer weather in the air, I think BBQ, grilled veggies, finger foods, delicious cold salads... So put your aprons on, pour a glass of wine and be inspired in the kitchen. =)


What you need:
~A good sized pork butt, something that will fit in your slow cooker, usually 4-5 pounds.
~Garlic powder
~Salt
~Pepper
~Liquid smoke
~Red pepper flakes
~1 cup red wine (not cooking wine)


Let's get to work:
1) Generously season pork on all sides with the above ingredients minus the wine and liquid smoke.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap for no less then 24 hours... yes you must wait!! =)
2) Next day in the early dawn morning around 7:30, get out your slow cooker and pour the wine in the bottom along with a splash of liquid smoke and a generous sprinkling of hot pepper flakes.
3) Place pork butt in crock and season with another sprinkling of garlic powder, salt, pepper and pepper flakes and liquid smoke.
4) Cover and set on low for no less then 8 hours, the longer the better as the collagen (fat) needs time to render and tenderize the meat. No longer than 10 hours though.
5) Any time after 8 hours if you are not patient enough to wait for 10, turn off crock pot for a good 30 minutes.  This allows the juices to "suck" back into the meat tenderizing it even further.
6) After 30 minutes is up either shred with 2 forks or cut into pieces which I chose to do tonight because my hubby couldn't wait for the shredding process. =)  Pile on plate and top with my BBQ sauce and any side salad you want.  I chose my Asian salad we love so much and it paired so well along with a wonderful African Sauvignon Blanc wine which I will post later in the must try whites section of my blog.  Next BBQ sauce recipe...


A little blurb about BBQ sauce.  I love to make it from scratch, but if time doesn't permit, I just Dr. up a jarred version.  So that is the recipe I will post and another time will tell you how to do it from scratch... nothing like it for sure, but it does take a bit of time and I didn't have time tonight.


What you need:
2 Jars/Bottles of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 whole bulb of garlic crushed(yep you read that right)
3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper (I like McCormick's Smoky black pepper)
Splash of liquid smoke
Sprinkling of pepper flakes. (I'm generous with this one since we love it hot)
1 cup sugar OR 24 packets Splenda for the calorie continence and this is what I use.  24 packets of Splenda equals 1 cup of sugar exactly.
1 tsp garlic powder
Squeeze of half a lemon (watch the seeds...=)


Let's get to work:
1) Place all ingredients in a saucepan and put on medium heat until heated through.  Taste and adjust and add more of whatever you think it needs.  Great for burgers, chicken, pork of course and wherever else you like to use BBQ sauce.  Not quite from scratch, but close enough if you are short on time.


** Sauce freezes well, as does the pork if you pulled it and put with sauce.  Perfect for the nights you don't want to cook.  Freeze in individual portions.  I do this for my husband so he can just heat and eat.  Tastes just the same as cooking it that day. Don't underestimate what your freezer can do to help save time when you don't have any! ;-) Also this recipe is FANTASTIC served on toasted garlic bread and hot/sweet pickles to add crunch!  Lots do do with the leftovers, the possibilities in my mind are endless.  Pork 20 ways... hmmm... so possible! =)

For the Asian Peanut Salad, click here