Adobo Pulled Pork

Aunt Di's Adobo Pulled Pork

Being from the South (specifically within an hour of the Barbeque Capital Memphis), I am always on the lookout for a new pulled pork recipe.  There are few things that can light my family up like its glorious smell rising from the cooker... I mean, six hours worth of heaven wafting through the house and out the door.  My husband swears he can smell it in the driveway, and a smile spontaneously always manages to spread across his face.

We are Memphis barbeque purists.  I've tried the offerings from all the different regions and love them all.  Alabama's great "white sauce," Kansas City's super sweet, and of course North Carolina's yummy vinegar based sauce.  But for me it all comes back to Memphis.  Memphis style sauce is a combination of vinegar, tomatoes, and any number of spices.  A little sweet with a lot of tang, we prefer it "on the side" and not "mixed in," so we can control the amount ourselves.

Smoking pork requires a lot of time and a lot of attention for the home cook, and quite frankly, I don't have it.  Therefore, I thank God daily for my slow cooker.  (Well not daily, but often...) And just like all the regions of barbeque, there are countless numbers of recipes for the slow cooker as well (just Google slow cooker pulled pork).  So when people start talking pulled pork my ears perk up.  And I managed to score a couple of new recipes just this week while visiting family in Tulsa. 

This is the recipe my cousin Diane uses for her pulled pork.  I have no idea where it originated, but I thank her for it!  The flavor is deep and rich, as a matter of fact my kids couldn't keep their fingers out of it while I was pulling it!  (That's always a good sign...)

You can serve it Memphis style with slaw and beans, or use it to jazz up Pulled Pork Tacos.  There are countless ways to use this recipe:  enchiladas, barbeque pork pizza and nachos (two of my son's favorites), add to pasta or seasoned rice, or add a bit to Huevos Rancheros.  You name it. 

Enjoy!

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 Vidalia onion, sliced thin

• 1 4 pound pork shoulder roast (bone-in)

• 4 tablespoons brown sugar

• generous sprinkling of pepper, garlic salt, and seasoning salt

• 2 cans Dr. Pepper

• 1 7.5 oz can Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce

Diane slow roasts hers in the oven in a large cast iron (Le Creuset) roaster for 6 hours on 300 degrees.  I opted for a slow cooker version.  The directions are the same.

DIRECTIONS

Turn slow cooker on HIGH.  Slice onion thinly and spread in bottom of slow cooker.  Place roast on top of onions and generously rub brown sugar, pepper, garlic salt, and seasoning salt all over roast.  Pour Dr. Pepper over and around roast, and pour peppers and sauce over roast.  Set slow cooker on HIGH for 6 hours, checking occasionally and basting in juices. Remove roast from cooker and let sit (covered) for 15 minutes before pulling apart with fork.  Serve with your favorite sauce (we prefer Curley's Hickory Smoked) and enjoy!