PULLED PORK

I am a huge fan of anything slow cooked - it started at my best friend's 30th birthday party many many years ago (only joking Mands)!!! Her father cooked a slow roasted lamb and it was so good we still talk about it now. Amanda then recreated it last year and it was so delicious that Pascal, myself, Amanda and her husband Boris ate enough to feed a family of 10 and so I thought it was finally time for me to have a go.

Luckily Fay had a recipe in her new book for pulled pork and it looked amazing plus it wasn't loaded with a million ingredients and was simple to make. 

Ingredients for 2 people:

1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika (I just had normal paprika so used that)
1 tsp runny honey
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
zest and juice of half a small orange (go easy on the orange as otherwise it is too sweet)
750g boneless pork shoulder
1 onion, peeled and finely sliced

(Serve with buns, coleslaw and grated cheese)

Preheat the oven to 150 C fan / 170 C / gas mark 6.

Mix the cumin, paprika, ketchup, honey and orange zest together in a bowl. I don't like it too sweet so would only add a quarter of an orange zest but it is up to you.

Then cut the fat off the pork and chop the onions.

Rub the paste all over the pork until it is completely covered….it's best to use your hands although it is quite a messy process. Once that is done put the pork on the bed of sliced onions in an roasting / casserole dish (you need something with a lid) and pour over 75ml water and a squeeze of orange juice from half an orange.

Put the lid on and then pop it in the oven for about 3 hours (you can do just 2 but the longer you leave it, the better). Check it every 40 minutes because if the water evaporates, the onions will burn. If this is the case just add some boiling water - we didn't find this necessary.

When it is ready, remove the pork from the dish and wrap it in foil.

Heat the liquid on the hob until it reduces to a thicker saucy consistency (about 10 minutes).

Pull the pork apart into shreds with two forks.

Then pour the sauce over and mix in.

Finally serve in a toasted bun with some coleslaw (I was lazy and just bought some ready made from the shop)!

It was delicious but missing one ingredient…..

This made the bun turn from brilliant to outstanding!! It was all so so so good - the meat so tender, the onion and sauce brilliant and cheese and coleslaw is one of my favourite things (like my BFF Manda)! I will definitely be cooking this again very soon and for friends as it was so easy. My only complaint was it was slightly sweet so I would go easy on the orange as I mentioned.

I think pulled pork buns have the potential to be the new burgers for me….so watch this space for more pulled pork reviews….I need to get my bottom down to Pitt Cue Co asap!!!