Southern Pulled-Pork Sandwhiches

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper
coarse salt and pepper
3 lbs. boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), cut into 4 equal pieces
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 soft sandwich rolls, split
store-bought bbq sauce, for serving (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 with racks in lower and upper positions.  In a small bowl, combine sugar, cayenne, 1 tbsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper.

2. Place pork in a 5-qt Dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot; rub with spice mixture.

3. In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, garlic, and 1/2 cup water; pour over pork.  Cover pot, and place in oven on lower rack.  Bake until pork is very tender and separates easily when pulled with a fork, 2-2.5 hours.

4. Transfer pork to a work surface, reserving pan juices.  With two forks, shred meat.  Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with pan juices to moisten (you may not need all the juices).  Pile pork on rolls, and top with bbq sauce, if desired.

Food mag.

Slow Cooker Hoisin Pork Roast

1 boneless pork loin roast (about 3 lbs.), tied
1 (10 oz.) jar hoisin sauce (about 3/4 cup)
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp chili paste
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp dark sesame oil
4 tsp cornstarch
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

1. Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray and add the pork roast.  In a small bowl, combine the hoisin, garlic, chili paste, vinegar, soy sauce and oil.  Whisk in the cornstarch.  Pour sauce over the pork.

2. Cover the slow cooker and cook the roast until fork-tender and a thermometer registers 160, 3.5 hours on high heat or 8 hours on low heat.  Transfer the pork to a platter, cover with foil and let stand for 10 minutes.  Pour the cooking liquid into a bowl and let stand for 10 minutes, then skim any fat from the surface.

3. Slice the pork and arrange on a platter.  Sprinkle the scallions and cilantro on top.  Serve the Asian sauce on the side.

From Rachael Ray magazine.

Roastd Pork Loin with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Roasted Garlic:
2 heads garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt

Pork Loin:
1 (3.5 to 4.5 lb.) boneless pork loin
Salt and pepper

Vinaigrette:
Roasted garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp water

Preheat oven to 475.

For roasted garlic: cut the bulbs of garlic in half crosswise into a top and bottom.  Place the garlic halves on a sheet of foil, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Fold the foil up and around the garlic halves, making sure they stay flat.  Seal the foil into an airtight package.  Roast until golden and soft, about 60 minutes.  Keep the garlic in the foil and let cool slightly.

For the pork: place the pork loin in a medium, heavy roasting pan.  Season all sides with salt and pepper.  Place the pork in the oven 30 minutes after the garlic has stated roasting.  Roast until 140-145 degrees, about 30-40 minutes.  Remove the roasting pan from the oven, tent the pork with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.

For the vinaigrette: remove the garlic from the foil.  Remove the cloves by squeezing the base of the garlic.  Place the garlic, parsley, and balsamic vinegar in a blender.  Pulse the machine until blended.  Drizzle the oil into the blender while the machine is running.  Add the sugar, salt, pepper and water and blend until incorporated.

To serve: slice the pork into 3/4-inch thick slices and transfer to a serving platter.  Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the pork and pass the remaining vinaigrette alongside the pork in a small dish.

Giada De Laurentiis recipe.

Asian Pork with Mushrooms- Slow Cooker

 

Photo and recipe from Skinny Taste

*Really delicious and tender.  I served it over brown rice, but I think it would be even better as an Asian taco like the taco trucks do.  All I would do differently next time is turn the roast over in the crock pot half way through cooking and not add the mushrooms (but I don't like mushrooms).  I would also probably not add the pork back to the sauce after shredding, but rather, just add the sauce to your rice and put the pork on top.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb lean boneless pork sirloin roast (aka pork center rib roast, pork center loin roast)
• kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
• Non-stick oil spray (I used Smart Balance spray)
• 1 cup low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (for gf use gf tamari)
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp agave (or sugar)
• 1 tsp hot sesame oil (aji oil)  (or use sesame oil + pinch red pepper flakes)
• 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice (I used McCormick)
• 3 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger root
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms (I used baby bella)

For topping:

• 1/4 cup chopped scallions
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

Season pork on all side with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat, spray with a little oil and brown the pork on all sides for about 7 - 8 minutes.
In the crock pot, combine the broth, soy sauce (or Tamari), balsamic, agave, sesame oil, Chinese five spice, garlic and ginger; add the pork and set the slow cooker to 8 hours on low.
Thirty minutes before the timer goes off, remove the pork and set aside to rest a few minutes; add the mushrooms to the crock pot, cover and cook on low for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, shred the pork using two forks.
When the mushrooms are tender, remove about 1 cup of the broth and reserve if needed. Add the shredded pork to the crock pot and mix well. If adding baby spinach, add at the end and cover a few minutes until it wilts. 

Barbacoa Pork- Slow Cooker

Photo & recipe from Skinny Taste

*If you forget to marinate the pork like I did, don't worry- I don't even think you need to...I just seared the pork on all sides then put it right in the crock pot with marinade ingredients and set it on high for 4 hours...I turned it over after 2 hours.

For the Marinade:

• 2.5 lbs pork loin roast, all fat trimmed
• salt and pepper
• garlic powder
• 6 oz Coke zero
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (unpacked)
• 1/4 cup water

Step 2

• 8 oz Coke zero
• 6 oz can sliced green chilies
• 8 oz tomato sauce
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp chipotle chili powder (to taste)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (unpacked)

Directions:

Season pork with salt, pepper and garlic powder and place in the crock pot. Add 6 oz of coke and 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Marinate refrigerated for a few hours or overnight turning meat at least once while marinating.

Remove crock from refrigerator, add water, and cook on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily). Remove pork from crock pot and discard any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork with two forks.

Step two: In the crock pot, combine 8 oz coke, green chilies, tomato sauce, chipotle chile, garlic powder, cumin, chipotle chili powder and remaining brown sugar.

Put shredded pork back in the crock pot and combine with sauce. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, cover and cook on high 1-1/2 hours more.