Savory Pulled Pork

Barbecuing pork shoulder (or the Boston Butt, as it's called) is an art in and of itself, and to truly do it right, you have to have the right equipment, the right technique and a lot of time.  This recipe is a good way to circumvent all of that work.  It isn't barbecue but it can stand on its own as a delicious pork dish.  On the other hand, it can be shredded and tossed with barbecue sauce and eaten that way.  It won't be quite as good as real barbecued pulled pork, but it'll do when you don't have the time to drive over to North Carolina and get some. 

I personally eat this dish with some of its savory gravy and a dash or two of malt vinegar, and with a salad on the side.  This is great, hearty Sunday dinner type of fare.  The recipe was found by my Number One fan in an AOL cooking site, called Kitchen Daily.

Ingredients

4 lb boneless pork shoulder roast
3 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
2 red onions, peeled and quartered
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into one-inch chunks
3 celery sticks, cut into one-inch chunks
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 cup dry red wine
2-1/2 cups chicken stock (like Swanson's or Kitchen Basics)
1 small bunch of fresh thyme sprigs
1 orange, quartered
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
salt & pepper

The Recipe

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Sprinkle the pork shoulder with salt and pepper, and heat the oil in a Dutch oven until at the smoking point.  Sear the pork on all sides until it is evenly browned, about five minutes per side.  Transfer the pork roast to a warm platter.

Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic to the pot and cook until the vegetables are slightly brown, about five minutes.  Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half,  de-glazing the pot and scraping up all the crusty bits.  Return the pork to the Dutch oven, then add the stock, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns and the orange quarters.  Bring the liquid to a boil and then tightly cover.

Put your cooking vessel into the preheated oven and cook four hours.  Remove the pork shoulder from the oven and from its braising liquid, and allow to stand for 30 minutes covered in aluminum foil.

You can then place the pork shoulder in a pan and shred it with a pair of forks.  Toss it with barbecue sauce if you like and serve on toasted hamburger buns with cole slaw on the side. But this dish is delicious on its own when served with some of the strained braising liquid and a shake or two of malt vinegar.