The Easiest Pulled Pork Ever (paleo, slow cooker)
Happy New Year, friends! I hope you all had a fun and relaxing end to 2014. We enjoyed a fabulous staycation here with my sister who came to visit us from Seattle, and we've been slowly getting back into the swing of normal life. This last week I spent a good chunk of time making some changes to my website that I hope will make for easier navigation, and a more streamlined experience. It's still a work in progress, so if you have any requests or comments, I would love to hear from you. As always, I have been experimenting with creating recipes in the kitchen, and here is one of my new favorites: The Easiest Pulled Pork Ever.
This has got to be one of the easiest and most delicious meat dishes that I've ever made. It takes just 5 minutes of prep time, and then it cooks all night while you are sleeping. I started this slow cooker pulled pork for the first time one evening last week, and the house smelled amazing when I woke up the next morning. The meat was so tender and juicy that it completely fell apart when I barely nudged it with my fork. Yum! Felix and I were so into it that we shared a big bowl of pulled pork for breakfast alongside some steamed broccoli and roasted sweet potatoes. Unconventional, I know, but it was delicious! This succulent meat would also be the perfect filling for tacos or burritos, or served alongside some rice and sauteed greens. I bet it would also be great under some melted cheese on a yummy sandwich with pickled veggies, or for a lighter meal, on top of a mixed salad with chopped apples and a gingery apple cider vinaigrette. Whichever way you decide to enjoy your slow cooker pulled pork, I hope you make some soon, and please let me know how it turns out!
INGREDIENTS:
One 2 1/2 -3 pound boneless pork shoulder
1 cup sliced yellow or white onion
5 cloves fresh garlic, roughly chopped
2 inch chunk of fresh ginger, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
4 whole cardamom pods (omit for Autoimmune Protocol)
1/4 cup water
1-2 tsp red Hawaiian salt, pink Himalayan salt, or any sea salt. The amount will depend on the size of your pork shoulder as well as your preference. I used 2 tsp coarse red Hawaiian salt for a 3 pound piece of meat and it was perfect.
15 turns of the pepper mill (omit for AIP)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Variation: If you are able to tolerate tomatoes, a tasty alternative to this simple recipe is to add a tablespoon of tomato paste and 2 teaspoons of ground cumin. Mix well, and turn the pork shoulder a few times to coat before cooking.
DIRECTIONS:
Place the onions, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, apple cider vinegar, and water in the bottom of your slow cooker pot and give it all a stir. Lay the pork shoulder on top of the onion and spices, then sprinkle with the sea salt and freshly ground pepper and turn the pork shoulder a few times to coat. Cover, and let it cook on low for 8-10 hours. Use a fork to gently pull the meat apart, and remove the whole spices before serving.
