Martha Stewart's Favorite Recipes

Braised Pulled Pork Sandwich

Yield: 10 SERVINGS

Homemade Texas barbecue sauce and dry rub along with the red fruit and vanilla flavors of our 2017 Georges Vigouroux Hommage Merlot give this pulled pork incredible flavor. Searing in a Dutch oven followed by cooking in the oven at a low temperature makes for moist, tender meat every time. 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PORK

  • 8 to 10 pound bone-in Boston butt pork shoulder
  • 3 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Potato buns, for serving
  • Texas Barbecue Sauce, heated

FOR THE TEXAS BARBECUE SAUCE

  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/3 cup neutral tasting oil, such as safflower
  • 2 onions, diced (about 5 cups)
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
  • 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
  • 2 cans (28 ounce) crushed tomatoes, plus 2 1/2 cups reserved juice
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar, plus more to taste

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE TEXAS BARBECUE SAUCE

  1. Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add coriander and cumin seeds and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until fragrant and toasted, about 1 minute. Let cool, then grind in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
  2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent and tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, spices, molasses, and brown sugar; stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, reserved juice, and cider vinegar and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick and dark, about 1 hour.

  3. Let cool slightly then puree sauce in a blender. Add white vinegar and Worcestershire; puree until smooth. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper, and white vinegar. Sauce can be refrigerated up to 3 days in an airtight container; let cool completely before storing, and reheat over medium before serving.

FOR THE PORK

  1. Place pork shoulder on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 teaspoons black pepper, paprika, dry mustard, cumin, and cayenne. Rub pork with spice mixture, being sure to cover all sides. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  3. Remove pork shoulder from refrigerator and bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels. Heat a large Dutch-oven over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil. Add pork shoulder to Dutch-oven and sear, turning, until golden brown all over, about 4 minutes per side.
  4. Add 2 cups water to Dutch-oven and position pork shoulder fat-side up, and cover. Transfer to oven and cook until meat shreds easily with two forks, 5 to 6 hours. Baste with pan juices every hour.
  5. When cooked, remove from Dutch-oven and shred meat with two forks. Serve meat on buns with barbecue sauce.




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