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 round flavors of a Merlot gives 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- 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.
- 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.
- When cooked, remove from Dutch-oven and shred meat with two forks. Serve meat on buns with barbecue sauce.
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