Pulled pork deliciousness!

Pork.  VERY controversial!  I've read articles that say that ALL pig meat is bad for humans, then some that say it's OK and others that point to only some people having issues with it.

IF you eat pork (I do)... here's a nice way to prepare pulled-pork using a crock-pot that I came up with after researching how to do it online.  There was just SO much advice that I finally stopped reading and researching and just MADE it.

Ingredients:
1 Pork roast - whatever size fits in your crock-pot!
7-10 garlic cloves - peeled and the larger ones cut in half length-wise
sea salt and pepper
apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg's organic)
BBQ sauce (you can make yourself or find some that fit your "rules"... mine is NO HFCS or GMO ingredients)

Start with a decent cut of pork... I use pork shoulder with the bone still in.  I have used pork butt and other chunks of pork meat, but my favorite is the shoulder.  Of course, in a perfect world, I'd buy from a sustainable farmer who really feeds their pigs well... but, on the budget we have, that only happens once in a blue moon.

Next... LEAVE ON THE FAT!!  I have tried this in cutting off EVERY single scrap of fat before (the hubby can NOT stand fat) and it does NOT cook well at all.



Slice small cuts into the meat and insert a garlic clove on both sides of the roast.

Place into crock-pot and salt/pepper one side, flip and salt/pepper the other side.

Add approx 1/2 - 3/4 cup vinegar.  Don't worry if it seems like it's not enough as the juices will FLOW while cooking and it'll appear to multiply!










Turn the crock-pot on low setting and leave alone for 3 hours, minimum.

Turn over at that point and cook at least 3 more hours.

Check for ability of it to just tear apart with your fork at the 6 hour mark.  It might need 1-2 more hours.

This one was ready at 7 hours.  I then removed most of the liquid and preserved it in a 2 cup measuring cup.  Next, cut off the HUGE layer of fat on the side.  You can leave it and eat it, but this was NOT from a reputable farmer and I'm loathe to eat the fat from a pig who eats conventionally.  So, off it came and into the garbage.  Remove the bone and shred right in the crock-pot.

Some cooks recommend shredding the pork on a cutting board, but I'm all about the LEAST amount of clean up possible; so inside the pot is fine by me!






Here's what the pork looks like at this point.  I've added back in some of the juices that were taken out and saved in my measuring cup... still a little dry appearing, so I added more back.  Then, the family REALLY likes BBQ sauce, so I add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of that and place the rest on the table for them to add more, if necessary.





GREAT EATS!!

Serving:  For the hubby (NOT gluten-free or Paleo/Primal), he eats it on a bun... for the son and myself?  We just eat it with a fork!!  I usually cook up some roasted veggies like cauliflower and broccoli to go along with this and a mixed garden salad.

ENJOY!!