Pulled pork is traditionally made with pork shoulder. The reason it is called pulled pork is because, after slow cooking it for hours at low temperature, it softens so much that it is “pulled” easily into portions.

Ingredients (4 portions)

1 kg pork shoulder

Salt, pepper

Oil for frying

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp. tomato paste

200 ml tomato sauce

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. cider vinegar

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

4 buns for serving

BBQ sauce to serve

Potatoes, ready to fry 

Method

Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat and brown pork on all sides. Transfer to the slow cooker.

Add the onions, garlic, chili powder and bay leaves to the pan and sauté for a few minutes, loosening any browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Add 1/4 cup water to help loosen all the flavourful bits and pour everything over the pork in the slow cooker.

Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until pork is very tender. With two forks, shred or “pull” pork. Pour off excess liquid if there is too much, and add a few shakes of barbecue sauce to moisten. Serve warm, on split buns or brioche buns, with additional barbecue sauce passed at the table and of course delicious fries!