In my last pork recipe post I mentioned that the advice my father gave me when I left Perth for Sydney over 10 years ago was never to compromise on high quality ingredients when living away from home.
I always found this funny given the fact that this statement comes from a man who does not do any of the cooking in the household. But the more I ponder it, the more I realised that despite not doing the cooking at home he understood from his upbringing in country Italy, that high quality produce always delivered the best meals. He knew that I had been spoilt with a mother who cooked exceptional food with fresh produce grown in the garden, or bought from the Italian butcher. Since leaving home my fridge has always been resourced in the way that my mother’s fridge was and it is likely that this led me to starting Chew Town.
I’m excited to bring you another pork recipe featuring wonderful produce from Murray Valley Pork. It is something I really have been wanting to cook for a while – Slow Roasted Pulled Pork. The recipe is incredibly easy but needs a little bit of time and patience. Perfect for wintery weekends spent at home as the slow burn of the oven will also help to keep you warm and cosy.
To read more about Murray Valley Pork, head to their website where you can find a list of butchers stocking their exceptional pork products – seriously, this is the best pork I’ve ever had the pleasure of cooking with. For this recipe, you will need to buy a shoulder cut off the bone. Here is Chew Town’s handy pork cuts guide if you missed it last time.
Also, because I can’t help myself, in the time it took to slow roast this pork, I also made spelt flour buns, coleslaw and roasted tomato sauce to turn this slow cookin’ bad boy into pulled pork and slaw sambos – there are a few photos of those lovelies at the end of the post. I’ve already shared the roast tomato sauce recipe and I hope to perfect the spelt flour buns soon (they didn’t rise as much as I would have liked this time so need to recipe test a little more).
But for now, this pulled pork is exceptional entirely by itself. It starts with a spice rub that you grind and coat the pork in (see below), then all it takes is 5 hours in the oven with a bottle of cider and it comes out the other end juicy, tender and incredibly flavourful. It couldn’t be easier.
Slow Roasted Pulled Pork
- 2kg shoulder free-range pork, off the bone
- 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 3 whole dried arbol chillies, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- Handful fennel frond salt (or normal sea salt flakes)
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 355ml bottle dry apple cider
Preheat oven to 220° Celsius.
Remove the skin from the pork and either discard or use for crackling (I would always save to make pork scratchings - John from He Needs Food has a great recipe here)
In a mortar and pestle grind fennel seeds, peppercorns, chillies, garlic, coriander, cumin, smoked paprika and brown sugar until coarse and well combined - this will form your dry rub. Set aside.
Sprinkle the pork generously with fennel frond salt. Heat olive oil a large oven-proof casserole over medium high heat, and brown the pork on all sides. Remove pork from the casserole and using your hands, coat the pork in the dry rub making sure that you cover all surface area of the pork and get into all the little notches.
Drain the olive oil from the casserole and add the pork back in. Pour over the apple cider and then bake in the oven for 20 minutes uncovered. After 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 140° Celsius and cook for a further 5 hours or until the meat is incredibly soft and pulls apart when you touch it. If you need to add more liquid during the cooking, you can add more cider or water.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a large board. Taking a large fork, or two small forks, pull the pork apart till it is shredded.
Serving suggestions:
1. Serve as is on a bed of mashed potato
2. Stir roasted tomato sauce through the meat and serve in a fresh bun with coleslaw.
3. Use as a pie filling by putting in a pie dish with puff pastry and baking till golden
4. Go old school and use as a jaffle filling toasted with tasty cheese
Chew Town was not paid to develop this recipe, but was gifted the Pork from Murray Valley Pork, with thanks. If you would like to learn more about Murray Valley Pork visit the website or visit here for a list of butchers. To read Chew Town’s disclosure policy please visit the About page.
Pork shoulder has to be one of my favourite cuts of this glorious beast. And what a fine way for you to showcase it.
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I make something similar with pork but in the slow cooker. That slaw looks amazing – is the recipe on your site?
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Hi Alyssa, the Slaw isn’t on the site yet, but its super simple so I’ll put it up soon. x
I love pulled pork! It’s great when done in a smoker, but the oven works well, too. Lately I’ve been adding hickory-smoked salt to my spice rub — such a nice flavor! Good stuff — thanks.
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It would be amazing in a smoker! Sadly, we don’t have the space, but I would love one.
I love pulled pork. I admit that I never made it myself because I simply don’t have patience, but these photos reallllllllly make me want to give it a go!
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Looks fantastic!
Just makin’ your own spelt flour buns… as you do! Looks incredible. What time should I come over? 😉
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I love how you just whip up some spelt buns, coleslaw and roasted bloody tomato sauce. You are the machine! Pork looks amazing, completely drooling here.
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