Having a crowd for a Super Bowl Party tomorrow? This is a recipe for you! Cook in the slow cooker during the day, and it's ready for kick-off when the party starts. Serve with a big bowl of cole slaw and whatever else you like.
No, this is not a pulled pork that you smoke lovingly over a charcoal fire stoked with mesquite, applewood or other fancy wood chips. But it's easy to pull together, and it cooks while you do other things. What makes it special is the BBQ sauce. The recipe for my favorite--from an old James Beard cookbook--follows.
Pulled Pork
1 piece of pork loin or pork shoulder/butt--whatever will fit in your slow cooker and will serve the crowd you're having
1 bottle root beer (diet works, too)
1 large onion, sliced
Hamburger buns, toasted
BBQ sauce (recipe follows)
Place pork in slow cooker along with onion. Add root beer to almost cover.
Cook on low for approximately 8 hours.
Remove pork from slow cooker. Remove fat (it should separate from the meat easily), and shred using two forks.
Drain liquid from slow cooker (reserve in case it's needed). Return pork to slow cooker with onions and enough BBQ sauce (recipe follows) to coat. (If the mixture is too thick, you can add some of the reserved liquid.)
Barbecue Sauce
2 medium onions, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup of tomato puree
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup beef stock
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup red wine
Saute chopped onions in olive oil until soft. Add all the rest of the ingredients, except wine, and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add wine and simmer for five minutes.
Serve pulled pork over toasted buns with extra BBQ sauce on the side.
Hope your team wins!
Note: This BBQ sauce is not as thick as the bottled stuff. You can also use a bottle of your favorite sauce, but this sauce is easy and really makes the pulled pork special!
Oh lovely, Peg/Meg. When I announced I would make spanakopita for Super bowl, my husband's face fell. I'm sure this would make him swoon:). And good luck with the book this week! xo
ReplyDeleteThanks Roberta! Good luck to you, too. Hubby wants me to make buffalo wings again like I did last time--the time I forgot to toss them in the extra hot sauce! He is not big on spicy foods! We have some pulled pork already made and ready to go!
ReplyDeleteSet two extra plates on the table, because Marc and I are coming to your house for Superbowl. Thank you for sharing this slow-cook recipe, and have a great game day.
ReplyDelete~ Cleo
Root beer? What an unexpected ingredient.
ReplyDeleteI love pork butt cooked until it falls into delicious bits.
Best wishes on the book.
Thanks, Libby!
ReplyDeleteI've got one sitting in my fridge right now, just waiting to cook. I don't know how I survived without a pulled pork recipe--so easy but so tasty. And the sauce sounds killer!
ReplyDeleteEasy and yummy. What a great recipe, not just for Super Bowl but any party or weekend meal. Thanks, Peg! Wishing you great sales for your two upcoming books!
ReplyDeleteDaryl /Avery
Sheila, the sauce is very, very good. James Beard knew what he was doing! Daryl, thanks and I wish you great sales with your upcoming books as well.
ReplyDeleteOh party on! What a fun recipe, Peg. And happy book and book to you.
ReplyDeleteXO
MJ