Pork

Lazy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Let your slow cooker do all the work with this easy “dump and start” pulled pork. Minimum effort, maximum yum!

Serves 4
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 8 hours
Total 8 hours

Have you ever had one of those moments when you open the fridge and realise that not one but several items are past the ‘best by’ date? I have to admit I am guilty of that especially since starting a new job and spending much less time in the kitchen.

I hate wasting food and hate wasting money even more so in an effort to never be in that situation again we have installed a blackboard in the kitchen.

All major items are listed in order of expiry date and the kids take great pleasure in crossing things off as we eat them. Such a simple thing and yet remarkably effective not just as food saver but as a meal planner as well. I am mentally kicking myself for not doing this a lot sooner!

Recipe

Slow cooker 'dump and start' pulled pork

Let your slow cooker do all the work with this easy 'dump and start' pulled pork recipe.

Serves 4
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 8 hours
Total 8 hours

Ingredients

For the red cabbage slaw

½ medium red cabbage
2 carrots (, peeled)
1 small firm apple ((optional))
1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp runny honey
½ tbsp light olive oil ((or mayonnaise - see method))
pinch chili flakes
salt and pepper to taste

For the pulled pork

2 lb (900g) pork shoulder
14 oz (400g) can of crushed pineapple in natural juice
2 onions (, peeled and roughly chopped)
3 garlic cloves (, crushed)
1 bell pepper ((any color), roughly chopped)
2 red chilies (, deseeded and roughly chopped)
⅓ cup (80ml) low sodium soy sauce or teriyaki sauce
3 tbsp ketchup
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 tsp cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Juice of half a lemon
1 tsp Tabasco
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tsp cornstarch ((= cornflour), diluted in a little cold water)

Method

1
Add chopped vegetables and pineapple (reserve the juice) in the slow cooker.
2
Season the pork with salt and pepper and nestle among the other ingredients fat side up.
3
Mix together the soy sauce, pineapple juice, ketchup, honey, brown sugar, oil, vinegar, mustard, lemon juice and Tabasco and pour over the pork.
4
Cook on the low setting 6-8 hours (overnight is fine). Remove the pork from the slow cooker, discard the fat and shred using two forks. Cover and set aside.
5
Strain contents of the slow cooker into a pot and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the cornflour. Leave the sauce to simmer away until slightly thickened then pour most of it over the pork.
6
Serve on brioche buns topped with the red cabbage slow.

Make the red cabbage slaw

7
Shred the cabbage, carrots and apple in a food processor or grate them with a box grater.
8
Place in a bowl together with the remaining ingredients and toss together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9
If you prefer your slaw with mayonnaise then skip the olive oil and add a few tablespoons of light mayo instead.

Notes

If you would like to remove the fat from the juices then place in a container and put in the fridge for a few hours. The fat will solidify and you can skim it off.