16-Hour Pulled Pork

I never gave the pork shoulder roast much consideration until this year. Aside from the fact that I was a vegetarian for many years, it always looked so fatty and unappealing. This year, some of my food phases and choices of the past have given way to the bottom line. Yes, money.

I found a way to cook this cheap piece of meat, which makes it tender, juicy, and so flavorful. Also, easy to pull away from the fatty parts I don't want to eat. I use an intensely flavored rub, then cook it in the crockpot for a l-o-n-g time. A nice crispy crust even forms on the outside just like cooking it over fire. The only thing missing is a smoky flavor, which I supposse could be introduced with a bit of Liquid Smoke, but I'm personally not a fan of that product.

I have just made this for the fourth time this year and we've had a pork-a-thon for a few days each time. Yesterday, I made pulled pork and slaw sandwiches, which is how my cherry poblano slaw factored in. Today, I'm going to make pork enchiladas. For other pork-outs this year, I have made pork pie with apples and cheese, egg rolls, pork stir fry, pork fried rice, pork and peach empanadas. I have used this pork to season a pot of pinto beans, with delicious results.

Spice Rub for Pork
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. mustard powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1/2 tsp. dried red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 dried thyme

Stir all ingredients together very well. Trim all visible fat from a 6 pound pork shoulder roast (aka boston butt). Rub the spice mixture all over it very well, and let rest for about an hour. Place into a crockpot, set on low, and cook for 16 hours. I usually put this on to cook, late at night, before I go to bed and it will be ready for dinner the next day.

It was a pulled pork BBQ sandwich that broke me from my vegetarianism at the end of a very trying weekend.