Hobnob Kitchen

We’ve been experiencing a bit of a weather event here in Central Texas, but today the sun is shining, the power is on, and all is well. I’ve been keeping the neighborhood birds happy with lots of seed and fresh water, and have had a chance for some kitchen puttering too.

I discovered a pork butt when I was going through my freezer evaluating what I might potentially lose if we happened to be without power for multiple days. Thankfully you don’t need to experience your own winter storm to make this delicious pork.

All you need is a pork butt, some seasonings, a few veggies, and some orange juice- yes, orange juice! The orange juice lends sweetness and a certain tartness to the tender meat. The Mc Cormick’s seasoning I mention in the recipe is a new favorite of mine, but you 100% do not need it- you can just use a mixture of 1 t. onion powder, 1. t .garlic powder, and 1 t. paprika instead.

Just so you know, I have zero affiliation with the company- just sharing a favorite.

So please pull that pork butt out of the freezer, or get one on your next grocery run- there’s nothing much better than a pulled pork sandwich on a cold day!

Best Pulled Pork

Ingredients

3-4 lb pork butt (or shoulder)

2 Tablespoons oil (for searing)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 – 2 Tablespoons McCormick Chipotle and Garlic seasoning, or a mix of onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 c. chicken broth (or water)

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup BBQ sauce, your favorite

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Trim pork of excess fat and cut into 4-5 pieces (if yours has a bone just leave that in.)
2. Generously sprinkle the seasonings over the pork and rub in to cover all surfaces.
3. Heat the 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add the meat and sear on all sides until light brown (just 3-4 minutes)
4. Add the vegetables and all the liquids.
5. Cover and cook in 325 degree oven for 2-3 hours. Check periodically for desired tenderness- you should be able to easily shred the pork with two forks.
6. Remove from oven, remove pork from cooking liquid and when slightly cooled, shred.
7. Strain the cooking liquid, then cool slightly and remove the layer of fat from the top of the liquid.
8. Add the liquid back into the pork (as much as you like) You can also add some of the veggies (which should be supersoft and cooked down) for a little extra flavor in the pork.