Best Herb Rub Oven Braised Pulled Pork Recipes

BRAISED PULLED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Place pork shoulder on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, paprika, dry mustard, cumin, and cayenne. Rub pork with spice mixture, being sure to cover all sides. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Remove pork shoulder from refrigerator and bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels. Heat a large Dutch-oven over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil. Add pork shoulder to Dutch-oven and sear, turning, until golden brown all over, about 4 minutes per side.
• Add 2 cups of water to Dutch-oven and position pork shoulder fat-side up, and cover. Transfer to oven and cook until meat shreds easily with two forks, 5 to 6 hours. Baste with pan juices every hour.
• When cooked, remove from Dutch-oven and shred meat with two forks. Serve meat on buns with barbecue sauce.

CIDER BRAISED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Pat pork dry with paper towels; season liberally with salt and pepper on all sides.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the pork on all sides, taking care not to get the oil too hot. Remove the meat to a platter.
• Add onions and garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender (about 10-15 minutes). Stir in 1 ½ teaspoons salt, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, apple cider and chicken broth. Nestle the pork shoulder in the pot (fat-side up). Cover the pot.
• Roast the pork shoulder in a 325°F oven for about 3-3 ½ hours, basting with cooking liquid every hour or so (if possible). The pork is done when the meat is falling off the bone (an internal temperature of about 205°F). Remove bay leaf and herb stems.
• Transfer the pork to a large cutting board. When it's cool enough to handle, shred the meat with two forks (discarding fatty pieces), and spoon plenty of that delicious cider cooking liquid and onions over top.

HERB RUB OVEN-BRAISED PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine the sage, thyme, salt, and rosemary. Rub the mixture over all sides of the meat, pressing it to adhere (if the meat is tied together with twine or netting, just rub the seasoning right over it). In a large Dutch oven or large ovenproof skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the pork and brown on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.
• Add the broth to the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Bring the broth to a boil, and then return the pork to the pan. Cover and bake until the pork is very tender, 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours.
• Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let rest 10 to 15 minutes. Use two forks to shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Moisten/season with cooking juices to taste.

HERB RUB OVEN-BRAISED PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine the sage, thyme, salt, and rosemary. Rub the mixture over all sides of the meat, pressing it to adhere (if the meat is tied together with twine or netting, just rub the seasoning right over it). In a large Dutch oven or large ovenproof skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the pork and brown on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.
• Add the broth to the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Bring the broth to a boil, and then return the pork to the pan. Cover and bake until the pork is very tender, 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours.
• Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let rest 10 to 15 minutes. Use two forks to shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Moisten/season with cooking juices to taste.
• Serving Suggestions.
• If you like, you can make this a stovetop braise, slowly simmering it on the stovetop instead of in the oven. And feel free to experiment with the amounts and types of herbs, or use your favorite herb blend. Enjoy the pork in pulled pork risotto, added to a grilled cheese sandwich, or piled on top of a big green salad.
• Nutrition per serving: Calories: 320; Fat: 21g; Saturated Fat: 7g; Cholesterol: 95mg; Sodium: 570mg; Carbohydrate: 0g; Protein: 30g; Fiber: 0g.

SLOW ROAST PORK SHOULDER WITH HERB RUB

Steps:

• Mix together herbs, garlic, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon sea salt and crushed peppercorns.
• Untie the pork if rolled. In a large bowl, thoroughly dissolve 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar in 2 quarts of cold water. Add bay leaves and 2 tablespoons of herb mixture. Place pork in a container or strong sealable bag and add this brine to completely cover. Cover or seal well and chill for from 8 hours to overnight.
• Remove the pork from the brine (discard the brine) and dry thoroughly. Cover with the remaining herb mixture, patting it in all over, then use kitchen twine to roll up pork and secure it tightly.
• Heat the oven to 225 degrees. Prepare a triple layer of aluminum foil large enough to comfortably enclose the pork. Put the rolled pork on the foil, skin/fatty side up. Gather the foil, scrunching it over to form a loose but well-sealed parcel. Place in a roasting pan in the oven. Take the first check for the internal temperature after 8 hours. For very tender meat that can be sliced, it should be 160 degrees and will probably take 10 hours. Check more often if needed. For a "pulled pork" consistency, the internal temperature should be 200 degrees and it will take about 12 hours.
• Rest the meat 20 minutes before unwrapping completely. Warm the applesauce and the rolls. Slice the pork not too thin (removing the twine as you go) and put in the sliced rolls with some of the cooking juices and lots of applesauce.