Pulled pork seasoning

Slow-cooked meat is no new thing, but there’s something about US-style pulled pork that has piqued our appetites in a big way. Our kitchen team sat down with their best Stetsons on to pulled pork seasoning up with our ultimate cooking tips.

Would we dare serve our version to a South Carolinan? Once you’ve got to grips with the method, test out our best ever pulled pork recipes for mouth-watering dishes. What is the best cut of meat for pulled pork? Pork shoulder is ideal for pulling purposes. It has an optimum fat content that yields to create tender, melty meat, but it’s essential you cook it slowly to allow the protein to break down properly. Take it out of the oven too early and you may as well dine on a pair of wellies. Try our easiest ever pulled pork reipe, with no tricky measurements or unusual ingredients involved.

Pork shoulder that’s due to be pulled should always be skinless to allow the flavours to permeate. You might be of the belief that marinade equals juiciness, but in the case of pulled pork the tenderness and flavour is created using a dry rub of spices, sugar and salt. Need a quick recipe you can whip up in five minutes? The heavenly triumvirate of salt, sugar and paprika gives you a subtle flavour that allows the pork to sing with its own pure flavour, and for you to get more creative with your serving sauces. However, if you want to ramp up the flavour during cooking, food editor Cassie recommends adding garlic powder, mustard powder, cayenne pepper or cumin to your dry rub. Make sure you rinse it off thoroughly before putting it in the oven with the spices of your choice or you’ll have super-saline meat, and not in a good way. Before putting it in the oven, she pours water in the bottom of the tin, then wraps the whole thing tightly in foil to allow a steamy micro-atmosphere to form, safeguarding against dreaded dry meat syndrome.

Barney says it’s ready to be taken out when it can be easily pulled apart using a fork. Discard any fatty bits and be careful not to over-shred it, so leave some nice big chunks of meat intact to cater for personal preference. If you’ve followed Jennifer’s water bath technique, you should be left with some lovely cooking liquor from the water evaporating and meldling with the porky cooking juices. Drain this from the pan and leave it to cool, then skim off the excess fat and mix it with a piquant, US-style sweet barbecue sauce. Assistant food editor Miriam says pulled pork is best served with sweet bread. Our homemade brioche buns can take up to three hours to fully prepare, fully rise and bake, but as an enriched, slightly sweet, super moist bun, they can’t be beaten. But if you’re lucky enough to utilise the garden grill, you can use the flames to finish off pulled pork.