Pulled pork in a dutch oven

[Delmonico]

Pulled Pork or Shredded Beef in a Dutch Oven

Meat that has been slow cooked till it is falling apart is sometimes called pulled because it can be pulled off a large piece, this is where we get the term ?Pulled Pork? for those sandwiches every BBQ joint has.   

Meat cooked this was is world wide and has many names, or version here follows the lines of what came out of the Carolinas, like every little BBQ joint, does, just do your own twist on it.   Although this dish dates back before Columbus on both sides of the hemisphere, I tend to do it on the day before the crowds show up to watch events, for a couple reasons.  It is easy to do, while setting up because it needs little tending, add a cobbler and the biscuits, still not much work and perhaps as important, one can keep the meat warm and people can be fed when they show up and need a meal. 

The other is to put it in plain blunt terms, everyone seems to be a BBQ expert, and if you cook it where the general tourist types can watch you the dish will be the center of attention, but not like you want it to be, because not only will you hear how they make it better at home with their smoker and grill or what ever they use, you will also get to hear about BBQ joints all over the country that make a really good pulled pork or what ever.   I learned that the first time I made it, for two people while setting up an event, heard all kinds of stories, but not offered samples for me to compare.     

The BBQ joint pulled pork sandwiches are smoked of course, one could smoke the meat for this before finishing, but that would involve more work and if made right they are very good with out being smoked.   It works just as well with beef brisket or simply pork shoulder.  Any oven of any size and depth will work, but it does need a lot of headspace so unless you are doing small amounts a deep will work best.

This will take 3-4 hours to do right, but the actual work is simple and doesn?t take much time itself so, I like to cook it for a meal the day before an event starts, a lot of folks show up the day before to get set up and this is one that can be kept warm or reheated for late comers. 

I start by searing my meat, as we learned elsewhere, this does not really seal in juices but it does add to the flavor.  I salt and pepper the meat, sear it and add a bit of water and some chopped onion, sometimes I add garlic if I have it.  I simmer that in a slow oven for 2-3 hours, till the meat is starting to fall apart (pull).   I then remove the lid and turn the heat up to evaporate almost all the liquid, this is better than draining because there is no loss of flavor.   

When the liquid is almost gone, I remove the oven from the coals and add what I want for sauce.  Any will work just use your favorite, either home made or store bought.  I most often just toss in some ketchup , a bit of mustard, either dry or prepared, some brown sugar or molasses and what ever spices hit my fancy in the box. 

I then place the oven on the ground with no coals on the bottom, heaping the lid with as many fresh hot coals as I can, then cook it the rest of the way with just a top heat, another hour is preferred. 

What I do is open the lid every 15 to 20 minutes and stir in the top layer that is starting to caramelize, then put the lid back on top.  This allows the caramelization to spread through all the meat.  I then simply serve it on biscuits. 

[Professor Marvel]

another one for Prof Mumbles recipe binder

and an odd question:
Can I use the dutch oven in my indoor electric oven , like an iron casserole dish?

tanx
prof marvel

[Delmonico]

Yep.