Pulled Pork Poor Boy Style with Apple
Finnish-style pulled pork braised low and slow with apple juice, Thai chili sauce, mustard, and apple cider vinegar. Meat becomes tender and shreds easily after hours of simmering. Served with lime mayo, red onion, and cucumber for a casual, flavorful sandwich.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb pork shoulder with bone, trimmed
- 2 large onions, peeled and sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ⅛ oz apple juice
- 0.0 oz Thai chili saucesriracha1:1heat spice
similar heat level
- chili, to taste(optional)sriracha1:1heat spice
similar heat level
- 2 tablespoon mustard
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 0.0 oz soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- mayonnaise, seasoned with lime(optional)
- red onion, sliced(optional)
- cucumber, sliced(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Trim skin and excess fat from pork shoulder.
- 2
Sear meat in a hot pan until browned on all sides.
- 3
Peel and slice onions into thin strips.
- 4
Heat oil in a large pot and add onion slices to the bottom.
- 5
Place seared pork on top of onions.
- 6
Pour remaining ingredients and apple juice over pork until meat is covered.
- 7
Braise with lid partially open at low heat for three to four hours, until liquids begin to evaporate. Turn meat occasionally to prevent sticking.
- 8
Cool pot and refrigerate overnight.
- 9
Remove pork and shred with a fork. If excess sauce remains, simmer to reduce.
- 10
Mix sauce with shredded pork.
- 11
Heat pulled pork in pot or transfer to baking dish with sauce and bake at 225 C for 15 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.
Tips
Overnight refrigeration improves flavor and makes shredding easier.
Meat can be turned during cooking to ensure even braising if desired.
Good to Know
Refrigerate up to 4 days in airtight container. Freeze shredded pork with sauce up to 3 months.
Entire dish improves when made 1-2 days ahead. Braise through cooling step, refrigerate, then reheat in oven or pot.
Serve on bread or buns with lime mayo, red onion, and cucumber.
Common Mistakes
Do not cover pot completely to allow liquid to evaporate and concentrate flavor.
Do not skip the overnight rest to avoid tough, less tender meat.
Do not allow pork to stick to the bottom by stirring occasionally during long braise.