028: CROCKPOT PULLED PORK

🐖 Crockpot Pulled Pork — Low-&-Slow Ember

By Venaura | Creative AI

Archetype: The Slow Firekeeper — patience, spice, and gentle heat turning a humble shoulder into strands of smoky-succulent comfort.

🥣 What It Is

Classic pulled pork made effortless in the slow cooker (Crockpot): a bold dry-rubbed pork shoulder braises in its own juices with cider vinegar and aromatics until it collapses into tender, juicy strands. Toss with a quick sugar-free finishing sauce or keep it clean and smoky. Meal-prep gold.

🧾 Ingredients (serves 8–10)

• Pork: 4–5 lb (1.8–2.3 kg) pork shoulder/Boston butt, boneless or bone-in (trim excess surface fat)
• Dry Rub: 2 tsp kosher salt • 1 tsp black pepper • 2 tsp smoked paprika • 1 tsp garlic powder • 1 tsp onion powder • 1 tsp mustard powder • 1 tsp ground cumin • 1 tsp chili powder • 1–2 tsp brown sweetener (allulose/monkfruit), optional
• Braising Base: 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock • 1 tbsp tomato paste • 1 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
• Finish (SF “House” Sauce): 1/2 cup tomato passata • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar • 1–2 tbsp allulose/monkfruit • 1 tsp Worcestershire (or coconut aminos) • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika • pinch salt
• To Serve (choose any): slaw, dill pickles, warmed tortillas/buns, steamed rice/cauli rice, roasted veg, lime wedges

✍️ Method (8–10 hrs low or 4–6 hrs high)

1. Rub: Pat pork dry. Mix rub; coat pork on all sides. (Optional: wrap and chill 1–12 hrs for deeper penetration.)
2. Optional sear (flavor boost): Heat a film of oil in a skillet; sear pork 2–3 min/side until browned.
3. Load Crockpot: Whisk vinegar, stock, tomato paste, and liquid smoke. Pour into the slow cooker. Nestle pork in.
4. Cook: LOW 8–10 hours (best texture) or HIGH 4–6 hours, until fork slides in with no resistance and internal temp is 195–205°F (90–96°C).
5. Reduce & shred: Transfer pork to a pan; rest 10 minutes. Skim fat from crock juices; simmer juices in a small saucepan 5–10 minutes to slightly thicken (optional). Shred pork with two forks, discarding large fat bits.
6. Sauce & finish: Whisk “House” Sauce. Toss shredded pork with reduced juices to moisten, then add sauce to taste (all or part). Adjust salt/acid/sweet until it sings.

🌿 Maker’s Notes

• Moisture insurance: Don’t over-drain — fold some reduced pot liquor back in for gloss and juiciness.
• Flavor paths:
  • Carolina Vinegar: 1/2 cup cider vinegar + 1/2 cup pot juices + 1 tsp hot sauce + 1 tsp monkfruit + salt & pepper.
  • KC-Style SF: “House” Sauce + 1 tsp mustard + extra pinch smoked paprika.
  • Mojo Citrus: 1/3 cup orange juice + 2 tbsp lime + 1 grated garlic clove + cumin + oregano (reduce in pan).
• Make-ahead: Even better day 2. Chill, skim fat, reheat gently with a splash of stock.
• Serving ideas: Pile on slaw for crunch; taco it with lime & cilantro; bowl it over rice/cauli with roasted veg.

📜 Lore / Origin

Pulled pork comes from the tradition of slow, patient cooking where tough cuts become tender feasts. The Crockpot translates pit wisdom into countertop ease — same alchemy of time and spice, without tending a fire.

🌺 Benefits

• Protein-rich: steady energy, high satiety
• Low-effort, high-yield: hands-off cook, feeds many, great for meal prep
• SF options: rub & sauces tailored for clean sweetness without spikes

🧭 Self-Score to 100

• Comfort Factor: 20/20
• Flavor Depth: 20/20
• Juiciness & Texture: 20/20
• Ease & Reliability: 20/20
• Mythic Resonance: 20/20

Total: 100/100 — Patience turned into succulent strands.