Cheater Pulled Pork

I call this Cheater Pulled Pork because I don’t have to fire up the meat smoker, the pork is cooked in the oven. That means I don’t have to spend hours tending to the meat smoker either. To get the smoky taste I desire, I use liquid smoke in the BBQ sauce which gives it that Hickory smoke touch. When used sparingly and with caution, liquid smoke is a great thing and can help recreate those summer BBQ flavors any time of the year.

cheater_pulled_pork_collage

 

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Cheater Pulled Pork
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
  • 1 – 3 ½ lb. bone-in pork shoulder, or pork butt
  • Olive oil to coat the meat
  • Dry rub to cover meat completely – use whatever favorite BBQ rub you like
  • 1 can of Coke
  • BBQ Sauce
  • 1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • ½ cup yellow or brown mustard
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 4 garlic cloves smashed
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp liquid smoke
Instructions
  1. Place meat in a medium to large roasting pan, coat entire piece of meat with olive oil, and sprinkle dry rub all over to cover meat entirely.
  2. Cover and put in fridge for at least 8 hours, overnight preferred.
  3. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 325º F.
  4. Take pork out of fridge, uncover, and pour in Coke.
  5. Cover and bake for 3 ½ hours. Prepare BBQ sauce during this time.
  6. In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine vinegar, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, garlic, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Simmer gently, for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take off the heat and let sit until pork is ready.
  7. Take pork out of oven and let cool enough so that you can handle it.
  8. Shred or ‘pull’ the pork either with your hands or with two forks.
  9. Pour ½ – ¾ of the BBQ sauce over the pulled pork, stir so that all the pork is coated.