The sun is shining which can only mean one thing…pulled pork!

Chef, cookery school owner, SN member and mother of four (phew!), Flora Gordon Clark, is back with another of her tried and tested delicious family meals. 

Pulled pork with BBQ sauce

If you haven’t got a bbq but like a smokiness in your pulled pork then add about 2tsp of liquid smoke to the meat just before you turn down the heat. This is not as worryingly unhealthy as it may seem as liquid smoke is not filled with chemicals but made from condensed hickory smoke. You could also add 1 tbsp to the sauce.

ingredients:

• 1.6kg shoulder of pork
• 1 ½ tbsp sea salt flakes + extra
• 2 tbsp dark molasses sugar
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
• ¼ tsp olive oil

For the sauce:

• 30g butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 125ml tomato ketchup
• 65g tomato paste
• 125ml cider vinegar
• 65ml water
• 125g soft light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp Tabasco
• juice of 2 lemons
• 1 tsp sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp blackstrap molasses (optional but will add a really smoky flavour)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220C.
2. Line a roasting tray with tin foil (large enough to fold over the top of the pork later).
3. Pat the skin and meat dry with a paper towel.
4. Mix the sea salt flakes, dark molasses sugar and smoked paprika together in a small bowl.
5. Rub half into the pork meat. Reserve the other half for later.
6. Rub the ¼ tsp of olive oil into the skin of the pork and sprinkle over a couple more pinches of sea salt flakes.
7. Place in the oven and cook for about 45 minutes until well browned and beginning to crackle.
8. Remove from the oven  and turn down the heat to 125C.
9. Pour over the liquid smoke if using.
10. Fold the foil over the top of the park to make a sealed parcel.
11. Place back in the oven for 5 hours or until the meat is soft enough to shred using a spoon!
12. Pour off the juices and reserve.
13. Turn the heat back up to 220C and return the pork to the oven uncovered.
14. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the crackling is crisp.
15. Remove from the oven and seal the pork in the tin foil once again. Allow to rest of half an hour.
16. Now shred the meat using two forks and cut up the crackling. If possible eat the next day!
17. Add the remaining half of the seasoning and the juices from the tray and stir in.
18. Meanwhile make the BBQ sauce:
19. Put the butter in a pan with the oil.
20. Add the onion, celery stalks and crushed garlic and stir.
21. Cook over a medium heat until soft.
22. Now add the ketchup, tomato paste, cider vinegar, water, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and lemon juice to the pan.
23. Add the sea salt flakes and several grinds of black pepper and the blackstrap molasses if using.
24. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
25. Blend if you would like a smooth sauce.

Serve warmed through and on white rolls with the BBQ sauce.

View more of Flora’s recipes including Mint Choc Chip Ice Cream and sweet potato-base spinach quiche

To learn more about Flora’s cookery school visit her website here