One of my go-to kitchen appliances in Australia was the slow-cooker. I picked one up for $50 dollars and it was a brilliant investment. Bizarre place to stumble across this as it gets so hot but it’s great for producing food for gatherings and once the initial preparation is done, it’s kind of set and forgot for the day. What’s better than a slow cooker……...an Instant Pot with slow cooker functionality. It’s my new favourite gadget and I used it for making this recipe. That being said, you don’t need any fancy appliances, you can do it in an oven at a low temperature but make sure to keep basting it; otherwise it will dry out and you miss out on all of the juicy goodness that you get from the slow cooking method.
Apples are normally paired with pork because the acid in the fruit helps break down the fat and aids digestion. I’m not sure that applies to the apple cider but the slaw certainly helps.
Ingredients
Pulled pork
1.3kg of pork shoulder
2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
Salt & pepper
4 tbsp of olive oil
Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
¾ bottle cider
4 tbsp apple cider vinegar (2 for the pork rub and 2 for the sauce)
3 tbsp paprika
1 brown onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp muscovado sugar
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp BBQ sauce
3 tbsp hot sauce
Salt & pepper
Beetroot & apple slaw
1 small red apple, chopped into match sticks or grated
1 beetroot, chopped into match sticks or grated
1 carrot, chopped into match sticks or grated
¼ red onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp of wholegrain mustard
1 tsp of mayonnaise
1 tbsp of lemon juice
1 tsp of maple syrup
Salt & pepper
Method
Meat Prep
1. Mix the oil, paprika and salt and pepper in a bowl.
2. You’ll need to get your hands dirty for this. Rub the apple cider vinegar onto both sides of the pork.
3. Rub the oil mixture into the pork. You could probably marinade the pork for a while, but I didn’t bother.
4. Heat a frying pan or if you are using an Instant Pot set it to sauté. Add in the olive oil and heat. Brown the pork on all sides and transfer to a plate or turn off the Instant Pot.
Sauce
1. Heat the frying pan to a medium heat and add the olive oil and allow to heat. Add in the onion and sauté until golden. Add in the garlic and fry for 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the sugar and cook for a minute of two to give the onions a little carmelisation.
3. Stir in apple cider vinegar and cook for another minute or two.
4. Stir in the tomato puree, hot sauce and BBQ sauce, once again cook for another couple of minutes.
5. Stir in the paprika.
6. Add in the cider, increase the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the sauce for 5 minutes. Season to taste.
7. Transfer the meat and the sauce to your cooking vessel (slow cooker, Instant Pot or roasting tray.
8. Slow cook for 6-7 hours until you can pull the pork apart. Shred it in the sauce, keeping it nice and juicy.
Slaw
Make this, just before you are ready to serve.
1. Mix all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk with a mini whisk or fork.
2. Add all the vegetable ingredients to a bowl and pour over the dressing.
Serve with your favourite bread, I used ciabatta but a brioche or any roll will do. As an additional side, make some corn on the cob with a little bit of paprika butter.
I used an old school vintage cider called Henry Weston’s Cloudy Vintage. It’s full bodied, and I would say earthy. It pairs well with the sweetness of the sauce. Cheers