Pickley Pulled Pork

Serves 6 - 8, Cooking Time: 4.5 to 5 hours

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow onion

• 1 head garlic

• 1/3 cup pickling spice (see hednote above if making your own)

• Two (16-ounce) jars baby dill pickles

• 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

• Kosher salt

• One (5-pound) piece boneless pork shoulder

Directions

1. MAKE SPICE BLEND AND RUB PORK:

• To make the pickling spice, combine:

  • 12 allspice berries

  • 3 bay leaves

  • 1 heaping tablespoon coriander seeds

  • 1 heaping tablespoon fennel seeds

  • 1 scant tablespoon caraway seeds

  • 1 heaping teaspoon mustard seeds

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns

  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 1 teaspoon cloves

  • 1 teaspoon dill weed

    Place in a spice grinder or large mortar and pestle and grind until coarsely ground. If you don’t have all of the above spices, don’t fret! Just use as many spices as you’ve got on hand. (Just try not to snooze on the dil weed, which is what will give this pork a subtle dill pickle-y flavor.)

• Put pickling spice blend in a medium bowl and add 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine.

• Using a large chef’s knife, cut deep slits into one 5-pound piece boneless pork shoulder, creating pockets for the spice blend.

• Rub the spice blend all over the meat and into the slits. Let sit at least 1 hour at room temperature– ideally longer!!-- or up to 2 days in advance, lightly covered in the fridge.

2. COOK PORK:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.

• Quarter 1 large yellow onion and separate 1 head garlic into cloves (No need to peel). Add to a large Dutch oven or roasting pan, along with the pork, fat side up. Pour the pickle brine from two (16-ounce) jars baby dill picklesaround the pork and add ½ cup water. (The liquid level should reach about ⅓ of the way up the sides of the pork; add water in ¼-cup increments if necessary.) Reserve the pickles for later.

• Cover (or wrap tightly with aluminum foil) and transfer to the oven. Roast for 30 minutes.

• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue roasting.

• Baste after two hours.

• Add reserved pickles at the 3 hour mark and baste.

• Baste on the 4 hour mark. Add a splash of water if the liquid looks like it’s evaporating or if the bottom of the pot is burning.

• Continue to roast until pork is incredibly tender when pulled apart with two forks, about 4.5 - 5 hours.

3. SHRED AND ROAST:

• Shred the pork into large, 2-inch pieces, nestling the meat back into the braising liquid and fat.

• Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees and roast, uncovered, stirring gently every 15 minutes, until liquid is reduced and pork is deeply browned and crisping around the edges, about 25-40 minutes, depending on how much liquid you had to begin with.

4. SERVE:

• Pour or spoon off any lingering fat from the pot or roasting pan. Taste the meat and season with salt, stirring gently to ensure all meat is well-salted. Serve as you like: as sliders, in hot dog buns, in charred tortillas with sour cream, or as a side all on its own. Just don’t forget to spoon all of the juices on top of everything and to serve up the pickles, too!