Serves 4-10+
Level of difficulty 2.75
Procedure:
Cut at least 2 lb/1 Kg of the chilled (40 F/4 C), smoked roast into large pieces–approximately 4 oz/120 g each. This is not essential, but it makes it easier to shred the meat at the end of the procedure.
Preheat the sous vide bath to
183 F/84 C.
Note: This unusually high sous vide temperature replicates the effect of traditional pulled pork processing methods–crock pot, skillet, or the smoker itself.
Stage the chilled, smoked pork chunks into heat rated vacuum bags.
Process in the 183 F/84 C bath for a minimum of two hours. Remove the pouches from the bath, cut a corner and drain out the juices. Set aside. Finish opening the bags and stage the pork into the Kitchenaid type mixer with paddle. Mix for a few seconds only, just long enough to pull apart the hot meat. That alternative is to use a fork or pulled pork comb–the meat will be fully cooked, so be careful not to over shred.
Adjust the seasonings to your liking–if you want a little extra kick, you can add a little bit of your favorite rub, Dark Side BBQ sauce, Frank’s RedHot sauce, or any of the other myriad variations on this glaze/coating/slather–Tabasco, etc. Add the juices harvested from the bag AFTER mixing so as not to over-dissolve the meat. My French training from many years ago inclines me to add a little butter as well, depending on the fat content of the juices. Set aside.
Assembly:
Combine the ingredients in the coleslaw list. Set aside.
Toss the scallions with salt and pepper, coat with a few drops of oil and set aside. Do the same with the asparagus. Heat the skillet to 350 F/176 C. Lay the scallions flat in the bottom of the pan and sizzle for thirty seconds. Turn the scallions, and remove from the pan. Add the asparagus, sizzle for thirty seconds, reduce the burner to medium. Stir and continue to saute for thirty seconds. Set aside. Butter the buns and toast in the pan until brown–just a few seconds. Use tongs to assemble the sandwiches and dig in!
Galette potatoes take a little bit of doing–and time. They are almost like potato chips, stuck together to form a circle that is then cut into wedges. Old fashioned potato chips are the more logical companion, but sometimes I just can’t help myself.
There are lots of logical companions for pulled pork–macaroni and cheese, baked or bbq beans, etc. I always add coleslaw to the list first–even before potatoes.
Pulled pork is more than a sandwich.
It doubles as an entree–and what could be a better old fashioned accompaniment than mac and cheese?
Flavor and texture profiles like this are under rated and should be taken more seriously–it’s not only an ethnic thing. There’s really nothing like it!
Happy Pulling!
Norm King