Crock Pot Pulled Pork

If you remember last week's recipe, it was a delicious Brown Butter Cheese Sauce that would knock your socks off, and in the post I talked about some amazing Crock Pot Pulled Pork that pairs perfectly with said cheese sauce. Well, today, is your lucky day... The pork recipe is finally yours. 

Over the years my hubby and I have tried so many pulled pork recipes and we were never truly satisfied with any of them. That is, until we discovered a little secret. Do you want to know what that secret is? I don't know if you can handle it. It's a pretty big deal...

Okay, I'll tell you... But, only because I know that you can handle it. The secret to truly perfect pulled pork is pork ribs. Have you tried it? If you're sitting there saying to yourself "Duh! I've done that for years..." Then, you, sir or madam are inspiring and I tip my hat to you. If you're sitting there thinking "What madness is this?? You're crazy!" then I strongly urge you to try it immediately. The difference between using pork roasts and pork ribs is one that can only be described as monumental. The flavor is richer, porkier and so much more satisfying than anything you've tried before. 

Also, it goes perfectly over baked potatoes. With brown butter cheese sauce. And extra cheese. And BACON. And some chives or green onions to finish it off. {Don't forget the sour cream!}

So, instead of taking up more of your precious time talking about how your life will never be the same after you try this recipe and how you'll wish you could turn back the clock and get back all those precious years where you didn't have this delicious pork in your life... I'll just hand over the recipe ;)

Crock Pot Pulled Pork:

{Print Recipe}

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds country pork ribs (it's perfectly fine if they have bones -- you can remove them after they cook!)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup cola soda
• 1 cup sweet barbecue sauce (we use Sweet Baby Ray's original)

Directions:

Place pork in slow cooker and season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Pour in cola and beef broth. Cook on low setting for 7 hours, or until meat is tender and shreds easily. Remove meat, discard bones and excess liquid, shred meat and return to slow cooker. Add in your barbecue sauce, mix well and allow it to cook on low for an additional hour.

Serve it on rolls, over a baked potato, in a casserole, or whatever you choose! It's good no matter what you do with it! Enjoy!

Easy Slow Cooker Carnitas

So, last week was full of disappointments and sadness. The biggest of all was that my dad passed away on the 6th. He had been sick for a very long time and we were all expecting it, so it wasn't a huge surprise. He went peacefully and my mom was there comforting him the whole time. His funeral was on Thursday and it was just perfect for him -- full of music, funny stories, jokes and love. It couldn't have been better and more him.

Between all the funeral planning, family coming from out of town and just an overall busy week, I finally was able to get back in the kitchen yesterday and cook something for my family. I know they were pleased that dinner didn't come from a fast food bag and had ingredients that they could actually pronounce. I had like 3 pork loin roasts up in my freezer just begging me to use them... So, I did.  In order to cleanse our bodies from the greasy, overly-processed food we had to consume last week, I thought I would make something a little lighter and more "fresh," because fresh is good. Carnitas tacos with avocado and fresh pico de gallo! My stomach wasn't even sure how to react to this dinner because it was almost too fresh. 

As I'm typing this blog post, my 5-month-old son is currently "playing" on his play mat next to me. By "playing," I really mean that he is crying and screaming at me because I dared to put him down for 2 minutes. Yeah, he's in that phase right now. The phase where nothing, no matter what it is, will please him. Just mom. That's it. Not dad, not sister, not Sophie the squeaky giraffe -- just mom. So, because I can't possibly stand to listen to the saddest cry known to man, and because I can't hold him and type at the same time (he likes to grab the mouse, smack the keyboard and pull the cords) I must bid you adieu. Please enjoy this deliciously easy recipe for Carnitas that you can cook right in your CrockPot. Put it in there in the morning, forget about it, then remember it later, just in time to enjoy a tender, flavorful meat-filled taco, burrito or whatever you please.

Easy Slow Cooker Carnitas Recipe: 

{Print Recipe}

Ingredients:

• 2.5 pound pork loin roast
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup water

Instructions:

Combine spices and seasonings in a small bowl and rub mixture on pork roast. Place roast in slow cooker along with bay leaves, 1 cup beef broth and 1 cup water. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until roast is tender and shreds easily. Remove bay leaves, shred and serve.