Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork

July 25, 2011 by katie | 965 Comments

This weekend I made pulled pork. I had never done it before, but I saw a recipe for “Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork” on the Pioneer Woman’s blog that looked so simple, so easy and delicious, that I just had to try it out.

So, Saturday I went to the grocery store, got my supplies and tossed this thing together in the early afternoon. Then I sat back, watched movies, and enjoyed my house slowly filling up with beautiful scents of spice and sweetness and pork.

MMmmmm. Pork.

I didn’t take any pictures of this endeavor, as the pictures on the Pioneer Woman’s blog of this process are so killer. You have to check them out. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/03/spicy-dr-pepper-shredded-pork/

Not only was this recipe simple, it is delicious. I have so much pulled pork now, it is hard to know what to do with it! We’ve had pulled pork bbq sandwiches and quesadillas so far and I see nachos peeking over the horizon. The pulled pork you create here is a solid base for whatever you want! Toss it in a taco for mexican food or throw some bbq sauce on there for some more down south yumminess.

I followed this recipe spot on with two exceptions. 1. I had a 4 pound pork butt, so I only cooked it for 5 hours and 15 minutes. 2. After I pulled the pork out and shredded it, I took all the leftover sauce, chilis, and onions and I blended them into a single consistency sauce and I only added half of it back into the meat. Just enough to get it wet, not enough to drown it. I would recommend this method.

I have been at a loss to find great bbq in Seattle and I’ve missed pulled pork. With a recipe this easy, there is no excuse for anyone to have bad pulled pork again. Make your own. You’re going to love it.

Recipe: Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork

Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Cook Time: 6 Hours | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: a huge amount

Ingredients

1 whole Large Onion
1 whole Pork Shoulder (“pork Butt”) – 5 To 7 Pounds
Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 can (11 Ounce) Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce
2 cans Dr. Pepper
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Peel the onion and cut it into wedges. Lay them in the bottom of a large dutch oven.

Generously salt and pepper the pork roast, then set it on top of the onions in the pan.

Pour the can of chipotle peppers over the pork (include the sauce.) Pour in both cans of Dr Pepper. Add brown sugar to the juice and stir in.

Place lid tightly on pot, then set pot in the oven. Cook for at least six hours, turning roast two or three times during the cooking process. Check meat after six hours; it should be absolutely falling apart (use two forks to test.) If it’s not falling apart, return to the oven for another hour.

Remove meat from pot and place on a cutting board or other work surface. Use two forks to shred meat, discarding large pieces of fat. Strain as much of the fat off the top of the cooking liquid as you can and discard it. Return the shredded meat to the cooking liquid, and keep warm until ready to serve. (You can also refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove hardened fat once it’s cold. Then heat up the liquid on the stovetop and return the meat to the liquid to warm up.)

Serve on warm flour tortillas. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheese, avocado slices, salsa, and whatever else you’d like. Or, pour on some BBQ sauce and serve on a bun.

However you eat it, enjoy!