Directions: |
Directions:STEP 1: Get the Pork and Let It Thaw. First you need a good boston butt. If it's frozen, you can thaw it out in about 5 hours by putting it in a tub of water. This will keep it cold and thaw it quicker than in the fridge. At any rate, you want to start with a thawed piece of pork. One other note, you can use other cuts of pork, but the boston butt is usually the cheapest. STEP 2: Prepare the Dry Rub. Take your boston butt and look at it. Imagine how much mustard you would need to cover it over real good. Then pour that much mustard power out into a large plate. Now pour 2-3 times that much brown sugar. Next, crack a bunch of pepper into your pile of spices. It may come out to half as much as the mustard. Then pour in some salt, about a fourth as much as the mustard. Of course these are my proportions, and you can adjust them as you see fit. As a last part, if you have other things that you think would taste good (e.g., cocoa nibs), then throw those in. Next, mix up the spices real good. It should look like a brown and yellow mixture of sorts. Then take your boston butt and put it in your crock pot. You could use another bowl, but then you'll lose some spices and you'll have something else to clean. Anyhow, whatever you use, smother that pork shoulder in your mix. The powder is dry, and the pork is wet, so the pork will soak up that powder. As you apply the mix, it will sort of soak up the liquid. Spread the mix all around, and get into all the crevasses. I haven't experimented with stabbing the pork with holes and then filling these holes with spices, but it has crossed my mind. At any rate, pack the powder all over the pork, and then re-pack it when the spices are soaked up. You will notice that there might be some spice left over, and that some of the spice is sticking to your hand, and that some of the spice doesn't stick and it just falls to the bottom of the crock pot or your bowl. That's okay. We'll use it all. The important part is to get as much spice on the pork as possible. STEP 3: To Let Sit or Not to Let Sit?
You now have a choice. When did you want this done by? If you have a day to wait, you should let the pork sit overnight and let the salt and sugar get into the outer part of the pork. If you don't have a day and you want it done by at least 5 or 8 hours, then skip to STEP 4: Slow Cooking. If you let it sit, you can put the whole crock pot or bowl of pork in your fridge. Be sure to cover it tightly so it doesn't dry out. CONT. STEP 4: Slow Cooking. When you are ready to cook the pork, you can put it in the crock pot, and then pour some apple cider vinegar in it. Regular cider works, but I like the taste of apple cider vinegar. You could probably throw some apple chunks in there, too, and it would taste just great. Anyhow, how much cider? I would use like a half cup to a cup, depending on how southern you like your pork. If you really like tangy cole slaw, use more like a cup, if you don't, go for a half cup. At any rate, when you're done, I add some water, about a half cup. If you want, throw in some potatoes or onions or garlic or chile peppers and you're good to go. Now you are ready to cook. It's best if you can leave it for like 12-14 hours on low. If you need, you can cook it on high for 6 hours or so, and it will cook just fine. If you do it longer and slower, it will make the outside look like a hunk of charcoal. That is good and it will taste good. Anyhow, be sure to use a lid, but it doesn't have to be super tight, just enough to keep the heat in. And that's it. STEP 5: Eat. When you're done, you'll have a real tender pork roast, and a bit of sauce that looks mostly like water. My favorite way to eat it is to take some masa corn tortillas, grill them on low heat on both sides for a minute or so in a skillet with a little oil or butter. Slice some onions and cilantro if you have it, and put these on the tortillas. Throw a bit of pork roast on it and eat it up. Be sure to curl the end of the tortilla with your finger after you fold the tortilla to eat, or else the juice will run into your lap. No good. Another good way to eat it, especially if you have refrigerated your pork and want to re-heat it, is to put the pork and some of the fat (it will turn white and clumpy when it cools down) and a good bit of the juice in a skillet and cook it on low heat until the juice thickens. Then, take this stuff and put it in your tortilla. You'll be saying mama mia all day long. It's good stuff. |
This recipe for Crock Pot Boston Butt is from