Spicy Pulled Pork

Spicy Pulled Pork is a recipe appearing in The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl.

Official Description
Oh my goodness, am I ever in love with pork shoulder. Please don't tell the cattle ranchers.

This recipe comes from my sister Betsy's good friend Cynthia, who makes this delicious shredded pork for get-togethers with all the other him Austinites. At it's not that I'm ever at these said get-togethers with all the other hip Austinites. For one thing, I don't live anywhere near Austin, so I'm never invited. For another, I probably wouldn't go anyway because I don't like to leave my house. It's a good thing I have my sister to fill me in on all the fun.

I've made this pork over and over, and I'm always amazed at its versatility. The final shredded product can be served immediately or in different dishes over the next few days, and the flavors are deliciously...delicious. Serve it with warm flour tortillas, lime wedges, and a combo of pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole...whatever you have lying around.

Recipe

 * One 5- to 7-pound pork shoulder
 * 1 whole onion, cut into quarters
 * 1 tablespoon chili powder
 * 1/2 cup brown sugar
 * 4 garlic cloves, peeled
 * 1 teaspoon dried oregano
 * 2 teaspoons ground cumin
 * 1 to 2 tablespoons salt, to taste
 * Freshly ground black pepper
 * 3 tablespoons olive oil
 * 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
 * Lime wedges
 * Flour tortillas

Preheat the oven to 300*F.

This is a pork shoulder roast. Make friends with it, because it's a fabulously versatile piece of meat. Go ahead and give it a rinse, I'll wait.

In a food processor, combine the onion, chili powder, brown sugar, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, olive oil, and vinegar. Pulse until totally combined.

Pour the mixture over the pork. Rub it into nook and cranny of the meat, tucking it under folds and in crevices. Let no stone go unturned.

Place the pork into a roasting pan or Dutch oven and add 2 cups water. Cover tightly and roast for 6 or 7 hours, turning once every hour.

Check to make sure it's fork-tender. Increase the heat to 425*F and roast uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the skin gets crispy. Remove from the oven and allow the pork to rest for 15 minutes.

Shred the meat, using two forks to pull it apart. Place the shredded meat on a large platter with lime wedges.

Pour the pan juices over the shredded meat. This will assure that the meat stays extra tender.

Serve with warm tortillas.