Slow cooker pulled pork

Sometimes, in the dead of winter, with no grill and no smoker, you just have to make pulled pork.

If you’ll indulge me, I’m taking another trip down food memory lane ….

The best ‘pulled’ pork I ever had was a couple summers ago, at a pig pickin’ in Carolina Beach. After cooking all day, the whole pig kept its perch on the grill as hungry people lined up to pull the succulent meat straight from its bones. A drizzle of Carolina Treet, and it was perrrrrfect.

Mine didn’t turn out quite as swoon-worthy, but I highly recommend this spice rub and mop sauce. And cooking it in the slow cooker. Sure, I missed out on the smoky flavor, but I also didn’t have to worry about baby-sitting the oven for 8-10 hours (or paying the price of a higher gas bill).

Flip a small plate and set it face-down in the slow cooker. Place the spice-rubbed pork shoulder on top of the plate, to let the fat drain off without boiling the meat. Cook on low about 8 hours, drizzling the meat with mop sauce whenever you can (I did it 3-4 times).

The rub
1/3 cup freshly cracked black pepper
3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons granulated garlic powder
2 tablespoons granulated onion powder
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup ground cumin
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup hot dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne

Mix all ingredients. Rub on pork.

The mop sauce
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil

Mix all ingredients. Brush on pork during cooking. Drizzle over shredded pork before serving.