The Secret to Smokey Pulled Pork--Without a Smoker

I love pulled pork.  My husband loves pulled pork.

We like to enjoy a bite or two of our pulled pork without any bbq sauce, just to taste the smokiness of the meat and enjoy all the hard work that went into making it perfect.

However, it's cold outside.  So this is my super duper top secret recipe for smokey flavor from inside a slow cooker.

And the secret is . . .

lapsang souchong

Lapsang souchong is smoke-dried over pinewood fires.  It is a very strong, smokey tea that tastes like a campfire that just got put out.  It is an acquired taste and one that I love.  But I didn't at first!  

I take two cups of the tea and steep it in boiled water for 10 minutes.  Then I pour it through a mesh strainer into the slow cooker and add the meat (about two LB in this photo) with a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  I just toss the leaves. I then cook it on high for four or so hours, turning it over ever hour to make sure that the whole thing is steeped in the smokey goodness.

  

While the meat is cooking I make my mop sauce.

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pickled jalapeno juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 TB lemon juice
• 2 TB butter
• 1 TB soy sauce
• 1 tsp siraacha

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a microwaveable bowl and heat for a minute or two until the butter is melted and the mop sauce is warm.
2. Every hour when you flip the meat, spoon over a little mop sauce.

• After 4 hours remove the meat to a platter and using two forks pull it apart.
• Remove the broth from the slow cooker.
• Return the pulled pork to the slow cooker, add what is left of the mop sauce, and just enough of the broth to keep the meat moist.  Reserve the rest of the broth for another use.

Serve the pulled pork with the sides of your choice (in this case I served warm slices of bread and greens seasoned with bacon, salt and pepper), or pile it on a bun, and do it like we do here in Arkansas, top it with a pile of coleslaw.  And serve the bbq sauce on the side--get in those couple of tastes of smokey deliciousness before you dose it.

And just in case you want to make your bbq sauce from scratch here is my super spicy Carolina style mustard based bbq sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup silver spring beer n' brat mustard with horseradish
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 Cup pickled jalapeno juice or Cider Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• 1 TB chili powder

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a microwaveable bowl.
2. Microwave for about 10 minutes, stopping to stir every two, until the bbq sauce is nice 'n thick.